TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OPPORTUNITY: Sublimable Propellant Source for Iodine-fed Ion Propulsion System (MFS-TOPS-85)

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: Xenon has generally been the preferred propellant of choice for these spacecraft ion propulsion systems, but more recently iodine-based systems have gained significant attention due to comparable performance to xenon, and the system-level advantages of low storage pressure and higher storage density with more propellant per unit volume. However the solid iodine, in comparison to gaseous xenon, must be sublimated into a vapor for ionization, and a heat source must be used to increase the sublimation rate of the solid iodine to a level that is useful for propulsive purposes. The subject innovation is a spring-loaded mechanism to optimize the contact of the solid iodine with the heated structure in the zero-gravity environment of space. 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/MFS-TOPS-85 If you have any questions, please contact Cory Efird, Marshall Space Flight Center at [email protected] with the title of this Technology Transfer Opportunity as listed in this FBO 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 .