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Project Title:
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Review of the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts (NIAC)
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PIN:
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ASEB-J-08-03-A
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Major Unit:
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Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences
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Sub Unit:
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Aeronautics & Space Engineering Board
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RSO:
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Wendt, John
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Subject/Focus Area:
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Project Scope
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An ad hoc committee operating under the auspices of the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board will conduct a review to evaluate how well the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts (NIAC) developed revolutionary aeronautical and space concepts that could dramatically impact how NASA develops and conducts its mission. NASA funding for NIAC ended in 2007, and Congress has directed the NRC to review NIAC performance. The review will help guide NASA in assessing NIAC's processes and results and in shaping future efforts in this area.
The objectives of the review are to:
1. Evaluate NIAC's effectiveness in meeting its mission, including a review of the grants made by the Institute, their results, and the likelihood that they will contribute to the Institute's stated goals.
2. Evaluate the method by which grantees were selected and recommend changes, if needed.
3. Make recommendations on whether NIAC or a successor entity should be funded by the Federal government and, if so, what changes, if any, should be made to NIAC's original mission, goals, operations, or other matters
4. Make recommendations as to how the Federal Government in general and NASA in particular should solicit and infuse advanced concepts into its future systems.
NIAC generated advanced concepts as its sole focus. NIAC especially pursued revolutionary systems and architectures from external sources of innovation. According to a review of NIAC's accomplishments published by USRA, NIAC studies were aimed at having a major impact on NASA missions and activities 10 to 40 years in the future.
In evaluating NIAC's performance, the committee will address the following questions:
-- To what extent were the NIAC-sponsored advanced concept studies innovative and technically competent?
-- How effective was NIAC in infusing advanced concepts into NASA's strategic vision, future mission plans, and technology development programs?
-- How relevant were these studies to the aerospace sector at large?
-- How well did NIAC leverage potential partnerships or cost-sharing arrangements?
-- What potential approaches could NASA pursue in the future to generate advanced concepts either internally or from external sources of innovation?
This project is sponsored by NASA
The approximate start date for this project is 05/06/08
A report will be issued at the end of the project in July 2009
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Project Duration:
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16 months
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Provide FEEDBACK on this project.
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Contact the Public Access Records Office to make an inquiry, request a list of the public access file materials, or obtain a copy of the materials found in the file.
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