Black Brant/MK4 Sounding Rocket Flight (RaPID)

The 36.310/GT Hesh mission serves as a test flight for the new Black Brant Mk4 motor and provides an opportunity to launch an experimental payload which houses two Game Changing Development (GCD) Program experiments. The Black Brant Mk4 motor was designed to reduce the risk of unstable combustion. The primary objective of this mission is to evaluate the performance of this motor while in configuration of a Black Brant IX. The mission’s secondary objective includes National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and NASA Sounding Rocket Operations (NSROC) experiments, including the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) Advanced Near-Net Shape (ANNST) experiment, Orbital ATK’s CubeSat experiment, and sub-payload ejection technology such as Lynch Ejectables and rocket propelled ampules controlled by NSROC’s new 2-event Ampule Control Module (ACM).

ATK is currently engaged in the development of Carbon Nanotube (CNT) materials used for shielding and data harness during launch vehicle ascent phase of flight. NASA has determined flying the ATK experiment on this launch has the potential to advance the Nation’s spaceflight capabilities by maturing crosscutting and innovative space technologies and expanding the frontiers of knowledge, capability, and opportunity in space by contributing to cutting edge manufacturing and technology demonstrations.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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.