Dynamic Microscopy System Testing

The key objectives of this project are to provide a microscope and a microscope stage that functions as an automated miniature laboratory and to meet experimenters’ requirements on the forthcoming generation of suborbital spacecraft being developed by the private sector. Techshot, Inc. will use its corporate history of development of similar hardware for the International Space Station and will incorporate a robust digital microscope to produce a versatile mini-microscopy laboratory for the study of fluid phenomena, colloid science, motile cells such as algae and protozoa, model organisms such as nematodes, and plant science.

This technology will benefit low-gravity research in the commercial space industry and future NASA missions with the ability to peer into events that occur at the microscopic level as the gravity vector is removed.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — 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.