The equipment, laboratories, and other capabilities needed to pursue NASA’s goals are a significant asset that can be accessed by outside organizations. For example:
Goddard is the only place in the country that does this kind of coating. We could have tried to make do with a commercial coating, but they’re significantly less efficient. If we weren’t able to access Goddard’s facilities, it would have taken us four times as long to get the data we need. It has a big impact on our ability to do the experiments.
Larry D. Gardner, Physicist, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
Radiation Effects Facility (REF): Goddard established the REF to study ionization and displacement damage of electronics and materials as well as instrument calibration requirements for devices in space, including electronics, microcircuits, sensors, couplings, lenses, and filters as well as paints, coatings, and aircraft structural materials. In FY06, Texas Instruments signed an agreement to use the REF in testing and reengineering radiation-tolerant electronics.
Integrated Design Capability (IDC): Goddard uses the IDC to conduct rapid space system analysis and develop conceptual designs. IDC’s collaborative process and sophisticated tools can be used to produce detailed space mission, remote sensing instrument, and/or technology applications design concepts.
Thin-Film Coating Facility: Goddard researchers used this facility and an innovative coating to provide the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) with optics that reflect light over a wide range of wavelengths, dramatically increasing the efficiency of SAO’s solar-laboratory experiments.
Detector Systems Facility: Goddard’s capabilities include detector development and characterization laboratories as well as a superconducting detector test facility and MEMS and nanotechnology facilities. This facility was featured at the October 12th Showcase.
Goddard Mission Services Evolution Center (GMSEC): This facility was created to reduce the costs of mission development, operations, and maintenance; to accelerate the advancement of new capabilities and technologies; and to better utilize commercial software products. This facility was featured at the October 12th Showcase.
Cryogenic High Accuracy Refraction Measuring System (CHARMS): The CHARMS facility surpasses other refractometer facilities in its versatility—providing measurements at cryogenic temperatures and over a wide range of wavelengths—and its unsurpassed accuracy. The IPP Office developed an agreement for the University of Oxford to access this facility in early FY07.
