Coupler for Propellant Transfer (CPT-TP)

The challenging problem of enabling fluid transfer between vehicles and/or facilities while preventing leaks over long-duration storage is important broadly for NASA's architecture, and specifically for the Starship vehicle, the second stage of the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) has had great success developing cryogenic fluid transfer systems for its current launch systems. Under the Coupling development for Propellant Transfer Tipping Point (CPT-TP) project, SpaceX will partner with Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to advance an effective in-space cryogenic fluid transfer system for Starship and other vehicles. Beyond this technical challenge, CPT-TP will also address the broader in-space infrastructure challenge of facilitating interfaces between different vehicles and facilities from different providers.

Provides a NASA standard common, cryogenic fluid coupler for all NASA and commercial in-space systems starting with HLS and beyond.

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.

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