Many Manufactured Nanosats, Phase I

To achieve the capability to affordably produce scores of nano-spacecraft for envisioned constellation missions, a new manufacturing process is needed to reduce the time and cost of fabricating and testing the nanosats. However, to achieve substantial savings, a fundamental paradigm shift in how spacecraft are built must be made. Current spacecraft are built with the same processes and procedures used in the 1960?s, whereas electronics technology has gone far beyond that of the early days. So while the size of satellites has steadily decreased, the manufacturing time has not experienced similar reductions. Given that labor to build a satellite remains the single largest element of cost, the opportunity remains to dramatically shorten program schedules and lower cost through the infusion of new techniques and innovative processes in the construction of structures, electronics, harnessing and most importantly the testing process. AeroAstro proposes to set aside the conventional rule book and explore a broad range of Design for Manufacture material and process innovations that could lead to a dramatic shortening of the micro/nano-satellite manufacturing timeline with concomitant savings in unit manufacturing cost.

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.