JOEEE: Scalable Enclosed Mobility System for Extreme Environment Exploration

This project advances the hardware, firmware, and mobility algorithms for JOEEE, a fully enclosed, zero-pinch-hazard robotic system designed to transport science payloads away from lander contamination zones and explore extreme planetary environments. The effort will assemble, integrate, and test a 30x30x30 cm³ JOEEE lab demonstrator by porting previously simulated guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) algorithms onto physical hardware, culminating in TVAC component life-testing and mobility demonstrations in a regolith simulant bed. The project matures the technology from TRL 2 to 4/5 while finalizing a full system design for payload integration.

30x30x30 cm³ JOEEE lab demonstrator with integrated GNC algorithms on physical hardware; TVAC-tested components demonstrating survivability in extreme environments; validated mobility performance in regolith simulant bed; full system design ready for payload integration; enabling technology for new mission architectures including astronaut-deployed throwable probes, multi-robot networks, and safe delivery of sensitive instruments (spectrometers, magnetometers, imagers) into lava tubes, craters, and Permanently Shadowed Regions (PSRs); capability to operate science payloads away from lander contamination zones

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.