NASA, Chrysler Team On R&D

NASA has struck a three-year deal with automobile manufacturer Chrysler to share information in several key technology areas in which both companies are engaged in research.

The two companies plan to share information about mobility systems, wireless technologies, robotics, energy storage, radar, materials engineering, and battery systems gleaned from work in their respective industries, they said in separate press statements.

They also plan to set up a research team comprised of a specialist from each organization for each of the technology areas in which they pursue research together, according to Chrysler.

The deal formalizes joint R&D activities in which the two organizations already are engaged. Chrysler developed surface navigation sensors for its automobiles based on work it's done with NASA.

The alliance is part of NASA's Innovative Partnerships program, which coordinates research between the space agency and other organizations interested in similar areas of knowledge. NASA also provides technology incubation and small-business funding and support through the IPP.

The deal with Chrysler is for technology-sharing only; there are no financial terms to it, according to NASA.

Collaboration between NASA and Chrysler dates back to 1961, when the car manufacturer built the Redstone rockets for the Mercury Project that put the first American into space.

Chrysler also built boosters to power the first two Apollo spacecrafts in 1968 -- Apollo 7 and Apollo 8. The latter was the first U.S. spacecraft to reach the vicinity of the moon and paved the way for the Apollo 11 moon landing mission the following year.