NASA recently opened a new online licensing tool to be used by businesses and individuals interested in the prospect of using the organization's research to develop new commercial products. The QuickLaunch licensing tool is a database of NASA technologies that are available for commercial nonexclusive licensing. In the interest of speeding the licensing process along, each available license has a set initial fee, annual royalty and standard terms.

According to the QuickLaunch website, NASA offers individuals and businesses the option to request a short-term license for evaluation purposes before requesting a commercial license. It's possible to search for licenses by category, from energy to software, and by which particular research center made the discoveries in question. Available technologies include lightweight optical mirrors in single crystal substrate, sensors that will detect an object or child left in a vehicle and more.

"The QuickLaunch Licensing tool will enhance our efforts to transfer more NASA technologies to American industry and U.S. consumers in a timely manner," Daniel Lockney, NASA's technology transfer program executive, said in a release. "NASA develops hundreds of technologies each year in support of its aeronautics and space exploration missions. This new tool ensures that the American taxpayer will receive a second benefit from its investment in NASA through the creation of new products, new markets and new jobs."