Donna Drelick
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.			Nov. 9, 1995
(Phone: 301-286-7995)
donna.drelick@ccmail.gsfc.nasa.gov

RELEASE NO:  95-201

GODDARD SBIR PARTNER BRINGS HOME TOP AWARD

	A NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) partner 
has been awarded one of the five "1995 SBIR Technology of the 
Year" awards at the Technology 2005 Conference Awards Dinner 
held Oct. 25 in Chicago, Ill.  Thermacore, Inc. of Lancaster, Pa., 
received the award for their continuing work in heat pipe technology 
and innovative commercialization of this technology.  Thermacore 
has extensive experience with various SBIRs, and has been 
associated with the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, 
Md., since 1989. 

	"We are extremely pleased that Technology 2005 has show-
cased Goddard's technology transfer capabilities, and are proud of 
our association with Thermacore," said Nona Minnifield, 
Commercial Research Manager of Goddard's Office of Commercial 
Programs.  "The goals of the SBIR program are to stimulate 
technological innovations for use by NASA and also to 
commercialize the results of the federally sponsored research. This 
creates a win-win scenario.  Thermacore is viewed as a model SBIR 
partner because they have advanced commercial uses of federally 
sponsored research in such innovative ways." 
 
	Thermacore's loop heat pump, developed under the SBIR 
program, is a completely passive device created for the dissipation of 
heat. The loop heat pump can transport heat in remote or tightly 
confined locations where there is no source of cooling to prevent the 
electronics from operating at extreme temperatures.  This technology 
has led to other applications, most notably miniature heat pipes for 
Pentium Processor notebook computers.  Further application of the 
technology include uses in cellular telephones, camcorders, and 
various hand-held electronics.

	"Thermacore has gained a technological advantage because of 
knowledge based on various SBIRs throughout the years," said Yale 
Eastman, Chairman of Thermacore.   "Because of the SBIR 
experience, we have learned to make high performance products in a 
highly competitive business.  The experience is proving to be a 
profitable one for Thermacore."              
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