SBIR-STTR Award

The broader impact/comercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to create a viable microwave device for material processing on the Moon and other planetary bodies. The innovation may reduce the effort required to extract ice volatiles from inside solid materials by 2-3 times compared to current lunar excavation methods and could be used without preconditioning. Lunar extraction may reduce the cost of obtaining essential materials on the surface of the Moon by an order of magnitude, compared to supply from the Earth. Such a technology will have two key societal impacts. First, as human populations continue to expand, critical resources on Earth are becoming increasingly scarce and having another extra-terrestrial source may provide the resources needed on Earth. Second, the development of a space resource-use ecosystem may catalyze technical education, interest, and economic development in addition to fueling continued Gross National Product (GDP) growth. Accessing water cheaply in the lunar and near-Earth environment to produce mission-critical water, hydrogen, and oxygen, is essential for this outcome. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to design a high-power Bessel beam microwave projector for installation onto an autonomous robot, for the preconditioning or softening of materials by supplying impulses of energy at high rates. The innovation distinguishes itself due to the ability to focus high density energy from a stand-off distance. The research involves the investigation of the subcomponents of the system to address expected capabilities which include: the ability to project a “pencil beam” from a stand-off distance using a multi-reflector assembly, tolerance of the surface properties of the materials being treated, and electronic steering of the projected beam using phase shifting to improve focus. The research will start with simulations to lay the foundations for an autonomous and mobile microwave system with the listed capabilities. The project will develop, using simulation, the Bessel beam platform, perform the initial robotic designs, and source system integrators for the microwave and robotic components needed for subsequent development phases. Specifically, this system would be used in space mining applications towards the retrieval of ice volatiles such as water, methane, carbon monoxide and dioxide, and ammonia, that are found in cold shadowed craters at the lunar poles.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.

The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to improve space exploration over the next two decades. New space missions are being planned and executed at an increasing rate by countries and companies around the world. A novel space ecosystem is developing, especially with respect to the Moon. Over 30 lunar missions are planned for the next 10 years. The focus of this technology is to develop an antenna capable of projecting microwave beams into lunar rock with pinpoint accuracy. This innovation will have the commercial impact of enhancing digging and tunneling on the lunar surface creating landing pads, living quarters, and producing water and fuel with over 40% greater efficiency than other methods. Furthermore, this technology holds promise for improving mining on Earth too. As society transitions from a fossil fuel to an electric infrastructure, the demand for critical battery minerals is projected to increase 6 times by 2040. The innovation can streamline the processing of minerals by 50%, helping to meet this increasing demand that conventional approaches cannot meet. In summary, this project is about transforming lunar exploration and Earth mining, and enabling space exploration and the transition from fossil fuels.This SBIR Phase II project develops and validates the critical hardware subcomponents of the microwave antenna system, which are characterized by a compact array of high-power elements operating in phase. The distinctiveness of the design is its ability to increase the intensity of the microwave beam at a significant distance in front of the antenna. The beam weakens rock by directly injecting heat deep into it, which will simplify mineral extraction by making rock processing faster and more energy efficient. The antenna hardware itself is exposed to significantly lower electromagnetic stresses, allowing it to operate in extreme environments. Key Phase II project tasks are verifying the manufacturability of the antenna array; confirming its capabilities using testing on beam-forming, low-power reflection; and testing the capability to focus and steer a beam with high precision. Detailed electromagnetic measurements will fully characterize the antenna and confirm its high power and low power performance in the areas of the near-field radiation pattern, cross and co-polarization, reflected power, beam forming capability, antenna efficiency, and its ability to generate a high electric field density within a desired and steerable focal point.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.