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Lunar Oxygen and Silicon Beneficiation Using Only Solar Power

Award Information
Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Branch: N/A
Contract: NNX09CB52C
Agency Tracking Number: 065730
Amount: $599,150.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: X4.02
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2006
Award Year: 2009
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2009-09-30
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2011-09-29
Small Business Information
1950 N. Washington
Naperville, IL 60563-1366
United States
DUNS: 044221133
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Peter Schubert
 Principal Investigator
 (630) 557-1928
 pschubert@packereng.com
Business Contact
 Charlotte Sartain
Title: Executive VP Finance
Phone: (630) 577-1973
Email: csartain@packereng.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

The Phase I effort conceived a novel method for ISRU oxygen extraction and liquefaction from lunar regolith, repre-senting a significant advance in the state of the art. The approach uses solar photovoltaics as a power source to heat and extract oxygen with highly favorable system metrics, capable of achieving TRL 3 during a Phase II effort and TRL 6 in earth gravity during Phase III. Autonomy of operation is straightforward with simple robotics. Annual oxygen output is calculated to be many times the system mass. Projections of engineering development indicate the potential to be flight-ready for lunar operations by the time a lunar outpost is established, followed by commercial lunar operations.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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