St. George software developer wins NASA grant

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MotionPort, a St. George-based developer and distributor of computer-aided engineering software, has received a $125,000 grant from the NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) to develop an application that will simulate deployable space structures, specifically roll-out solar arrays.

The work will assist NASA in increasing efficiency in stowing and deploying solar arrays of ever-increasing size, a news release said. It also will help NASA reduce errors.

For MotionPort, the grant means it will be able to continue research and development for now without having to turn to equity markets for funding.

The Utah Science and Technology Research initiative's (USTAR) Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Assistance Center helped MotionPort secure the NASA grant.

"This SBIR award is an outstanding accomplishment for Brant Ross and his team at MotionPort," Mary Cardon, director of the SBIR-STTR Assistance Center, said in the release. "It not only shines the spotlight on the great things happening at MotionPort, but also the state of Utah and Washington County."

"This SBIR award is an outstanding accomplishment for Brant Ross and his team at MotionPort. It not only shines the spotlight on the great things happening at MotionPort, but also the state of Utah and Washington County," Cardon said.