Aseptic Plant Culture System (APCS), Phase II

Aseptic plant culture plays a significant role in biotechnology and plant physiology research, and in vegetative propagation of many plant species. The development of an Aseptic Plant Culture System would provide a mechanism for experimentation as well as for transporting and storing vegetatively propagated plant material in space. Most culture systems are passive, with no environmental monitoring or control. This project proposes to develop an environmental control and monitoring system for sterile culture that can accommodate, without modification, a variety of standard culture vessels. The system would consist of a modular base unit into which culture vessels can be plugged as desired. Multiple vessel sizes and shapes could be accommodated with a generic connector system. Environmental parameters controlled and monitored would include light level and spectral quality, photoperiod, air and media temperature, humidity, and atmospheric composition. Using innovative, high precision miniature environmental control components allows each vessel to maintain independent control setpoints if desired. Subsystem modularity means the system can be reconfigured for use in specific carriers or to meet an investigator's specific need. Particular challenges include development of a miniaturized humidity control system, precise control of the gaseous environment in small volumes, and maintaining sterility for extended periods.

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.