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Automated Carbon Formation Reactor

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NASA-SBIR-154789SBIR / STTR

Contract Overview

Solicitation details, issuing organization, response deadlines, documents, and interested companies for this government contract opportunity.

AI Contract Overview

The Automated Carbon Formation Reactor project, under solicitation NASA-SBIR-154789, is a small business set-aside effort focused on improving life support loop closure for extended manned exploration missions. Developed by pH Matters, the technology aims to replace the current Sabatier reactor system on the International Space Station by converting metabolic carbon dioxide into solid carbon rather than methane. This innovation prevents the loss of hydrogen and reduces the need for constant resupply tanks, offering a fully automated system with a small footprint and low resupply mass. The technology is applicable for deep space, Mars, and lunar missions, and could potentially benefit other aerospace entities such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Lockheed Martin, while also providing materials for fuel cells and batteries. The current Phase II-E effort is centered on transitioning supporting subsystems to flight-ready status. Key technical objectives include the design and fabrication of a slurry mixing and pumping system capable of operating in microgravity, the improvement of the carbon removal subsystem to close the gas loop, and the optimization of the reactor feed concentration. Additionally, the project involves identifying long-term storage options and potential in-situ applications for the produced solid carbon. The performance of this contract is associated with NASA's SBIR/STTR Program, with primary operations and coordination involving personnel in Huntsville, Alabama.

General Info

pH Matters develops automated carbon formation reactors for NASA to improve space life support.

Agency

National Aeronautics and Space Administration → NASA SBIR/STTR Program

NAICS

541715 - Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)

Place of Performance

Huntsville, AL, 35805, USA

Set-Aside

SBA

Documents

H3.01-4569 Automated Carbon Formation Reactor briefing chart

other

Low

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Uniform Contract Format

Timeline

PhaseSolicitation

PostedSep 27

Solicitation

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Organization & Contact Information

AgencyNational Aeronautics and Space Administration → NASA SBIR/STTR Program

Contacts5 people available

OfficeUSA

Organization / AgencyNational Aeronautics and Space Administration → NASA SBIR/STTR Program

Office AddressUSA

Contacts

Christopher HoltPrimary Point of Contact

Timothy J GiesyProject Manager

contact@example.gov

Mary J PowellPrincipal Investigator

Jason L KesslerProgram Director

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Carlos TorrezProgram Manager

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Interested Companies (1)

PH MatterColumbus, OH

Full Description

Future NASA applications have a critical need for improved process technologies for life support loop closure to enable extended manned exploration missions beyond Earths atmosphere. A critical component in life support loop closure is removing CO₂ produced by the crew from the cabin atmosphere and chemically reducing it to recover the O₂. The current life support system on the International Space Station is the Sabatier reactor, in which the CO₂ is converted to methane, which is vented as a waste product. This results in a loss of hydrogen, requiring the space station to constantly replenish the system with onboard tanks. pH Matters technology demonstrated in Phases I and II is able to effectively convert the metabolic CO₂ for a four member crew with solid carbon as the waste product. This solid carbon can be used for other purposes on board the ISS or can be stored for use in other locations. It is fully automated, has a small footprint and a low resupply mass, and has similar average parasitic power to the Sabatier system. The focus of the Phase II-E effort will be to bring the supporting subsystems to flight ready status.
Benefits: NASA has a need for improved process technologies for life support loop closure to enable extended manned exploration missions beyond earth’s atmosphere. The automated carbon formation reactor is necessary to efficiently recover oxygen for manned missions to deep space, Mars, lunar missions, and for reducing supply requirements to the International Space Station (ISS). A critical component in life support loop closure is the removal of metabolic carbon dioxide (produced by the crew) from the cabin atmosphere. The CFR reactor demonstrated on this project could be used by other aerospace companies interested in manned space exploration including, Lockheed Martin, Blue Origin, and SpaceX. The reactor technology developed on this program could be used to continuously grow carbon materials which could be used in a wide range of applications including electro-active carbons for fuel cells and batteries.