In addition to several of the groups from last time (SRI, Nosala Engineering, likely CD International and Henry Cate) that will be contributing again to this second sprint, I also wanted to mention another group that is supporting us–The Space Studies Institute.
Back in their Winter 2011 update, and again at Space Access, Lee Valentine mentioned their support they provided Altius Space Machines last year when I was writing the SBIR proposal we won for Sticky Boom, and he also raised donation money to help support this Sticky Boom technology maturation effort. Lee and Robin contacted me last night to let me know that they were able to raise some money for the project, and that SSI would be providing some of the badly needed R&D funds to help us pull this effort off successfully.
For those of you who don’t know, SSI has been funding space-commerce and space-settlement enabling technology research for many years. One of the earlier technology development projects they funded was XCOR’s early rocket propellant piston pump research. For those of you who are interested in helping fund innovative space research like this Sticky Boom sprint or XCOR’s piston pump work, SSI is a good non-profit to donate to, and a way that even the less well-heeled can help make a difference.