Sbir phase I: electromechanical mass transfer system for space operations

This Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) under the NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (CFDA 47.084) program provides $275,000 to advance the development of an electromechanical mass transfer system for space operations. The project aims to create a novel platform that can enable cost-effective movement of resources on the lunar surface and other low-gravity environments without the use of consumable fuels or onboard propulsion systems. The work will focus on developing a reliable, accurate, and energy-efficient prototype of this system and demonstrating its feasibility and capabilities through testing and validation. The successful execution of this project is expected to raise the technology readiness level of this platform, providing tangible evidence of its reliability, accuracy, and efficiency to potential customers and stakeholders. The award was made on March 15, 2024 to Space Kinetic Corp., a minority-owned small business, and is scheduled for completion by February 28, 2025.

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this small business innovation research (SBIR) phase I project will be to advance a novel electromechanical platform for in-space logistics to facilitate economic development, technical and scientific advancement on the lunar surface, and in other low gravity environments. On other celestial bodies (e.g. mars), this platform can similarly be utilized to enable early exploration and development with minimal wraparound infrastructure investments. The subject of the SBIR project is an electromechanical mass transfer system; this will be the first such innovation that enables a cost-effective mass transfer in low gravity environments leveraging centrifugal acceleration. This platform can enable the movement of resources through space without the use of consumable fuels or on-board propulsion systems, unlocking more cost-effective space operations. The successful execution of this project will enable swift TRL raising of the platform. The comprehensive testing and validation process will demonstrate the capabilities of our technology to potential customers and stakeholders, providing tangible evidence of its reliability, accuracy, and efficiency. The successful development of the platform can provide the mobility required to empower robust exploration, science, and economic development on the surface of the moon. This platform will be more economical than other alternatives due to its low mass and plug-and-play functionality. Ultimately, the system aims to provide the cheapest, most comprehensive logistics services that catalyze the promising lunar market. This SBIR phase I project will address the technical challenges associated with transporting resources across the lunar surface with a novel electromechanical throwing platform. The platform, which utilizes an electromechanical system to throw payloads across the lunar surface, offers an innovative solution for lunar surface logistics and other space-based mobility problems. The goals of the proposed R & D include developing a reliable, accurate, and energy-efficient prototype and demonstrating its feasibility and capabilities on earth. Lunar operations are complex and expensive, and with novel technology such as the proposed platform, customers and other stakeholders will be looking for assurances that the platform will be both repeatable and accurate. Wear and tear on the system, varying environmental effects such as variable lunar gravity, and built-in system inaccuracies such as error bands around release angle and velocity can cause a failure that could put customers at risk. The purpose of this effort is to demonstrate with specific hardware improvements that the platform can safely and repeatably deploy assets across the lunar surface. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.