SBIR Phase I: Electromechanical Mass Transfer System for Space Operations

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力将是推进一个用于太空物流的新型机电平台，以促进月球表面和其他低重力环境中的经济发展，技术和科学进步。 在其他天体（例如火星）上，该平台也可以用于早期探索和开发，只需最少的基础设施投资。 SBIR项目的主题是机电传质系统;这将是第一个这样的创新，能够在低重力环境中利用离心加速度进行成本效益高的传质。该平台可以在不使用消耗性燃料或机载推进系统的情况下实现资源的空间移动，从而实现更具成本效益的空间作业。该项目的成功实施将使平台的TRL迅速上升。全面的测试和验证过程将向潜在客户和利益相关者展示我们技术的能力，为其可靠性，准确性和效率提供切实的证据。该平台的成功开发可以提供在月球表面进行强大的探索，科学和经济发展所需的机动性。由于其低质量和即插即用功能，该平台将比其他替代品更经济。最终，该系统旨在提供最便宜，最全面的物流服务，促进有前途的月球市场。 SBIR第一阶段项目将解决与使用新型机电“投掷”平台在月球表面运输资源相关的技术挑战。该平台利用机电系统在月球表面投掷有效载荷，为月球表面物流和其他天基机动性问题提供了创新的解决方案。拟议的研发目标包括开发一个可靠、准确和节能的原型，并在地球上展示其可行性和能力。月球操作是复杂和昂贵的，并与新的技术，如拟议的平台，客户和其他利益相关者将寻求保证该平台将是可重复的和准确的。系统的磨损、变化的环境影响（如月球重力变化）以及内置的系统不准确性（如释放角度和速度的误差带）可能会导致故障，从而使客户面临风险。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will be to advance a novel electromechanical platform for in-space logistics to facilitate economic development, technical and scientific advancement on the lunar surface, and in other low gravity environments. On other celestial bodies (e.g. Mars), this platform can similarly be utilized to enable early exploration and development with minimal wraparound infrastructure investments. The subject of the SBIR project is an electromechanical mass transfer system; this will be the first such innovation that enables a cost-effective mass transfer in low gravity environments leveraging centrifugal acceleration. This platform can enable the movement of resources through space without the use of consumable fuels or on-board propulsion systems, unlocking more cost-effective space operations. The successful execution of this project will enable swift TRL raising of the platform. The comprehensive testing and validation process will demonstrate the capabilities of our technology to potential customers and stakeholders, providing tangible evidence of its reliability, accuracy, and efficiency. The successful development of the platform can provide the mobility required to empower robust exploration, science, and economic development on the surface of the Moon. This platform will be more economical than other alternatives due to its low mass and plug-and-play functionality. Ultimately, the system aims to provide the cheapest, most comprehensive logistics services that catalyze the promising lunar market. This SBIR Phase I Project will address the technical challenges associated with transporting resources across the lunar surface with a novel electromechanical "throwing" platform. The platform, which utilizes an electromechanical system to throw payloads across the lunar surface, offers an innovative solution for lunar surface logistics and other space-based mobility problems. The goals of the proposed R&D include developing a reliable, accurate, and energy-efficient prototype and demonstrating its feasibility and capabilities on Earth. Lunar operations are complex and expensive, and with novel technology such as the proposed platform, customers and other stakeholders will be looking for assurances that the platform will be both repeatable and accurate. Wear and tear on the system, varying environmental effects such as variable Lunar gravity, and built-in system inaccuracies such as error bands around release angle and velocity can cause a failure that could put customers at risk. The purpose of this effort is to demonstrate with specific hardware improvements that the platform can safely and repeatably deploy assets across the lunar surface.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.