Asteroid Soil Strength Evaluation Tool (ASSET) (ASSET)

While commercialization potential for near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) is high, so is the risk of missions to reach them due to poor knowledge of surface behavior and regolith strength. Researchers at Honeybee Robotics are addressing this challenge with their Asteroid Soil Strength Evaluation Tool (ASSET), a simple payload for determining geophysical properties of NEA soil at various densities in microgravity. The technology uses a dual-plunger sealed system and load cell to test regolith resistance to penetration. 

Problem Statement Near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) in cislunar space have high potential for commercial activity due due to their low delta-vand abundance of various materials. However, missions to small extraplanetary bodies (including comets) are expensive and engineering intensive. Risk for these missions is high due to poor knowledge of their surface behavior and regolith strength. Soil strength is critical information for any geotechnical design and is a function of two parameters: cohesion and friction angle. Cohesion is normally gravity independent, while friction is gravity dependent (and should be zero if there is no gravity). For asteroid materials (regolith), cohesion is driven by Van der Waal forces and, in turn, can be easily calculated and modeled. However, the friction angle and how it affects bearing capacity and strength of small bodies is very difficult to model or derive from fundamental principles. 

Technology Maturation This rocket-powered flight campaign aims to address these challenges by helping researchers determine the effect of microgravity on regolith friction angle. This knowledge will help bracket small bodies’ strength, improve scientific understanding of small bodies, and help in future development of optimal sampling and landing approaches.

Summary of Flight Test
2022-09-12 The goal of the ASSET-1 experiment is to observe particle interaction and bulk material compaction within a micro-gravity environment. In conjunction with Coupi Inc., Honeybee Robotics intended to use the collected data to provide empirical data for validation of a simulation model of this phenomena. This information may then be used to further the understanding of interaction with small celestial bodies, such as asteroids or comets.
ASSET-1 was meant to be the first of many subsequent experiments to collect data under a variety of gravity conditions. While the launch did not attain the necessary conditions to enable the execution of the experiment, ASSET-1 was tested multiple times under Earth gravity conditions and should be considered for additional future flight testing opportunties.
2023-12-19 The ASSET-1 experiment, designed and built by Honeybee Robotics, completed its micro-gravity flight campaign on New Shepard. This payload successfully collected data to further understand soil property and particle interaction and may help with interfacing spacecraft to small celestial bodies.
2025-02-04 Asteroid Soil Strength Evaluation Test (ASSET) – The ASSET experiment is designed to help develop an understanding of soil properties and particle interaction within a low- and micro-gravity environments. The device will first compress a simulant to a known density using a compaction stage and then penetrate the simulant while collecting force vs displacement data with a probing stage. The data that was collected will be used to validate and refine granular material behavior simulations, and inform future generations of designs. Honeybee Bubble Excitation Experiment (HBEE) – HBEE will help characterize gas bubble formation and propagation in viscous liquids in lunar gravity. These insights will help better predict how oxygen bubbles will act in regolith /rock that is melted during the in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) process called molten regolith electrolysis (MRE). The data that was collected will be used to inform designs of future ISRU systems.
PUFFER-Oriented Compact Cleaning and Excavation Tool (POCCET) – POCCET is designed to explore granular material interactions with a pneumatic system in lunar gravity conditions. The system will demonstrate non-contact pneumatic trenching by blowing air at a known outlet pressure onto a surface of loose kinetic sand and recording the response. The data collected will expand our understanding of possible pneumatic applications as more mass- and power-efficient alternatives to traditional mechanisms.
Root-Inspired Lunar Anchoring – This payload will demonstrate a low-reaction-force and low-material-displacement approach to anchoring structures to lunar surface regolith.
The experiment will extend, and then retract, a root-inspired inflatable anchoring mechanism in a resettable simulant container under lunar gravity conditions. This lunar anchoring approach has the potential to become a cornerstone architecture of human lunar permanence objectives.
 

While commercialization potential for near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) is high, so is the risk of missions to reach them due to poor knowledge of surface behavior and regolith strength. Researchers at Honeybee Robotics are addressing this challenge with their Asteroid Soil Strength Evaluation Tool (ASSET), a simple payload for determining geophysical properties of NEA soil at various densities in microgravity. The technology uses a dual-plunger sealed system and load cell to test regolith resistance to penetration.This would benefit NASA missions, the commercial space industry, other government agencies, and the nation. 

Future Customers
•NASA mission planning
•Commercial mining and aerospace organizations
•U.S. Geological Survey projects

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — 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.