NASA’s Office of Biological and Physical Research has selected 17 researchers
to receive grants up to three years to conduct research in advanced human
support technologies. These technologies could have a significant impact
on the ability of humans to conduct long-duration space flight missions
safely. Benefits to the quality of life on Earth from improved environmental
technologies, may also result from this research.

The proposals were selected for one to three year efforts, and are worth
$8.8 million over three years. Work under these grants will enhance safe
human space flight in both the near-Earth orbit where the International
Space Station will operate, and in exploration of the solar system beyond
Earth orbit.

Six of the grants are for new technologies in advanced environmental
monitoring of space habitats. One grant addresses a strategy for advanced
control systems. Two projects address advanced food technologies. Two projects
focus on advanced technologies for extravehicular activity. Six others
address novel approaches to waste processing, including air revitalization,
water recycling, thermal control, and treatment of solid wastes.

NASA received 113 proposals in response to the research solicitation
released in March 2002. The Proposals were peer-reviewed by scientific
and technical experts from academia, government, and industry before the
selection. In addition to technical and scientific merit, relevancy to
NASA programs, and feasibility of implementation were also selection criteria.

Those selected are listed below by state, along with their institutions
and their research titles:

*****      California     
*****

Fisher, John  NASA Ames Research Center

Development of Metal Impregnated Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes
(SWCNT) for Elimination of Toxic Contaminants in Advanced Life Support
Systems 

Singh, R. Paul  University of California Davis

A Multipurpose Fruit and Vegetable Processing System for Advanced
Life Support

Yang, Rui  NASA – Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Mid-infrared vertical cavity surface emitting lasers for trace gas
monitoring

 

*****     Colorado    
*****

Copeland, Robert  TDA Research, Inc.

A Lightweight Freeze-Tolerant Radiator for an EMU



 

*****     District of Columbia    
*****

Miller, J. Houston  George Washington University

Development Of A Cavity Ring Down Sensor For Measuring Spacecraft
Air Contaminants using New DFB and External Cavity Laser Sources

 

*****     Delaware    
*****

Graziosi, David  ILC Dover, Inc.

Development of a High Performance Mobility/Sizing Actuation System
for Application to a Spacesuit Rear Entry Soft Upper Torso and Strength
Augmented Mobility Joints



 

*****     Florida    
*****

Drysdale, Alan  Boeing

Equivalent System Mass Impacts of Clothing on Wastes and Mission
Cost

Strayer, Richard  Dynamac Corporation

Denitrification Composter to Stabilize Space-Mission Trash

 

*****     Iowa    
*****

Porter, Marc  Iowa State University

Multiplexed Colorimetric Solid Phase Extractions:  Sensors
for Monitoring Spacecraft Water Quality

 

*****     Michigan    
*****

Swain, Greg  Michigan State University

Boron-Doped Microcrystalline and Nanocrystalline Diamond Thin-Films:
New Materials for Electrochemical Detection in Microfluidic Systems and
Electrolytic Water Purification

 

*****     Minnesota    
*****

Koscheyev, Victor  University of Minnesota

Development of a Finger Calorimeter to Indicate General Thermal
Status of Astronauts Onboard and During EVA



 

*****     New Mexico    
*****

Eiceman, Gary  New Mexico State University Main Campus

Micro-Machined Drift Tubes for Ion Mobility Spectrometry: 
Studies Toward a Microbial Analyzer for Manned Spacecraft

 

*****     Ohio    
*****

Dionysiou, Dionysios  University of Cincinnati

High Performance TiO2 Photocatalytic Coatings and Membranes for
the Purification, Disinfection and Recycle of Water and Air in Space Applications

Sastry, Sudhir  The Ohio State University

Reheating and Sterilization Technology for Food, Waste and Water

 

*****     Oregon    
*****

Atwater, James  UMPQUA Research Company

Advanced Magnetic Methods for the Separation and Gasification of
Solid Wastes in Microgravity and Hypogravity

 

*****     Tennessee    
*****

Gautam Biswas  Vanderbilt University

Distributed Monitoring and Control of Complex Dynamic Systems

 

*****     Texas    
*****

Tittel, Frank  Rice University

Development of Advanced Mid-Infrared Laser Based Gas Sensor Technology