Lightweight, Compact Survival Rafts

An advanced, lightweight inflation system is proposed that will reduce weight to at least 1/2, and down to 1/10 that of current inflation systems. A novel ingress system is also proposed that will greatly aid the boarding of survival rafts especially stressed, injured, frightened or otherwise complromise people in the water. Weight losses and fabrication advances in the inflatable portion of a raft package, being developed under a separate effort, promise to reduce overall package weight to a total package reduction of 2/3, with a goal of 12 pounds or less for a 6 person raft.

Life rafts. Inflatable life preservers. Compressed gas applications.

Emergency inflatables for commercial and military aviation applications, including life preservers, life rafts, and evacuation slides.

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.