Scalable Gravity Offload System

The proposed innovation is a scalable gravity off-load system that enables controlled integrated testing of Surface System elements such as rovers, habitats, and space suits in planet-relevant gravity which addresses T6.02 in the direct solicitation of a gravity off-load system. Phase I delivers a nominal design in the form of a final report, Phase II builds this design and delivers hardware, and Phase III commercializes the gravity off-load system as a commercial product/service of Astrobotic Technology.

Initially, Astrobotic will put this technology to commercial use in its own development program for private-sector lunar robots that gather data, perform services and emplace payloads for government and commercial customers. This early demonstration on the moon the first mission is scheduled for May 2011 will generate data to show how closely actual lunar mobility performance matches the results of simulated lunar gravity tests conducted on Earth. Validation with near-term lunar activity is a key step that enables others to confidently adopt the gravity off-load technology in their own test programs.

Mobility systems tuned to lunar or Martian gravity are a fundamental need of all government and commercial endeavors on these bodies, both crewed and robotic. The scalable gravity off-load system will enable NASA-funded mobility research to test approaches under the reduced gravity that mobility systems they will experience during missions. Because it is inherently portable, this technology approach can be added to existing NASA infrastructure such as vacuum chambers and regolith stimulant test beds or transported to field locations.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.