Wayfinding and Infrastructure Routing Experiment (WIRE)

Active

Description

Develop and demonstrate autonomous capabilities for deploying, recovering, and burying proxy power/data cables in a lunar analog environment using LiDAR-equipped rovers.

Benefits

Knowledge and algorithms for the autonomous deployment of cable infrastructure.

Details

Technology area	Exploration Destination Systems > Mission Infrastructure, Sustainability, and Supportability > Surface Construction and Assembly
Program	Agency Independent Research and Development (A-IRAD)
Lead organization	Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL
Start date	2026-10-01
End date	2027-09-30

Project contacts

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

Michael R Zanetti — michael.r.zanetti@nasa.gov
Alexander W Summers — alexander.w.summers@nasa.gov
Christopher J Whetsel — christopher.j.whetsel@nasa.gov
Kyle A Miller — kyle.miller@nasa.gov
Walter E King — walter.e.king@nasa.gov

How to get involved

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.