Grand Valley State University (GVSU), in partnership with Holland-based Sordal Inc., has received $100,000 Phase 1 Small Business Technology Transfer grant from the United States Missile Defense Agency to develop insulating foam for use on satallites that track ballistic missles. The satallites will be used as part of the Bush administration's controversial ballistic missile defense program which was revived in December of 2002. While the grant awarded to GVSU and Sordal is small by military contracting standards, total expenditures on ballistic missile defense 7.7 billion dollars in 2004 while the 2005 budget requests a little over $10 billion.
Most of the work will be done at the West Michigan Science and Technology Initiative's Product Development center located at GVSU's Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences in Grand Rapids. Associate Orifessir if Chemistry Robert Smart, will be leading the research during his sabbatical. With the announcement of this grant, GVSU and Sordal join other local companies such as Borisch Manufacturing and Smiths Industries who produce components for weapons systems.
