NASA SBIR 2007 Solicitation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Honeybee Robotics Ltd.
460 W 34th Street
New York, NY 10001 - 2320
(212) 966-0661

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Jason Herman
herman@honeybeerobotics.com
460 W 34th Street
New York, NY 10001 - 2320
(646) 459-7819

Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 3 to 5

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words)
The proposed effort will perform a detailed examination of dust mitigation and tolerance strategies for connections and mechanisms to be employed on the lunar surface. These strategies will be examined by characterizing the effects of lunar dust simulants on the function of basic mechanical and electrical components, and the effectiveness of tolerance or mitigation strategies in lessening those effects. The project will be led by Honeybee Robotics, with consultation and support from Dr. Masami Nakagawa of the Colorado School of Mines as well as consultation with Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems International, Inc.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
Dust mitigation strategies will be key components to future exploration missions and would find extensive applications in systems designed to operate in the lunar and other dusty environments. Future mission scenarios involving erectable structures, diverse EVA-compliant tools, EVA-to-rover or EVA-to-robot interfaces, and other in-situ assembly or interconnection activities, will all call for such measures.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
There is a need for dust insensitive electrical and mechanical connectors by several industries as well as the United States military. Dust mitigation strategies developed in this effort will have construction and device interconnection applications in terrestrial harsh environments, such as desserts and dry climates, down-hole geothermal and oil machines, and mining operations.

NASA's technology taxonomy has been developed by the SBIR-STTR program to disseminate awareness of proposed and awarded R/R&D in the agency. It is a listing of over 100 technologies, sorted into broad categories, of interest to NASA.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING

Human-Robotic Interfaces Manned-Maneuvering Units Portable Life Support Suits Tribology