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Who We Are

"The technologies we need to reach the stars are the engines to drive America's future."

Utilizing a unique combination of programs designed to innovate, incubate, and accelerate technology advances-from conception through development, demonstration, and commercial realization, Technology Transfer strives to serve the needs of the Center's product lines, NASA's enterprise objectives, and American industry.

Center Director's Discretionary Fund
 The Center Director has assigned management responsibility for his discretionary fund to Technology Transfer. CDDF provides an opportunity for an individual or a group to plan and conduct a well-defined research or technology development project in a scientific or technical area. CDDF-sponsored projects are innovative efforts that support new ideas or concepts to serve NASA and Center Product Line objectives. The projects are performed largely in-house, involving outside groups or contractors only to the extent necessary. An important CDDF objective is to cultivate Marshall talent through "hands-on" experience. Calls for CDDF proposals are made on an annual basis.

Technology Reporting
New technology reporting is essential to achieving NASA's goal to commercialize aeronautics and space technological advances. Technology Transfer has the responsibility of implementing programs that facilitate and monitor the capture of technological assets (including software) resulting from innovations developed by NASA employees or under NASA funding agreements. Monetary rewards to inventors are one incentive for reporting, as well as commercialization assessment, compliance with Export Control, and proper coordination with the Center's Patent Counsel. Sharing this leading-edge technology through various modes is another goal of the program.

Technology Partnerships
Technology Transfer is discovering novel solutions for filling the technology needs of NASA, while supplying NASA ingenuity in ways that help America grow through partnership opportunities with industry, small business, academia, and other Government entities. Technology Transfer is the Center's "one-stop-shopping" point for any partnership facilitation and/or coordination with entities external to the Center (reimbursable or non-reimbursable Space Act Agreements, including Memoranda of Understanding and Memoranda of Agreement).

bullet Dual-use technology development partnerships: Fostering partnerships to facilitate the development of technologies having dual-use aerospace and non-aerospace applications. Such partnerships meet product line and NASA enterprise needs while assisting U.S. industry with competitiveness through technological advancement.

bulletTechnology deployment partnerships: Provide strategic deployment opportunities to tailor NASA technologies for new applications serving diverse commercial applications. Such partnerships also afford opportunities to address important social needs, such as national economic security interests, public safety, law enforcement issues, healthcare improvements, and humanitarian efforts.

Facilities Commercialization
Marshall has a number of unique facilities that can be used by educational and commercial partners on a cost reimbursement basis. Technology transfer pursues new commercializations of these unique facilities through external partnership agreements, resulting in mutually beneficial arrangements for U.S. industry and the Center. Examples include:

bullet Productivity Enhancement Complex (PEC)

bullet Dynamic Test Facilities

bullet Optics Laboratory

bullet Environmental Test Facility

bullet Hot Gas Facility

bullet Friction Stir Welding Facilities

bullet Microgravity Development Laboratory

Small Business Programs
These programs leverage America's entrepreneurial resources to stimulate innovation in the private sector and assist small businesses in meeting research and development goals, increase commercial application of their research, and to encourage participation of disadvantage persons and women-owned businesses.

bullet Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs: Congressionally mandated programs that seek innovative concepts from industry which addresses both NASA's program needs and offer commercial application potential. Technology Transfer personnel coordinate all solicitation and selection processes (Phase I and II projects), and foster development of Phase III commercializations.

bullet Biztech: Provide support to North Alabama's first high-technology, small business incubator specializing in nurturing start-up companies until they are ready to stand on their own.

bullet Minority and Woman-Owned Business (MOB/WOB) National Initiative: Support and facilitate federally mandated programs designed to provide assistance directly to minority-and woman-owned technology based companies.

Technology Education Projects for Economic Development
Establishing joint ventures for the mutual benefit of industry, academia, and the Center, Technology Transfer plays a role in providing unique capabilities.

Technology Transfer Outreach Projects and Strategic Alliances
Technology Transfer is utilizing a number of avenues to inform industry, academia, and the public about NASA's technology transfer and commercialization mission, and the available mechanisms for working with Marshall. Technology Transfer partners with existing national, regional, state, and local technology transfer networks. Through the synergistic efforts of these networks, Technology Transfer targets industries with potential aerospace technology needs and partnership potential and works with these organizations to enhance their technological capabilities. Additional outreach efforts that serve to increase awareness of the space program and NASA's relevance to American taxpayers include publications in technology-based media, distribution of success stories, and personal visits and briefings.

Technology Commercialization
Planning for the commercialization of technologies starts with understanding the potential applications of the new technology. Technology Transfer provides a resource for Marshall Directorates and product lines to assist with developing a strategic plan for infusing NASA-developed assets into industry. A vision of success is essential during the early stage of development. Technology Transfer personnel can offer guidance on this process to Marshall program/project managers using their experience, insight, and access to a number of external resources to help with the commercialization of technologies.

Software Release
It is NASA`s policy to:

  1. Establish uniform procedures and responsibilities concerning domestic and foreign release of software created by or for NASA.
  2. Manage software as a strategic asset, utilizing and releasing it in a way that will maximize its benefit to NASA, the U.S. public, and the U.S. economy.
  3. Inventory NASA-funded software and assert intellectual property rights to such software where deemed appropriate in order to facilitate its transfer for commercial, industrial, educational, and governmental purposes. The Software Release Authority who manages the software release process, and works with Center management, the Export control officer, the Commercialization manager, Patent counsel and the Information technology security official to ensure that all software has been cleared for release in accordance with all NASA guidelines and policies.