Real-time Non-destructive Microbial Water Monitoring for Spacecraft Cabins

Safe drinking water for all spaceflight will be sourced from recycled water from all forms of human waste products. There is a need for real time microbial monitoring to maintain safe potable water. Current inline diagnostics tools available for conventional water treatment are not bacteria or virus specific. Orb has developed a small inline optical monitoring and diagnostic device that can detect various water-borne pathogens and be used for real-time water quality assessment. Orb XYZ main commercial emphasis is the use of florescence spectroscopy in combination with machine learning algorithms to detect and quantify a large range of contaminants in water. This precision spectroscopy analysis is based on the notion that high-quality compact spectrometers are capable of measuring subtle features with high repeatability that can be correlated with important biological or chemical processes. The goal of this Phase-I SBIR effort is to build a breadboard platform to perform experiments based on previous Orb technologies to collect critical information necessary to develop a Phase-II prototype instrument capable of real-time monitoring of potable water systems contaminated by bacteria and viruses. In Phase-I, in addition to using our previously established fluorescence spectroscopy methods for water monitoring, we have identified five additional highly innovative and necessary monitoring technologies that will be developed and demonstrated in this project: A unique laboratory breadboard system and machine-learning algorithm, will be developed and used to demonstrate detection technologies needed to meet NASA water monitoring requirements and enable innovations. The capability to differentiate between viable and non-viable bacterial cells. The capability to differentiate between specific bacterial species utilizing precision spectroscopy. The capability to measure bacterial metabolites. The capability to detect viruses and identify bacteria infected by viruses.

Orb’s real-time non-destructive microbial monitoring sensors can be easily embedded across spacecraft water recovery and delivery assets. Using precision spectroscopy hardware and machine learning, Orb eliminates the need for reagents, culturing or robotic processes. Passive inline sensors deliver the sensitivity, specificity & metabolic resolution needed to preemptively identify & address microbial risk across treatment barriers and dispensers. Real-time parameters: -Total/Viable Cell Counts - Rate of Growth/Death - Threshold Breach Prediction

Orb has validated customers in the municipal, commercial & industrial water sectors for its rapid microbial monitoring solutions to preemptively identify & address microbial risk, mitigate compliance failures, and optimize water treatment. Examples: -Monitor n-log reduction across critical utility treatment barriers -- Optimize chemical / UV treatment dosing -- Ingredient water bioburden monitoring

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.

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