TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER LICENSING OPPORTUNITY: Multi-Link Spherical Joint (MSC-TOPS-109)
Closed Special Notice Posted
- Solicitation number
- T2P-JSC-00062
- Agency
-
Marshall Space Flight Center
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Responses due
- Set-aside
- No set-aside
Opportunity facts
- NAICS code
- 927110 Space Research and Technology
- PSC
- 9999 Miscellaneous Items
- Points of contact
-
- NASA's Technology Transfer Program agency-patent-licensing@mail.nasa.gov
Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center has published a Special Notice for a technology transfer licensing opportunity involving a Multi-Link Spherical Joint (MSC-TOPS-109) developed at NASA Johnson Space Center. This Special Notice, posted on August 27, 2025, represents a licensing opportunity rather than a traditional contract solicitation, with no set-aside provisions applied. The technology in question is an innovative spherical joint design that enables up to six linearly actuated links to rotate around a common center point while allowing power and data lines to pass through without experiencing structural forces. Originally developed for variable geometry truss systems, this technology offers enhanced stability and durability compared to conventional flexible truss systems. The notice falls under the Space Research and Technology NAICS category and targets commercial entities interested in manufacturing and marketing this NASA-developed technology.
The primary objective of this Special Notice is to solicit inquiries from companies seeking to obtain exclusive or nonexclusive license rights to commercialize the Multi-Link Spherical Joint technology for various space and terrestrial applications. Interested parties must submit license applications through NASA's Automated Technology Licensing Application System (ATLAS) by accessing the specified web portal, with a submission deadline of July 17, 2026. No specific eligibility criteria are outlined beyond the requirement that applicants be companies capable of commercializing, manufacturing, and marketing the technology. NASA explicitly states that no funding will be provided in conjunction with these potential licenses, meaning licensees must independently finance their commercialization efforts. The technology offers significant potential for deployable truss systems with compact form factors suitable for launch vehicles and other transport applications, addressing key instability issues present in traditional flexible joint systems.
Notice text
NASA’s Technology Transfer Program solicits inquiries from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the following technology. License rights may be issued on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and may include specific fields of use. NASA provides no funding in conjunction with these potential licenses.
THE TECHNOLOGY:
Innovators at NASA Johnson Space Center have designed a spherical joint which allows up to six linearly actuated links or attachments to rotate about a co-located center. Originally designed to provide joint flexibility necessary for a variable geometry truss system, the new spherical joint also allows power and data lines to pass through it without the lines being subjected to structural forces. This technology can be key for creating a deployable, variable geometry truss system, with a compact form factor that can reduce payload volume within the confines of a launch or other transport vehicle. Typically, flexible truss systems rely on joints where each of the links do not rotate around the same point, creating instability in the joints and the entire structure. The Multi-Link Spherical Joint removes those instabilities, allowing for a durable and adaptable technology with multiple space and terrestrial applications.
To express interest in this licensing opportunity, please submit a license application through NASA’s Automated Technology Licensing Application System (ATLAS) by visiting https://technology.nasa.gov/patent/MSC-TOPS-109
If you have any questions, please e-mail NASA’s Technology Transfer Program at Agency-Patent-Licensing@mail.nasa.gov with the title of this Technology Transfer Opportunity as listed in this SAM.gov notice and your preferred contact information. For more information about licensing other NASA-developed technologies, please visit the NASA Technology Transfer Portal at https://technology.nasa.gov/.
These responses are provided to members of NASA’s Technology Transfer Program for the purpose of promoting public awareness of NASA-developed technology products, and conducting preliminary market research to determine public interest in and potential for future licensing opportunities. No follow-on procurement is expected to result from responses to this Notice.
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