▁program ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁National ▁Research ▁Council ▁( N RC ) ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Academy ▁of ▁Sciences . ▁ ▁The ▁review ▁was ▁done ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁and ▁concluded ▁that ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁achieve ▁its ▁mission , ▁NASA ▁needs ▁" a ▁mechanism ▁to ▁investigate ▁vision ary , ▁far - re aching ▁advanced ▁concepts ," ▁and ▁recommended ▁that ▁N I AC , ▁or ▁a ▁N I AC - like ▁program , ▁should ▁be ▁re est ab lished . ▁ ▁Cons istent ▁with ▁this ▁recommendation , ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁that ▁the ▁N I AC ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁rev ived ▁with ▁similar ▁goals ▁ ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁establishment ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁of ▁a ▁project ▁within ▁the ▁NASA ▁Office ▁of ▁Chief ▁Techn ologist , ▁the ▁NASA ▁In nov ative ▁Advanced ▁Con cept s , ▁maintain ing ▁the ▁ac ron ym ▁N I AC . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁now ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁NASA ▁Space ▁Technology ▁Mission ▁Director ate ▁( ST MD ). ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Michael ▁Gaz ar ik , ▁director ▁of ▁NASA ' s ▁Space ▁Technology ▁Program , ▁" T hr ough ▁the ▁NASA ▁In nov ative ▁Advanced ▁Con cept s ▁program , ▁NASA ▁is ▁taking ▁the ▁long - term ▁view ▁of ▁techn ological ▁invest ment ▁and ▁the ▁adv ancement ▁that ▁is ▁essential ▁for ▁accomplish ing ▁our ▁miss ions . ▁We ▁are ▁invent ing ▁the ▁ways ▁in ▁which ▁next - gener ation ▁aircraft ▁and ▁space craft ▁will ▁change ▁the ▁world