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TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OPPORTUNITY: Portable Microscope (MSC-TOPS-131)

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T2P-JSC-00071Federal

Response Deadline08/10/2027, 08:00:00 PM UTC

Contract Overview

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

AI Contract Overview

NASA is offering a licensing opportunity for a handheld digital microscope developed at Johnson Space Center, designed for in-space hematological diagnostics but with significant terrestrial applications. The device is fully self-contained, featuring high-resolution optical imaging, wireless connectivity via Bluetooth, an integrated single-board computer, rechargeable battery, and internet access point functionality, allowing remote control and image transfer to smart devices. Built with cost-efficient 3D-printed components and commercial off-the-shelf hardware, it delivers submicron imaging comparable to traditional benchtop microscopes while being durable enough for field use. The technology has reached Technology Readiness Level 8, having been flight-qualified and successfully deployed aboard the International Space Station, and NASA is seeking companies to license it for commercial manufacturing and marketing on either exclusive or nonexclusive terms, potentially with defined fields of use. No funding is provided by NASA, and the agency does not manufacture or sell products itself. Interested parties must submit a license application through NASA’s ATLAS system by August 10, 2027, and submissions are solely for market research and licensing evaluation, with no expectation of follow-on procurement.

General Info

Handheld digital microscope for in-space diagnostics, commercial licensing available, flight-qualified, no funding provided.

Agency

National Aeronautics And Space Administration → NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

NAICS

927110 - Space Research and Technology

Place of Performance

Set-Aside

NONE

Documents

No documents available

Documents will appear here when they are available.

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Uniform Contract Format

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Timeline

PostedAug 10

special-notice

Response DeadlineAug 10

Submission deadline

Response Deadline

08/10/2027, 08:00:00 PM UTCin 10 months

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Organization & Contact Information

AgencyNational Aeronautics And Space Administration → NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

Contacts1 person available

OfficeHUNTSVILLE, AL, 35812, USA

Organization / AgencyNational Aeronautics And Space Administration → NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

Office AddressHUNTSVILLE, AL, 35812, USA

Contacts

NASA’s Technology Transfer Program

contact@example.gov

Full Description

NASA’s Technology Transfer Program solicits inquiries from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the following technology. License rights may be issued on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and may include specific fields of use. NASA provides no funding in conjunction with these potential licenses.

THE TECHNOLOGY:

Innovators at NASA Johnson Space Center have developed a handheld digital microscope to fill the critical microscopy needs of human space exploration by providing flight crews in situ hematological diagnostic and tracking ability to assess and monitor crew health in the absence of gravity. Although currently in use aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to work in conjunction with NASA’s handheld slide staining system, the microscope may have numerous applications here on Earth. The microscope is entirely self-contained, and includes optics, illumination, high-resolution imaging hardware, wireless enabled single board computer with scalable power and memory, and rechargeable battery. The microscope also acts as an internet access point and connects via Bluetooth to smart devices for wireless image transfer and remote control. The microscope is durable enough to support field use while providing submicron imaging that would typically necessitate the use of larger more expensive benchtop microscopes. Cost of manufacturing the microscope may be relatively inexpensive through the utilization of 3D-printed components, and COTS hardware such as interchangeable microscope objectives. The handheld digital microscope is at technology readiness level (TRL) 8 (actual system completed and "flight qualified" through test and demonstration), and is now available to license. NASA does not manufacture products for commercial sale.

To express interest in this opportunity, please submit a license application through NASA’s Automated Technology Licensing Application System (ATLAS) by visiting https://technology.nasa.gov/patent/MSC-TOPS-131

If you have any questions, please e-mail NASA’s Technology Transfer Program at contact@example.gov with the title of this Technology Transfer Opportunity as listed in this SAM.gov notice and your preferred contact information. For more information about licensing other NASA-developed technologies, please visit the NASA Technology Transfer Portal at https://technology.nasa.gov/

These responses are provided to members of NASA’s Technology Transfer Program for the purpose of promoting public awareness of NASA-developed technology products, and conducting preliminary market research to determine public interest in and potential for future licensing opportunities. No follow-on procurement is expected to result from responses to this Notice.