SBIR 95-1 SOLICITATION

PROJECT SUMMARY

Proposal Number:

05.01-0661

Project Title:

A MINIATURE PLANETARY SUBSURFACE SAMPLE ACQUISITION AND SAMPLE TRANSFER SYSTEM

Technical Abstract:

A miniature planetary surface and subsurface sample acquisition and sample to instrument transfer system is proposed to facilitate the surface and subsurface acquisition and transfer of solid phase samples from numerous planetary bodies to in-situ instruments or sample return canisters. The innovation meets the specific subtopic interest in low mass and low power surface and subsurface sampling devices. The objectives of the research are to analytically support the sample acquisition and sample transfer system design and to determine the feasibility of the penetration subsystems. The bulk of the Phase I effort will focus on penetration subsystem breadboard feasibility testing. The results anticipated include a positive feasibility determination for the solid phase material penetration subsystems and a comprehensive sample acquisition and sample to instrument transfer system conceptual design. NASA can apply this innovation to future Discovery type missions to comets, Mars, the moon, asteroids and other similar planetary bodies. Analysis of acquired samples will significantly deepen the solid phase material understanding of targeted planetary bodies. Additionally, the multiple planetary body applicability of the system or parts of the system (with modest changes for a particular body) will reduce mission life cycle costs.

Potential Commercial Applications:

Potential applications for commercial derivatives of the innovation include: (1) characterizing and safe clean up of hazardous waste sites, (2) automated agricultural soil monitoring systems (3) remote area oil and mineral prospecting and (4) obtaining samples below bodies of water

Name and Address of Offeror:

Honeybee Robotics, Ltd.
204 Elizabeth Street, NY, NY 10012