Finite Internal Temperature Slide for Use with Colloid Experiments

The Light Microscopy Module (LMM), developed and managed by NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC), is producing fascinating results. LMM will yield even more astonishing results with the addition of enhancing subsystems. Techshot is developing one such subsystem, the LMM-Dynamic Stage (LMM-DS), which will satisfy a host of new experiments. However, GRC has many more researchers awaiting enhancing subsystems for conducting experiments that could lead to new materials with significant commercial potential. Capitalizing on Techshot's rapid progress with the LMM-DS, its vast array of mixing and separations technologies, and its experience with microfluidic systems, Techshot proposes development of a Finite Internal Temperature Slide (FITS)— a hollow microscope slide capable of taking temperature measurements of a sample along the length of a slide without significant optical interference. Additionally this technology will apply heating to the sample by passing a current through the resistive path used for temperature measurement. This allows for more accurate, varied and controlled temperature gradients to be applied across a sample volume while maintaining optical clarity. FITS is a direct result of a need expressed by current NASA funded Principal Investigators who intend to use the LMM for experiments in which temperature, and/or temperature gradients, must be precisely controlled.

Techshot has a 25-year-history of developing and integrating spaceflight hardware, and serves as an Implementation Partner to NASA and CASIS for enabling space flight experimentation on ISS. The company's success with microgravity facilities such as the Avian Development Facility, the Advanced Space Experiment Processor and the Bone Densitometer, position it as a leader in offering these unique services. When coupled with the innovative capabilities of LMM and LMM-DS, FITS will give NASA an even greater ability to serve the investigator community it supports. Furthermore, with the ability of commercial launch vehicles to get more experiment samples into orbit, the economics of transporting and processing materials in microgravity should become far more compelling. Eventually, given sufficient economical commercial launch vehicle transporting capacity, when coupled with Techshot's cadre of space processing equipment, FITS could become an important element for processing larger quantities of high-value materials for NASA customers aboard ISS.

Techshot is committed to investing in the commercialization of FITS. Beginning with this Phase I award, Techshot will build a technology demonstrator with internal funds. Furthermore, the company will self-fund the development, integration and qualification of several of the company's SBIR-derived technologies (including FITS), and then lease that flight hardware to NASA, and other government (e.g., NIH) and commercial entities for their use in conducting advanced scientific research and processing in space. FITS technology would be included in the compliment of Techshot payloads that SpaceX envisions for its autonomous DragonLab free flyer. Researchers from Procter & Gamble recently visited Techshot headquarters to discuss using Techshot technologies such as FITS to advance several of their consumer products by learning more about how materials behave in microgravity. This could give rise to improvements in the composition and manufacture of their products, and prove to be valuable financially to the company.

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.