SBIR/STTR Research Award

In-situ Seabed Physical Properties Probe (ISPPP)

Award identifier b25ce947d3d8d691f00a062641ad723725cec599055fd7cff20337d89653658fAwarding agency Department of Defense · Navy

Award amount

$139,993

Program and phase

STTR · Phase I

Award year

2025

Award details

Awarding agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Navy
Recipient company: ARETE ASSOCIATES
Proposal award date: 2025-07-07
Contract end date: 2026-01-07
UEI: DMKEXJ8NQ4C5
Solicitation number: 25.A
Topic code: N25A-T024

Research abstract

Prior to placing structures or machinery on the seafloor, it is critical to ascertain properties such as undrained shear strength of the soil to ensure the structure is secure. Additionally, sonar reflections from the seafloor and sound speed of the water column must be characterized to ensure the safety of the warfighter at sea. The WASP (Winch-Actuated Seafloor Probe) combines a free-falling geotechnical cone penetrometer, an acoustic lance-like probe, and a conductivity-temperature-depth sensor into a discrete modular payload assembly. This sensor suite allows for complete characterization of the full water column and soil characteristics up to 1-meter in deep ocean or near-shore regions. The probe can be operated in an expendable or reusable condition from any platform on the surface or subsea.

Technology keywords

Not reported

Other awards by this recipient

Verified by the same UEI. These are other public SBIR/STTR award pages, not a merged company record.

Awards with the same topic code

Verified by an exact topic code match. This is not a text-similarity match.

Research funding history

417 SBIR/STTR records share this UEI (1994–2025). Reported award amounts total $220,044,517. Reported amounts are not federal obligations.

Phases: Phase I, Phase II, Phase II – Direct to Phase II

Agencies: Department of Defense, Department of Commerce, Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services, National Science Foundation, Department of Homeland Security