Senator Jon Tester has announced five of Montana’s cutting-edge small businesses will be receiving NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research award.

Bozeman businesses ADvR, Bridger Photonics, Global Technology Enterprises and Resonon, along with S&K Global Solutions of Polson, will receive up to $125,000 each to research and commercialize technology that will support NASA’s future missions.

“These awards show once again that Montana is the greatest place in the world for ambitious entrepreneurs,” Tester said. “These five companies are doing amazing things, developing technologies that are not only applicable to big picture stuff like space travel, but that also benefit our local economies and consumers.”

The five local companies submitted specific proposals for projects that would “support the development of technologies in the areas of aeronautics, science, human exploration and operations, and space technology.”  These projects include the development of new laser technologies, tools for increasing thermal conductivity, and instruments for measuring the effect of the moon on our planet.  In addition to their application in space exploration, these projects also have potential commercial applications in sectors like the consumer electronics industry, the oil, gas and nuclear industries, and the commercial drone industry.

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