Gaseous Helium Compressor for In-Space and Surface Pneumatic System Resupply

Completed TRL 3 (started at 2, targeting 3)

Description

This project will proceed as a collaboration between NASA and an industry contractor(s) that can leverage existing technology from a terrestrial design or from a flight-design used for other pneumatic gasses. Existing technologies such as, but not limited to, multi-stage compressors for gaseous oxygen or nitrogen will be leveraged in a contract(s) to fund an industry technology leader(s). The external vendor(s) and NASA team will work to advance and kick start this technology for GHe from a TRL 2 or 3 to a 5 or 6 with a subset of a typical spaceflight component qualification test campaign performed at KSC on a prototype unit. The contractor(s) will be responsible for advancing the hardware to a TRL 5 with the appropriate entrance and exit criteria as part of the contract requirements.

Benefits

Hardware to perform an on-orbit GHe resupply with acceptable efficiency and timelines has always been a technological gap (other than full tank swap out or pressure balancing approaches). There currently exists several ground-based helium compressor designs and some space-flight-rated pneumatic compressors/pumps. The eventual goal is to perform a flight demonstration in a follow-on project (not funded under this proposal). Once the design approach has been realized with this effort, multiple future space systems will benefit from the technology for pneumatic system (GHe and possibly others) transfer/resupply on orbit and at non-terrestrial environments (moon or Mars) for long term and high cycle use without the typical maintenance intervals required for ground systems.

Details

Technology area	Ground, Test, and Surface Systems > Infrastructure Optimization
Program	Center Innovation Fund: KSC CIF (KSC CIF)
Lead organization	Kennedy Space Center, Kennedy Space Center, FL
Start date	2020-10-01
End date	2021-09-30

Project contacts

Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.

Brian M Nufer — brian.nufer@nasa.gov

How to get involved

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.