MIT Collaborative Research

This NASA/NSSC sole‑source contract funds a 12‑month collaborative research effort between NASA’s Transformational Tools and Technologies (TTT) program and MIT’s Reliable Autonomous Systems Laboratory (REALM) to mature and demonstrate Adaptive Envelope Protection (AEP) technology on sub‑scale and full‑scale eVTOL research aircraft. The effort emphasizes software integration, data‑driven learning, simulation validation, hardware implementation, and progressive flight‑test demonstrations, with deliverables that include software, datasets, technical reports, and a reusable safety‑assurance framework. • Duration: 12 months, split into two 6‑month phases (sub‑scale then full‑scale). • Funding: Sole‑source to MIT; NASA will evaluate capabilities/qualifications by 9/17/2026. • Scope: Mature AEP software, integrate with NASA RAVEN SWIFT and RAVEN eVTOL platforms, conduct simulation and flight testing, produce datasets and documentation. • Deliverables: Modular AEP code, simulation scenarios, flight‑test data, technical reports, regression validation, final integrated framework. • Milestones: Monthly progress reports; six key technical milestones per phase (roadmap, software, simulation, integration, flight demo, final assessment). • Location of performance: NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center, Ohio (with possible on‑site flight testing). • Contact: Tracy Bremer, Procurement Specialist, NASA/NSSC.