TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER LICENSING OPPORTUNITY: Passive Nutrient Delivery System (PONDS) (KSC-TOPS-81)
Closed Special Notice Posted
- Solicitation number
- T2P-KSC-00059
- 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 issued a special notice announcing a technology transfer licensing opportunity for the Passive Nutrient Delivery System (PONDS), designated as KSC-TOPS-81. This technology was originally developed to improve water and nutrient delivery for plants grown on the International Space Station by using innovative wicking material to passively connect a water/nutrient reservoir to a growth cylinder for seed germination and plant production. The system addresses limitations in existing ISS plant-production technology by providing consistent delivery of water and nutrients, improving oxygen transfer to plants, and allowing users to monitor water application levels. NASA is seeking companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture, and market this technology through their Technology Transfer Program. The posting date is September 8, 2025, with a due date of July 17, 2026.
The primary objective of this special notice is to solicit inquiries from companies interested in licensing NASA's PONDS technology for commercial applications, with licensing rights available on either an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and potentially including specific fields of use. Companies must submit their license applications through NASA's Automated Technology Licensing Application System (ATLAS) by visiting the specified website link, with questions directed to NASA's Technology Transfer Program via email. NASA provides no funding in conjunction with these potential licenses, and interested parties should include the technology transfer opportunity title and their preferred contact information when making inquiries. The notice serves to promote public awareness of NASA-developed technology products and conduct preliminary market research to determine commercial interest and potential for future licensing opportunities. No follow-on procurement is expected to result from responses to this technology transfer opportunity notice.
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:
Reliable seed germination and plant production requires an environment that is neither too dry nor too wet. PONDS was developed to improve water and nutrient delivery for plants grown on the International Space Station (ISS). The technology uses an innovative wicking material to passively link a water/nutrient reservoir to a growth cylinder where seeds are germinated and plants are produced. PONDS addresses limitations with existing ISS plant-production technology by providing consistent delivery of water/nutrients, improving oxygen transfer to plants, and allowing users to determine how much water is being applied.
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/KSC-TOPS-81
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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