TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OPPORTUNITY: Cryogenic Selective Surfaces (KSC-TOPS-59)

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: Thermal control coatings, i.e. coatings with different visible versus infrared emission, have been used by NASA on the Orbiter and Hubble Telescope to reflect sunlight, while allowing heat rejection via infrared emission.

However, these coatings absorb at least 6% of the Sun's irradiant power, limiting the minimum temperature that can be reached to about 200 K. NASA needs better solar reflectors to keep cryogenic fuel and oxidizers cold enough to be maintained passively in deep space for future missions. This new thermal control coating material, developed for use as a spray on coating or rigid tiles, reflects essentially all solar radiation in the space environment.

The novel material has the potential to be an enabler for long-term storage of cryogenic liquids and propellants in space. It can also support the long-term operation of low-temperature devices and systems used on space craft.

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/KSC-TOPS-59 If you have any questions, please e-mail NASA’s Technology Transfer Program at Agency-Patent-Licensing@mail.nasa.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.