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Gecko-Inspired ON-OFF Adhesives for Orbital Debris Mitigation, Year 4

Completed TRL 7 (started at 4, targeting 7)

Description

Develop full capture head using current gecko adhesive and leveraging small-scale two pad gripper prototypes; Mock up compliant robotic arm and integrate with capture head for floating object capture demonstration on RoboDome testbed.

Benefits

Automating grapple sequence makes the capability for space demonstration through Edison, GCD, or ISS. Demonstrating capture of a floating object will enable new NASA missions with a unique capability.

Details

Technology areaRobotic Systems > Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking > Capture Mechanisms and Fixtures
ProgramCenter Innovation Fund: JPL CIF (JPL CIF)
Lead organizationJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA
Start date2014-11-01
End date2015-09-30

Project contacts

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How to get involved

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.