A New Spin on Suborbital Microgravity Research: Developing a Centrifuge for Blue Origin's New Shepard

Centrifuges are a vital instrument in developing our understanding of how biological and physical processes react to Martian, micro and Lunar gravity. Developing a centrifuge to interface with suborbital vehicle will give researchers affordable and easy access to microgravity environments with the added benefits of quick data return and no reliance on astronaut crew time. Testing the newly designed centrifuge on a suborbital craft will put the platform through the rigors expected of its working environment. It allows NanoRacks to check-out and highlight what needs to be improved in terms of mechanical, electrical, and software interfaces between both the New Shepard vehicle and the centrifuge. Technology Maturation After the test flight, the results will be used to identify what parts of the centrifuge need to be refined in order to create a user-friendly and reliable suborbital payload interface.

This technology offers reliable simulations of micro, Martian and Lunar gravity to help us understand how biological and physical processes react in those conditions and will benefit future ISS missions. Future Customers Offering reliable simulations of micro and Martian gravity will greatly serve the needs of NASA and allow it to expand the knowledge base necessary to conduct a manned mission to Mars. Researchers have identified centrifuges as a necessary research tool to fill the knowledge gap. A NanoRacks centrifuge on Blue Origin’s New Shepherd reusable suborbital vehicle can alleviate the ISS crew time scheduling constraint and provide valuable data to researchers and NASA.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 6) — 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.

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