NASA Glenn Teams Win 2025 R&D 100 Awards
- NASA Glenn Research Center has won 2025 R&D 100 Awards for developing High-Rate Delay Tolerant Networking (HDTN) software, which enables reliable and high-speed data transmission in space.
- The HDTN technology can transfer data up to 10 times faster than current delay-tolerant networking protocols, with far-reaching implications beyond NASA’s space exploration, including near real-time communication capabilities for the commercial space industry.
- NASA Glenn researchers have co-invented VulcanAlloy, a breakthrough soft magnetic nanocrystalline material that operates above 500°C, ideal for extreme environments and applications in aerospace, defense, electric vehicles, data centers, and energy systems.
- VulcanAlloy has been tested by Raytheon and shows promise in electrified aircraft, defense, and aerospace systems, as well as in electric vehicles, data centers, microgrids, and energy systems where smaller, lighter, and more efficient components are key to advancing next-generation power electronics.
- This marks NASA Glenn’s 130th R&D 100 Award win, solidifying its reputation as a leader in aerospace innovation and technology development, with the center continuing to push the boundaries of what is possible in space exploration and beyond.
NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland has earned 2025 R&D 100 Awards for developing a system that delivers high-speed internet for space and co-inventing technology for a new class of soft magnetic nanocrystalline materials designed to operate at extreme temperatures. This brings NASA Glenn’s total to 130 R&D 100 Awards.
High-Rate Delay Tolerant Networking
NASA Glenn’s Daniel Raible and Rachel Dudukovich led their team of engineers to create High-Rate Delay Tolerant Networking (HDTN), a cutting-edge software solution designed to revolutionize data streaming and communication in space. HDTN enables reliable, high-speed transmission of data between space and Earth — even under the extreme conditions of space — minimizing loss and system delay.
“The HDTN software protocol allows faster, automated, and seamless data transfer between spacecraft, even across communication systems operating on different link speeds,” Raible said. “It’s up to 10 times faster than current delay-tolerant networking (DTN).”
This advanced technology has far-reaching implications beyond NASA. With its open-source code, HDTN paves the way for collaboration, innovation, and adoption across the rapidly expanding commercial space industry, offering near real-time communication capabilities.
Looking ahead, HDTN could form the foundation of a solar system-wide internet, supporting data exchange between Earth, spacecraft, and even future missions involving human travel to the Moon and Mars.
VulcanAlloy
In a project led by the University of Pittsburgh, researchers at NASA Glenn, including Nick Bruno, Grant Feichter, Vladimir Keylin, Alex Leary, and Ron Noebe, partnered with CorePower Magnetics to develop VulcanAlloy — a breakthrough soft magnetic nanocrystalline material.
VulcanAlloy, developed under NASA’s High Operating Temperature Technology Program using processing capability established by the Advanced Air Transport Technology project, operates above 500°C, far beyond the limits of conventional soft magnetic materials. Its nano-engineered structure maintains efficiency at high temperatures and frequencies.
With adjustable magnetic properties, it can replace multiple materials in components like inductors, transformers, motors, and sensors while reducing the need for bulky cooling systems — ideal for extreme environments.
Raytheon has tested VulcanAlloy cores, highlighting their potential in electrified aircraft, defense, and aerospace systems.
This innovation also promises major impact in electric vehicles, data centers, microgrids, and energy systems, where smaller, lighter, and more efficient components are key to advancing next-generation power electronics.
The R&D 100 Awards, a worldwide science and innovation competition, received entries from organizations around the world. Now in its 63rd year, this year’s judging panel included industry professionals from across the globe who evaluated breakthrough innovations in technology and science.
