Washington, D.C. - Technology that could help prevent another Columbia space shuttle disaster is being developed by a local company recently awarded a Small Business Innovation Research program contract worth up to $70,000 by NASA. Shenandoah based Invocon, Incorporated’s Distributed Impact Detection System promises to detect potentially catastrophic shuttle system failures and allow mission control and astronauts to formulate responses before it becomes a disaster situation.
Earlier today U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady, a long time advocate of small business contracting, toured Invocon headquarters and lab facilities with Invocon President Karl Keifer and NASA Johnson Space Center spokesman Greg Hayes.
“Invocon’s Distributed Impact Detection System is groundbreaking technology that has the potential to save many lives. Invocon’s discoveries are helping to keep America’s space program both successful and expansive. Today is a great day for Invocon and the future of space flight,” said Brady.
NASA spokesman Greg Hayes went on to say, “Business of all sizes will play an important role as NASA moves towards accomplishing the Vision for Space Exploration. Today we congratulate Invocon, Inc. as a recipient of the highly competitive Small Business Innovation Research Program. We encourage more small businesses to consider the SBIR program as an avenue to make a positive difference in the safety and success of our nation’s space flight program.”
Space particles, sometimes as small as a BB pellet, can penetrate the skin of a spacecraft because of the speed and velocity during take-off from the earth’s atmosphere. It’s important that mission control and astronauts aboard the spacecraft be able to detect the impact of these tiny particles and forecast the potential damage they cause. Invocon’s Distributed Impact Detection System will enable NASA crews to identify potential problems as they occur and correct them in real time, before they threaten the success of the mission and safety of the astronauts on board.
