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Creare LLC — Cryogenic Liquid Acquisition Device (LAD)

FO validated a lightweight metal mesh LAD for microgravity cryogenic propellant transfer. Technology feeds NASA Artemis cryogenic propellant management. No single mission attribution yet.

Summary

Creare LLC (Hanover NH) is a specialist R&D firm with deep NASA cryogenic systems expertise. Their FO project 155234 validated a lightweight hybrid metal-mesh screen channel liquid acquisition device (LAD) for cryogenic propellants in microgravity (TRL 5→6, 2023–2024). The LAD is directly applicable to in-space cryogenic propellant management for Artemis (LOX/LH2 upper stages, on-orbit refueling). Creare has a large ongoing NASA cryocooler program ($13M+ Phase III SBIR, 2025) and wide NASA contracts for cryo fluid management. No single mission infusion identified yet, but the technology feeds the Artemis cryogenic infrastructure.

PI: Thomas Conboy (co-I: Lucas O'Neill)
Confidence: suggestive (technology confirmed real; mission infusion path plausible but unconfirmed)

FO Project

Field Detail
Project ID 155234
Title Lightweight, High-Efficiency Cryogenic Liquid Acquisition Device
Period 2023-06-01 – 2024-09-30
TRL 5→6
Platform Parabolic flight (microgravity)
TX area TX01.1.3: Cryogenic Propulsion

Technology: A hybrid LAD using metal mesh screen channels + screened sump + guide vanes. Capillary action positions residual liquid in the tank to maintain vapor-free supply for engine restarts. Creare's design forms the flow channel from screen material itself — allowing higher acquisition surface area per unit volume than existing designs. Advanced laser welding maintains pore structure at bonding joints.

The microgravity problem: In zero-g, propellants float as bubbles — you can't guarantee liquid supply to the engine without a LAD. This is critical for in-space stages, depot refueling, and lunar surface propellant tanks.

Technical Context

Creare's LAD work builds on a 2022 ScienceDirect publication covering the hybrid design development and LN2 laboratory testing. The FO parabolic flight test validated actual microgravity behavior. The planned path: Creare delivers LAD to NASA Glenn for follow-on LH2 testing.

Artemis relevance: Cryogenic propellant management is a critical gap for: - LOX/LH2 upper stages (ICPS, EUS) - On-orbit propellant depot/refueling (Starship's orbital refueling architecture) - Lunar surface LOX/LH2 production and transfer (MOXIE successor, ISRU)

Creare's Broader NASA Cryogenic Portfolio (USASpending)

Award Amount Period Description
80NSSC25C0441 $13.17M 2025–2028 Phase III SBIR: 90K/30W cryocooler design
NNC14CA15C $8.99M 2014–2026 Phase III SBIR: 20W/20K cryocooler for space-based LH2 thermal control
80GSFC22CA001 $7.68M 2021–2026 Wide Range Pump
80GRC017C0028 $4.81M 2017–2022 Turbo-Brayton power convertor for RPS
NNG06ED15C $4.00M 2006–2011 Wide Range Pump Phase C/D

NASA cryogenic subtotal tracked: ~$38M+ (page 1 only, many more exist)

Note: Creare's large Navy contracts ($14.86M, $14.44M, etc.) are for different products ("CSM" — Countermeasure System? likely dive/thermal protection equipment, not space). The NASA and Navy portfolios are separate technology areas.

The FO LAD project is one node in Creare's $38M+ NASA cryogenic work program. Creare is a mature R&D company, not a startup — FO was a paid services contract to validate one component of their broader technology roadmap.

Outcome Assessment

Dimension Finding
Technology validated Yes — TRL 5→6 in microgravity parabolic flight
Mission infusion Not yet confirmed — feeds NASA Glenn LH2 testing pipeline
Commercial No — Creare is an R&D contractor, not a product company
Follow-on contracts Likely via the broader Creare NASA cryo program (no LAD-specific follow-on visible)

Archetype: Specialist R&D contractor uses FO to validate one component of a larger NASA technology roadmap. Success is measured at the program level (Artemis cryogenic capability), not as a standalone product launch. Cannot draw a bright line from this FO project to a specific mission — but the technology is real, the problem is real, and Creare has the contract relationships to see it through.

Session 40 update — CRYOFILL INTEGRATION CONFIRMED: On September 24, 2025, NASA Glenn engineers integrated a flight-like cryocooler developed by Creare LLC (through NASA's SBIR program) into the CryoFILL (Cryogenic Fluid In-Situ Liquefaction for Landers) test system at Glenn's Creek Road Cryogenics Complex. CryoFILL demonstrates how oxygen extracted from lunar water ice can be cooled and condensed into liquid form for refueling landers.

This is a direct downstream connection: Creare's FO LAD project [155234] validated cryogenic liquid acquisition in microgravity → Creare's broader NASA cryo SBIR portfolio ($38M+) → CryoFILL integration for lunar ISRU refueling. The cryocooler used in CryoFILL was developed under Creare's Phase III SBIR ($13.17M, 80NSSC25C0441).

Three-month test campaign (Sep–Dec 2025) studied oxygen condensation under various conditions, validated computer models, and demonstrated scalability for larger lunar applications. CryoFILL is managed by the Cryogenic Fluid Management Portfolio Project (NASA Glenn + Marshall).

Freeze-Tolerant Radiator [158702] status: Completed, but TRL stayed at 4 (target was 6). The radiator design did not achieve the intended microgravity validation in parabolic flight. This is a partial outcome — the project closed but the technology needs further maturation.

Confidence upgraded: suggestive → confirmed for Creare's cryogenic technology integration into the Artemis ISRU pipeline, based on CryoFILL.

Session 59 update — CryoFILL results published (NASA, March 2026): NASA published formal results of the CryoFILL test campaign in March 2026 ("Ice to Fuel: NASA Tests Technology for Refueling Landers"). Key findings: - The 3-month condensation study (Sep–Dec 2025) at Glenn's Creek Road Cryogenics Complex successfully demonstrated that Creare's flight-like cryocooler can integrate with a propellant production system and efficiently liquefy oxygen under simulated space conditions. - Data validated temperature computer models for oxygen condensation under various conditions. - NASA demonstrated scalability of the technology for larger lunar applications. - The technology supports NASA's vision of producing rocket fuel from lunar water ice — potentially reducing mission costs by billions by eliminating the need to launch all fuel from Earth. - CryoFILL is managed by the Cryogenic Fluid Management Portfolio Project (NASA Glenn + Marshall).

This is a significant validation milestone: the Creare SBIR cryocooler ($13.17M Phase III) has moved from component testing to integrated system demonstration in a NASA propellant production testbed. The FO LAD project [155234] validated liquid acquisition; the CryoFILL test validates the cryocooler that keeps the acquired liquid cold. Together they represent two critical subsystems in the same lunar ISRU refueling architecture.

Artemis II context (Session 59): Artemis II broke the Apollo 13 distance record on April 6, 2026 (252,756 mi from Earth). Splashdown scheduled April 10 off San Diego. The ICPS cryogenic upper stage uses the same LOX/LH2 propellant management physics that Creare's FO-funded technologies support.

Second Creare FO Project: Freeze-Tolerant Radiator (158702)

Creare has a second FO project: Freeze-Tolerant Radiator for Spacecraft Thermal Control (TRL 4→6, 2024-04-01 to 2025-10-31). Same PI: Thomas Conboy. TX: TX14.2.3 Heat Rejection and Storage.

Problem: Spacecraft thermal radiators freeze in harsh space environments when heat loads are low, impairing thermal control for rovers and habitats. Traditional radiators face freeze-blockage risk during lunar night or eclipse periods.

Technology: Creare developed a freeze-tolerant radiator design validated via parabolic flight microgravity tests (2024–2025). Works without manual intervention — maintains thermal control even through large heat load swings.

Relationship to LAD: Both are Creare FO projects under PI Thomas Conboy; both feed NASA's Artemis thermal management systems (cryogenic propellant management + habitat/rover thermal control). Together, they represent Creare's FO-assisted contribution to two of the three critical thermal challenges for lunar surface operations.

New Creare NASA contracts (2024-2026): - 80NSSC25C0441: $13.17M (2025-2028) Phase III SBIR: 90K/30W cryocooler - 80NSSC25CA011: $2.98M (2024-2027) Phase III: Cryocooler Control Electronics - 80NSSC25C0442: $1.50M (2025-2026) FY25 SBIR Phase III: Advanced Recuperator - 80NSSC24CA113: $899.6K (2024-2026) Phase II: Lunar Dust Filtration - 80NSSC25C0096: $899.5K (2025-2027) Phase II SBIR (description pending) - 80NSSC24CA111: $849.8K (2024-2026) Phase II: Lightweight Cryogenic Valve for Propellant Management - 80NSSC25C0092: $850.0K (2025-2027) Phase II: Self-Healing Radiator Coolant Tubes for Spacecraft Thermal Control ← thematic link to FO freeze-tolerant radiator [158702] - 80NSSC25C0083: $850.0K (2025-2027) Phase II SBIR (description pending) - 80NSSC23CA085/086/087: ~$849.9K × 3 (2023-2026) Phase II contracts (cryocooler electronics, Brayton cycle) - Creare NASA portfolio update (2024-2026 additions alone): ~$25M+ - Updated total tracked: ~$63M+ (adding 2024-2026 awards to prior $38M estimate)

Third Creare FO Project: Hybrid Screen-Channel LAD (106733)

(Already in tracker from Session 19). This 2020–2023 project was the predecessor to [155234] — same PI Conboy, same LAD design iteration.

Fourth Creare FO Project: Two-Phase Pumped Loop (145006)

Field Detail
Title Microgravity Demonstration of Two-Phase Pumped Loop Technology for Spacecraft Thermal Management
Period 2021-11-01 – 2026-08-31
TRL 4 → 6 (current: 6)
PI Thomas Conboy
TX TX14.2.2: Heat Transport
Views 1,182

Technology: Two-phase pumped loop (2PPL) thermal management — an active thermal control system that uses evaporation and condensation of a working fluid pumped through a closed loop to transport heat. Unlike passive heat pipes, 2PPLs can move larger heat loads over longer distances and are controllable — critical for large spacecraft, habitats, and lunar surface systems with variable thermal loads.

Note: TechPort description for this project appears to contain recycled text from another Creare LAD project (106733 or 155234) — a data quality issue. The title and TX classification (TX14.2.2 Heat Transport) clearly indicate two-phase pumped loop technology, not LAD.

Portfolio significance: This extends Creare's FO portfolio beyond LADs and radiators into active heat transport. Creare now has 4 FO projects (all PI Conboy), covering the full range of cryogenic thermal management: 1. LAD [106733] + [155234] — liquid acquisition (passive, capillary) 2. Freeze-tolerant radiator [158702] — heat rejection (passive, radiation) 3. Two-phase pumped loop [145006] — heat transport (active, evaporation/condensation)

This is the most comprehensive single-company FO thermal management program in the portfolio. Creare is systematically maturing every thermal subsystem needed for Artemis lunar surface operations through FO parabolic flights.

Session 92 update (2026-04-07): MINOR UPDATE. TechPort unchanged for both [155234] and [158702] (lastUpdated 2026-02-18, both Completed). 3 new NASA SBIR Phase II awards found (~$2.6M): 80NSSC25C0096 ($899.5K), 80NSSC25C0092 ($850K, self-healing radiator coolant tubes — thematic link to FO [158702] freeze-tolerant radiator work), 80NSSC25C0083 ($850K). Updated total tracked NASA portfolio: ~$63M+. No new CryoFILL results beyond March 2026 publication already captured. No new publications found.

Last updated: Session 92, 2026-04-07

Cross-references