{"projectId":93728,"project":{"projectId":93728,"title":"Regolith to Steel Powder, Oxygen & Water with Small Equipment","startDate":"2017-06-09","startYear":2017,"startMonth":6,"endDate":"2018-06-08","endYear":2018,"endMonth":6,"programId":73,"program":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"SBIR/STTR","isActive":true,"description":"<p>The NASA SBIR and STTR programs fund the research, development, and demonstration of innovative technologies that fulfill NASA needs as described in the annual Solicitations and have significant potential for successful commercialization. If you are a small business concern (SBC) with 500 or fewer employees or a non-profit RI such as a university or a research laboratory with ties to an SBC, then NASA encourages you to learn more about the SBIR and STTR programs as a potential source of seed funding for the development of your innovations.</p><p><strong>The SBIR and STTR programs have 3 phases</strong>:</p><ul><li><strong>Phase I</strong> is the opportunity to establish the scientific, technical, and commercial feasibility of the proposed innovation in fulfillment of NASA needs.</li><li><strong>Phase II</strong> is focused on the development, demonstration and delivery of the proposed innovation.</li></ul><p>The SBIR and STTR Phase I contracts last for 6 months with a maximum funding of $125,000, and Phase II contracts last for 24 months with a maximum funding of $750,000 - $1.5 million.</p><ul><li><strong>Phase III</strong> is the commercialization of innovative technologies, products, and services resulting from either a Phase I or Phase II contract. Phase III contracts are funded from sources other than the SBIR and STTR programs and may be awarded without further competition.</li></ul><p><strong>Opportunity for Continued Technology Development Post-Phase II</strong>:</p><p>The NASA SBIR/STTR Program currently has in place two initiatives for supporting its small business partners past the basic Phase I and Phase II elements of the program that emphasize opportunities for commercialization. Specifically, the NASA SBIR/STTR Program has the Phase II Enhancement (Phase II-E) and Phase II eXpanded (Phase II-X) contract options.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Please review the links below to obtain more information on the SBIR/STTR programs.</strong></p><ul><li><strong><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/ParticipationGuide.pdf\">Participation Guide</a></strong></li></ul><p>Provides an overview of the SBIR and STTR programs as implemented by NASA</p><ul><li><strong><a href=\"http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/solicitations\">Program Solicitations</a></strong></li></ul><p>Provides access to the annual SBIR/STTR Solicitations containing detailed information on the program eligibility requirements, proposal instructions and research topics and subtopics</p><ul><li><strong><a href=\"http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/prg_sched_anncmnt\">Schedule and Awards</a></strong></li></ul><p>Schedule and links for the SBIR/STTR solicitations and selection announcements</p><ul><li><strong><a href=\"http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/content/additional-sources-assistance\">Sources of Assistance</a></strong></li></ul><p>Federal and non-Federal sources of assistance for small business</p><ul><li><strong><a href=\"http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/abstract_archives\">Awarded Abstracts</a></strong></li></ul><p>Search our complete archive of awarded project abstracts to learn about what NASA has funded</p><ul><li><strong><a href=\"http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/content/frequently-asked-questions\">Frequently Asked Questions</a></strong></li></ul><p>&nbsp;Still have questions? Visit the program FAQs</p>","parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"isActive":true,"description":"Catalyst is a portfolio of early stage programs that specialize in different innovation constituencies and mechanisms to push the state of the art in aerospace technology development","programId":92327,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"title":"Catalyst","acronymOrTitle":"Catalyst"},"parentProgramId":92327,"programId":73,"responsibleMd":{"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","acronym":"STMD","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"responsibleMdOffice":4875,"stockImageFileId":36648,"title":"Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer","acronymOrTitle":"SBIR/STTR"},"description":"This proposal covers processing of raw Martian regolith to both an enriched iron ore and liberated water, and also iron ore reduction and oxygen production, metal purification and steel powder making. Our proposal uses heat re-cycling to improve the energy efficiency of both regolith-to-ore enrichment and iron ore reduction. This heat re-cycling creates a bonus, the liberation of water (formerly bound to the regolith) as liquid water and a relatively low temperature water vapor. This water can be retrieved with the addition of a small condenser unit and a water storage tank/heat sink. Iron (and other transition metal) oxides are reduced using a reducing gas mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide inside two multi-use vessels (MUVs, in which heat recycling is also done). The reduction makes metals, mostly iron, but also exhausts water and carbon dioxide. This exhaust is re-cycled to a water/carbon dioxide splitter that produces the hydrogen and carbon monoxide reducing gases and also oxygen. The preferred water/carbon dioxide splitter is a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) from Ceramatec (maker of the SOEC for NASA's MOXIE), and Ceramatec has asked to be included in the proposal with a budget placeholder as a supplier. Metal purification and steel powder making is done using carbonyl metallurgy techniques developed by BASF with a possible variation to replace steel powder making with metal vapor deposition to shaped steel objects (as previously advocated for by William Jenkins). It should be emphasized that the entire manufacturing chain, and an extended chain than includes 3D metal powder printing to finished steel objects, (i) can be operated by robots (that can also carry out ore mining), and (ii) the robots and equipment needed to carry out this mining and manufacturing chain can be made such that their entire combined total mass is small enough to fit in Mars landing craft payloads well under 2500 kg.","benefits":"Martian iron ore mining through to steel-making, oxygen generation and water liberation, and then onto steel equipment fabrication, assembly and operation on Mars can start an expanding spiral of Martian activities for NASA. For example, it can produce more power generation equipment, such as re-orientable support structures for solar photovoltaic panels and steel solar parabolic dishes. Increasing electrical and thermal power generation on Mars is especially useful because almost all activities for human settlement of Mars need electrical and/or thermal power and all of these are limited (or given scope to expand) by the amount of such power that can be delivered. Steel-making and new power generation equipment can each facilitate an expansion of the capacity of the other, to create a coupled spiral of expansion of capacity. Expansions in the capacities of steel-making, steel fabrication and power generation, will also expand oxygen generation and water liberation capacities, but, also, expand capabilities in other areas; for example, panel- and scaffold-making for pressurized habitats, habitat plumbing and fixture manufacture, compressor, engine and spare part manufacture, and on. Steel-making, steel fabrication, power generation and robots can deliver Mars mission robustness by creating spare parts and extra parts that can be put to use to create settlement system reliability, self-repair and settlement growth.<br /> <br />The proposal's Martian iron ore processing could be applied to iron ore processing here on Earth. However, the economics of different methods of iron ore processing on Earth will be different from those on Mars, and it is unknown whether there is economic value for the process here on Earth. However, Martian steel-making uses zero carbon dioxide emissions iron oxide reduction. This realization has already caused an investigation into other methods for doing zero carbon dioxide emissions in iron oxide reduction here on Earth, that use renewable energy inputs, and this has caused the proposal's PI to draft patent applications for a new iron oxide reduction methods.","releaseStatus":"Released","status":"Completed","viewCount":665,"destinationType":["Mars"],"trlBegin":2,"trlCurrent":4,"trlEnd":4,"lastUpdated":"01/22/26","favorited":false,"detailedFunding":false,"projectContacts":[{"contactId":197318,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"James","lastName":"Mantovani","fullName":"James G Mantovani","fullNameInverted":"Mantovani, James G","middleInitial":"G","email":"james.g.mantovani@nasa.gov","receiveEmail":"Subscribed_User","projectContactRole":"Project_Manager","projectContactId":547785,"projectId":93728,"programContactRolePretty":"","projectContactRolePretty":"Project Manager"},{"contactId":410109,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Rolf","lastName":"Olsen","fullName":"Rolf Olsen","fullNameInverted":"Olsen, Rolf","email":"rmo@twoplanetsteel.com","receiveEmail":"Subscribed_User","projectContactRole":"Principal_Investigator","projectContactId":547786,"projectId":93728,"programContactRolePretty":"","projectContactRolePretty":"Principal Investigator"}],"programContacts":[{"contactId":206378,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Jason","lastName":"Kessler","fullName":"Jason L Kessler","fullNameInverted":"Kessler, Jason L","middleInitial":"L","email":"jason.l.kessler@nasa.gov","receiveEmail":"Subscribed_User","programContactRole":"Program_Director","programContactId":143,"programId":73,"programContactRolePretty":"Program Director","projectContactRolePretty":""},{"contactId":62051,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Carlos","lastName":"Torrez","fullName":"Carlos Torrez","fullNameInverted":"Torrez, Carlos","email":"carlos.torrez@nasa.gov","receiveEmail":"Subscribed_User","programContactRole":"Program_Manager","programContactId":194,"programId":73,"programContactRolePretty":"Program Manager","projectContactRolePretty":""}],"leadOrganization":{"organizationId":10024,"organizationName":"Rolf Miles Olsen","organizationType":"Industry","city":"West Bloomfield","stateTerritoryId":34,"stateTerritory":{"abbreviation":"MI","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Michigan","stateTerritoryId":34,"isTerritory":false},"country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"projectId":93728,"projectOrganizationId":575511,"organizationRole":"Lead_Organization","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"Lead Organization","organizationTypePretty":"Industry"},"otherOrganizations":[{"organizationId":10024,"organizationName":"Rolf Miles Olsen","organizationType":"Industry","city":"West Bloomfield","stateTerritoryId":34,"stateTerritory":{"abbreviation":"MI","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Michigan","stateTerritoryId":34,"isTerritory":false},"country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"projectId":93728,"projectOrganizationId":575511,"organizationRole":"Lead_Organization","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"Lead Organization","organizationTypePretty":"Industry"},{"organizationId":4905,"organizationName":"Kennedy Space Center","acronym":"KSC","organizationType":"NASA_Center","city":"Kennedy Space Center","stateTerritoryId":46,"stateTerritory":{"abbreviation":"FL","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Florida","stateTerritoryId":46,"isTerritory":false},"country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"zipCode":"32899","projectId":93728,"projectOrganizationId":575510,"organizationRole":"Supporting_Organization","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"Supporting Organization","organizationTypePretty":"NASA Center"},{"organizationId":3112,"organizationName":"Michigan State University","organizationType":"Academia","city":"East Lansing","stateTerritoryId":34,"stateTerritory":{"abbreviation":"MI","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Michigan","stateTerritoryId":34,"isTerritory":false},"country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"zipCode":"48824","murepUnitId":171100,"academicDegreeType":"Public_4_year","projectId":93728,"projectOrganizationId":575509,"organizationRole":"Supporting_Organization","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"Supporting Organization","organizationTypePretty":"Academia"}],"primaryTx":{"taxonomyNodeId":11200,"taxonomyRootId":8817,"parentNodeId":11197,"code":"TX07.1.3","title":"Resource Processing for Production of Mission Consumables","description":"This area covers resource processing technologies that produce mission consumables, such as water, breathable oxygen, inert gases, and propellants, from preprocessed resources.","exampleTechnologies":"Instruments and devices functioning in the relevant gravity environment including: thermal/mechanical components and reactors to extract end-product resources from inert materials (e.g. thermal reactors for volatile extraction from regolith); chemical, electrochemical, and biological materials, catalysts, components, and reactors to extract and combine resources to produce end-products (e.g. catalytic reactors to produce methane, electrolysis devices to produce oxygen, etc.); phase-change devices to extract or distill end-product gases from by-product recycling sources (e.g. cryocoolers for gas product drying); filtration and purification devices for meeting mission-critical end use requirements; crosscutting technologies for enhancing production system durability and reliability in harsh environments (e.g. dust tolerant seals and bearings); crosscutting technologies for utilizing sources of high-temperature thermal energy for process-heating (e.g. integrated solar concentrators); and models and simulations to identify and quantify opportunities for systemic reductions in power requirements and enhancements in durability and reliability for resource processing systems","level":3,"hasChildren":false,"selected":false,"isPrimary":true,"hasInteriorContent":true},"primaryTxTree":[[{"taxonomyNodeId":11196,"taxonomyRootId":8817,"code":"TX07","title":"Exploration Destination Systems","level":1,"hasChildren":true,"selected":false,"hasInteriorContent":true},{"taxonomyNodeId":11197,"taxonomyRootId":8817,"parentNodeId":11196,"code":"TX07.1","title":"In Situ Resource Use","description":"In situ resource-use technologies identify, acquire, and use local resources, both natural and discarded, for products and services.","level":2,"hasChildren":true,"selected":false,"hasInteriorContent":true},{"taxonomyNodeId":11200,"taxonomyRootId":8817,"parentNodeId":11197,"code":"TX07.1.3","title":"Resource Processing for Production of Mission Consumables","description":"This area covers resource processing technologies that produce mission consumables, such as water, breathable oxygen, inert gases, and propellants, from preprocessed resources.","exampleTechnologies":"Instruments and devices functioning in the relevant gravity environment including: thermal/mechanical components and reactors to extract end-product resources from inert materials (e.g. thermal reactors for volatile extraction from regolith); chemical, electrochemical, and biological materials, catalysts, components, and reactors to extract and combine resources to produce end-products (e.g. catalytic reactors to produce methane, electrolysis devices to produce oxygen, etc.); phase-change devices to extract or distill end-product gases from by-product recycling sources (e.g. cryocoolers for gas product drying); filtration and purification devices for meeting mission-critical end use requirements; crosscutting technologies for enhancing production system durability and reliability in harsh environments (e.g. dust tolerant seals and bearings); crosscutting technologies for utilizing sources of high-temperature thermal energy for process-heating (e.g. integrated solar concentrators); and models and simulations to identify and quantify opportunities for systemic reductions in power requirements and enhancements in durability and reliability for resource processing systems","level":3,"hasChildren":false,"selected":true,"hasInteriorContent":true}]],"technologyOutcomes":[],"primaryImage":{"file":{"fileExtension":"gif","fileId":367712,"presignedUpload":false,"fileSizeString":"0 Byte"},"libraryItemId":367000,"description":"Regolith to Steel Powder, Oxygen & Water with Small Equipment, Phase I Briefing Chart Image","projectId":93728,"publishedDateString":"","entryDateString":"","libraryItemTypePretty":"","modifiedDateString":""},"libraryItems":[{"file":{"fileExtension":"pdf","fileId":367711,"fileName":"STTR_2017_1_BC_T4_02-9808","fileSize":37851,"objectId":366999,"objectType":"libraryItemFiles","presignedUpload":false,"fileSizeString":"37.0 KB"},"files":[{"fileExtension":"pdf","fileId":367711,"fileName":"STTR_2017_1_BC_T4_02-9808","fileSize":37851,"objectId":366999,"objectType":"libraryItemFiles","presignedUpload":false,"fileSizeString":"37.0 KB"}],"libraryItemId":366999,"title":"Briefing Chart","description":"Regolith to Steel Powder, Oxygen & Water with Small Equipment, Phase I Briefing Chart","libraryItemType":"Document","projectId":93728,"isPrimary":false,"internalOnly":false,"publishedDateString":"","entryDateString":"01/22/25 01:10 AM","libraryItemTypePretty":"Document","modifiedDateString":"01/08/24 08:27 PM"},{"file":{"fileExtension":"gif","fileId":367712,"fileName":"STTR_2017_1_BC_T4_02-9808","fileSize":29979,"objectId":367000,"objectType":"libraryItemFiles","presignedUpload":false,"fileSizeString":"29.3 KB"},"files":[{"fileExtension":"gif","fileId":367712,"fileName":"STTR_2017_1_BC_T4_02-9808","fileSize":29979,"objectId":367000,"objectType":"libraryItemFiles","presignedUpload":false,"fileSizeString":"29.3 KB"}],"libraryItemId":367000,"title":"Briefing Chart Image","description":"Regolith to Steel Powder, Oxygen & Water with Small Equipment, Phase I Briefing Chart Image","libraryItemType":"Image","projectId":93728,"isPrimary":true,"internalOnly":false,"publishedDateString":"","entryDateString":"01/22/25 01:10 AM","libraryItemTypePretty":"Image","modifiedDateString":"01/08/24 08:27 PM"}],"states":[{"abbreviation":"FL","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Florida","stateTerritoryId":46,"isTerritory":false},{"abbreviation":"MI","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Michigan","stateTerritoryId":34,"isTerritory":false}],"endDateString":"Jun 2018","startDateString":"Jun 2017"}}