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FUTURE-X Jim Cast Headquarters, Washington, DC August
3, 1998 (Phone: 202/358-1779) June Malone Marshall Space Flight Center,
Huntsville, AL (Phone: 256/544-7061) RELEASE: 98-141 NASA SEEKS
PROPOSALS FOR FUTURE-X NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center,
Huntsville, AL, today issued a NASA Research Announcement
soliciting proposals for "Future-X," the first in a
continuous series of flight demonstrations to validate
technologies beyond those contained in the X-33 and X-34
technology demonstration programs. Proposals are due by Oct.
1, 1998. The NASA Research Announcement calls
for proposals for flight demonstrations of emerging
technologies that require flight as a critical step in
validating and maturing the technology. The technologies
will be focused on substantially reducing the cost of space
transportation. In an effort to increase U.S.
competitiveness in the worldwide commercial space
transportation market and lower future government costs for
space access, NASA is pursuing cutting-edge technologies
that will dramatically lower the cost of getting to space.
These advanced technology flight demonstrations are called
Future-X. "The Future-X series of
demonstrations will push technology and clear the way for
space development and exploration in the early years of the
new century," said Gary E. Payton, Deputy Associate
Administrator for Aeronautics and Space Transportation
Technology at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC. The demonstrations will consist of
flight vehicles or experiments to prove technologies that
improve performance and lower development, production and
operating costs of future earth-to-orbit and in-space
transportation systems. Airframe system technologies will
include propellant tanks, thermal protection systems,
avionics and structures. Propulsion system technologies will
include main propulsion systems, propellants and high
temperature materials. "Future-X sets the stage for
developing a new generation of space launch vehicles that
will be built faster and cheaper than previous vehicles,"
said Frederick Bachtel, manager of the space transportation
programs office at Marshall. "For the first time, NASA will
be able to readily test and validate new, state-of-the-art
space transportation technologies in flight." Projected funding of about $90
million through fiscal year 2002 is anticipated with awards
scheduled for December. Awards are dependent upon the number
and content of selected proposals and availability of
funds. A single award is planned for a
flight vehicle and multiple awards are anticipated for
flight experiments. An industry briefing on the
announcement is scheduled Aug. 7 at 9 a.m. CDT at Marshall.
NASA Research Announcement 8-22 is available at the
following Web site: http://nais.msfc.nasa.gov/home.html
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