"Lightweight and multifunctional materials and structures are one of NASA's top focus areas capable of having the greatest impact on future NASA missions in human and robotic exploration," said Steve Jurczyk, associate administrator for the agency's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) in Washington, D.C., according to a press release from NASA.

"These advanced technologies are necessary for us to be able to launch stronger, yet lighter, spacecraft and components as we look to explore an asteroid and eventually Mars."

Phase I awards of the solicitation are valued up to $550,000, providing awardees with funding for 13 months to produce 12-inch-by-12 inch-by-1-inch ULW core panels. Technologies selected to continue to Phase II will demonstrate the ability to scale up to 2 feet and ultimately to produce ULW core panels of measurements up to 11 feet, with NASA providing up to $2 million per award for up to 18 months.

The three awards selected for contract negotiations are:
• HRL Laboratories LLC of Malibu, Calif.: Ultralight Micro-truss Cores for Space Launch Systems
• ATK Space Systems LLC of Magna, Utah: Game Changing Technology Development Program Ultra-Light Weight Core Materials for Efficient Load Bearing Composite Sandwich Structures
• Dynetics Inc. of Huntsville, Ala.: Ultra-Lightweight Core Materials for Efficient Load-Bearing Composite Sandwich Structures

NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., manages the Game Changing Development Program for STMD.