National Aeronautics and Space Administration NRP Post A publication of NASA Research Park Winter 2007 NASA and Google Sign Formal Agreement CREST Evolves from Space Technology Center The new Center for Robotic Exploration and Space Technologies (CREST), in Bldg. 583C, NASA Research Park, is a consortium of local and national academic institutions working with govern- ment and industry on robotic and space-related mission develop- ment, technology advancement and educational opportunities. CREST evolved in 2006 from the Space Technology Center (STC), formerly comprised of San Jose State University, Santa Clara University, Stanford University and California Polytechnic State University. “Our objective is to provide low-cost, high-risk technology and mission solutions that can serve as pathfinders for NASA’s core business” said Professor Christopher Kitts of Santa Clara University, director of CREST. “We have provided critical mission design and operations support to Genebox and GeneSat, and we’re now participating as members of the NASA PharmaSat team and working on many other space missions.” Left to right: Chris C. Kemp, Ames Director of Business Development; S. Pete Worden, Ames Center Director; Tiffany Montague, Google Director continued on page 6 of New Business Development; and Dr. Dan Clancy, Google Engineering Director at the Ames Exploration Center reception December 5, 2006, announcing the signing of the Ames and Google Space Act Agreement. NRP Partner Changene Granted Patent NASA Ames Research Center and Google have signed a Space NASA Research Park partner Changene, Inc. was granted pat- Act Agreement to work together on a variety of challenging tech- ent # 7,163,795 on January 17, 2007 by the U.S. Patent and nical problems ranging from large-scale data management and Trademark Office (PTO) for the discovery of nacrein from massively distributed computing, to human-computer interfaces. Pinctada margaritifera, a black pearl oyster found in the South Pacific Ocean. As the first in a series of joint collaborations, Google and Ames will focus on making the most useful of NASA’s information Nacrein is a naturally occur- available on the Internet. Real-time weather visualization and ring biological molecule that forecasting, high-resolution 3-D maps of the moon and Mars, regulates calcium crystals real-time tracking of the International Space Station and the during pearl formation. The space shuttle will be explored in the future. mechanism of building biominerals in shells is similar “This agreement between NASA and Google will soon allow every to bone formation in humans. American to experience a virtual flight over the surface of the moon or Studies show that nacreous through the canyons of Mars,” said NASA Administrator Michael substances extracted from Griffin at Headquarters in Washington. “This innovative combination Pinctada species demon- of information technology and space science will make NASA’s space strated significant osteogenic exploration work accessible to everyone,” added Griffin. (bone forming) activities in mammalian models. Image of Nacrein 3D structure provided by provided Changene Image of 3D Nacrein structure Division. Supercomputing Advanced Ames and continued on page 6 continued on page 8 www.nasa.gov www.researchpark.arc.nasa.gov NRP Post NRP Exploration Lecture NRP Welcomes New Tenant Astronaut Tom Jones Mars Institute Dr. Pascal Lee, Building 19 - February 1, 2007 NASA Research Park Exploration Lecture Series Sky Walking: An Astronaut’s Memoir “We have currently leased 98% of available space at NRP. We continue to receive inquiries and are challenged by this lack of space. Prospec- tive partners are being screened for programmatic compatibility, and we look forward to working with existing and new partners to expand the programmatic partnership.” Mejghan Haider, NRP Chief QTech Launches Voice-activated Memory Solution January 30, 2007 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ NRP partner QTech Inc. recently launched ‘reQall(TM)’, its flagship voice-based tool that helps you remember. The Planetary scientist and veteran shuttle astronaut company received a DEMOgod award at the conference in TheTom NRP Jones Exploration will discuss hisLecture new book, Series “Sky presents Palm Desert, CA. The prestigious award is presented to Astronaut/AuthorWalking: An Astronaut’s Tom JonesMemoir,” @ which 7 pm details on March his experiences as mission specialist and payload select companies that clearly articulate the significance of their 3commander in the Eagle aboard Room, four spaceBldg. shuttle 943, outsideflights. the Main Gate. Veteran shuttle astronaut Jones, debuting technology despite the pressures of a jaded audience, Tuesday, March 13, 2007 a make-or-break level of expectation, and a six-minute count author of “SkyWalking:7p.m. Bldg. 943 An Eagle Astronaut’s Room Memoir,” will talk aboutFREE his Open experiences to the public as mission spe- down clock. cialist and payload commander aboard four space shuttle flights, and will sign copies of his “QTech is pioneering the next wave of voice-based technologies for all com- book after the lecture. The NRP Exploration munication devices,” said Dr. N. Rao Machiraju, QTech chairman and Lecture Series’ mission is to inspire the ex- CEO. “We are passionate about providing our customers with the very plorer in everyone. best memory tools to augment their work and lifestyle. reQall will impact NASA AMES RESEARCH CENTER the FIRSTway peopleCLASS remember their tasks and events in the future, enabling MAIL STOP 204-2 U.S. POSTAGE MOFFETT FIELD, CA 94035-1000 much PAIDgreater flexibility and productivity in their work and personal life.” NASA Apprion OfficialReceives Business PenaltyTrade for AccoladePrivate Use $300 PERMIT NO. 85 Dec 14, 2006 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ MOUNTAINThe company VIEW, CA announced also that Don Norman, industry vet- NASA Research Park Exploration Lecture Series eran and product design guru, has joined QTech’s management Sky Walking: An Astronaut’s Memoir team as chief mentor. The team includes N. Rao Machiraju, NASA Research Park partner Apprion, the pioneer of man- Sunil Vemuri, Jacky Mallet and Debra Miller. QTech’s U.S. aged industrial-strength wireless solutions for manufacturers, headquarters is at NASA Research Park, Moffett Field, CA. has been recognized as a top provider of “machine-to-machine technologies” in the marketplace by M2M magazine. Acting as a virtual personal assistant, reQall enables users to easily record and conveniently retrieve reminders and notes “This year’s M2M 100 directory provides a snapshot of an emerging based on contextual preferences. reQall is patent-pending market and identifies the companies with the greatest impact on its direc- software technology using a combination of voice interface tion. CompaniesPhoto of Tom Jonesare delivering solutions that make it easier to adopt and speech-recognition technology to record, log and retrieve machine-to-machineTuesday, March communications 13, 2007 and 7 realizep.m. the technology’s enormous tasks, meetings and voice notes. The reQall service can be businessBldg. value,” 943 says Eagle Michael Room Jarosik, editor of M2M magazine. used via any phone by calling a toll-free number, and does not FREE Open to the public require any software downloads. As an “M2M 100” company this year, Apprion joins a number For more info visit: of distinguishedwww.researchpark.arc.nasa.gov world-class, private and public companies, Unlike solutions that simply record voice messages, reQall offers contextually relevant date and time-based memory as- such as General Electric, BT Group PLC, IBM, Accenture, www.nasa.gov Motorola, Texas Instruments, SAP, Siemens, T-Mobile, Veri- sistance. The interactive voice response system leverages any zon Wireless, Motorola, Qualcomm, and Savi Technology, communication device, ie. mobile phones, smart phones, land among others. lines, desktops, laptops or an IP softphone such as Skype. 2 www.nasa.gov NRP Post Space Portral Update “Every day a commercial space travel entrepreneur comes through our doors,” said Dan Coughlin, an engineer from Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL now based at Space Portal. Dan, a SLOAN Fellow, is on loan to Virgin Galactic, and is fast-tracking Sir Richard Branson’s Spaceship 2 venture. Spaceship 2 plans prototype flights in 2008 and commercial suborbital rides (65 miles altitude) in 2009, at $200,000 a trip, initially from the Mojave Spaceport. The high-flying customers are in line -- more than 100 tickets have been sold. In January Dan was ordering the pressure suits from Texas that space tourists will wear in the early stages of Spaceship 2 flights. Spaceship 2 is built by Burt Rutan’s Scaled Composites in the Mojave Desert. Spaceship 1, the 2004 winner of the $10 mil- lion Ansari X Prize for two consecutive successful flights to 62 miles (100 km) altitude, also was built by Scaled Composites. Space Portal, Building 555, Nasa Research Park “Space Portal has been busy,” said Ames scientist Dr. Dan Rasky. “We negotiated six tasks to support the Commercial Orbital Transporta- tion Services (COTS) Program Office at Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX. We established two reimbursable Space Act Agreements, and we are working on two others for COTS partner technical support, with Rock- NASA Ames Partnership Office etplane Kistler, Oklahoma City, OK, and SpaceX, Los Angeles, CA. presents Technology Showcase Ocean Engineering and Paragon are supporting SpaceX,” he said. The NASA Technology Showcase will be held Commercial