Ejection Mechanism Design for the SPEED Test Architecture

NASA, in collaboration with the GrabCAD community, has successfully conducted a design challenge for the Stratospheric Projectile Entry Experiment on Dynamics (SPEED). This initiative sought to address a critical capability gap in free-flight dynamic stability testing for reentry vehicles, leveraging external innovation to refine a two-stage stratospheric drop test architecture. By engaging a global pool of designers and engineers, NASA aimed to identify a robust, low-perturbation separation mechanism capable of reliably introducing test models into supersonic flow.

Innovative Engineering & Technical Diversity
The challenge yielded a diverse portfolio of separation concepts that moved away from complex, high-energy explosives in favor of elegant, reliable, and cost-effective engineering. The submissions demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of the SPEED mission's requirements, including:
Atmospheric Pressure Utilization: One standout approach exploited natural pressure differentials between ground level and the stratosphere to drive an ejection piston, eliminating the need for stored energy.

• CO₂ and Solenoid Integration: Several designs utilized Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) components, such as pressurized gas sources and electromechanical solenoids, balancing simplicity with high reliability.
• Compliant & Spring-Based Systems: Multiple teams utilized 3D-printed and laser-cut compliant mechanisms, offering lightweight and modular solutions that are easy to manufacture and assemble.

A defining characteristic of the winning submissions was their emphasis on manufacturability. By prioritizing 3D printing, water-jet cutting, and COTS parts, these designs align with the SPEED project's goal of achieving a high "science-to-dollar" density, allowing for multiple vehicle drops within a single test campaign.

Validation and Lifecycle Integration
The judging panel was particularly impressed by the depth of analysis provided. Many teams went beyond theoretical modeling to produce physical prototypes, validating their separation logic through ground testing and detailed cost analysis. The inclusion of a high-quality submission originating from a university class project further highlighted the educational impact and technical rigor of the challenge. These designs did not merely focus on the moment of release; they accounted for the entire system lifecycle, ensuring the test model remains secure during balloon ascent and is successfully ejected without being compromised by the first stage's wake.
 

This challenge has provided NASA with a suite of "flight-ready" concepts that will directly inform the next iteration of SPEED flight vehicles. Key benefits include:

• Risk Reduction: The transition from conceptual, untested designs to validated, diverse mechanisms minimizes system uncertainty.
• Enhanced Reliability: The focus on non-explosive, low-complexity systems increases the safety and repeatability of stratospheric tests.
• -Cost Efficiency: By leveraging low-cost manufacturing methods, NASA can scale testing operations to include 8 or more vehicles per drop, significantly accelerating the development of flagship reentry missions.
•  Informed Design Evolution: The innovative ideas gathered through this challenge provide a clear roadmap for future design updates, ensuring NASA remains at the forefront of hypersonic and atmospheric entry testing.

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.