NASA awards Tempe engineers, ASU researchers $755K in grant money

PHOENIX – A Tempe engineering company, along with Arizona State University and another school, have been awarded more than $700,000 from NASA to develop software that could lead to better aerospace vehicles.

Phoenix Analysis and Design Technologies announced the grant and joint venture Tuesday.

It was the 16th small business innovation research/technology grant for the company, based at ASU’s Research Park, since its founding in 1994.

“Improving aerospace innovation is always an exciting prospect, and our team is uniquely qualified to apply our expertise to develop disruptive technology for NASA,” consulting engineer Alex Grishi said in a statement.

ASU’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering Dean Kyle Squires said, “The NASA Phase II STTR grant allows us to use simulation and 3D printing to explore bio-inspired structures to innovate how NASA designs and manufactures its spacecrafts.”

The department and the private company had been on the receiving end of a $127,000 Phase I grant in August 2018.

According to the press release, “The lattice structure design tool itself may allow NASA to design and manufacture high-performance materials,” including heat shields, lightweight panels and acoustic liners.

Kenesaw State University in Georgia will also be working on the project.

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