Since 2011, the program has provided opportunities to fly more than 700 technology payloads on flight platforms that provide relevant environments required to test technologies in order to advance their technology readiness. The program is part of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD).
Flight Opportunities facilitates rapid demonstration of promising technologies for space exploration, discovery, and the expansion of space commerce through suborbital testing with industry flight providers, thereby maturing capabilities needed for NASA missions and commercial applications while strategically investing in the growth of the US commercial spaceflight industry.
The two companies join four others, including Blue Origin, UpAerospace, High-altitude balloon companies, Raven Aerospace and World View to provide service under commercial indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts with NASA.
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The new IDIQ base contract awards run through 31 July 2023 and have no options. The multiple-award contracts are firm-fixed-price orders with a total combined value of US$45 million.
The government intends to acquire payload space on commercial flights, including payload integration services, to fly technology payloads on platforms that provide high altitude, reduced gravity, or other relevant environments required to test and advance the technologies.
Technology drives exploration to the moon, Mars and beyond. NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) develops transformative space technologies to enable future missions.
As NASA embarks on its next era of exploration, STMD is focused on advancing technologies and testing new capabilities at the moon that will be critical for crewed missions to Mars. In many ways, the moon will serve as a technology testbed and proving ground for Mars.
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STMD engages and inspires thousands of entrepreneurs, researchers and innovators, creating a community of America’s best and brightest working on the nation’s toughest challenges. Space technology research and development take place at NASA centres, universities and national labs.
STMD leverages partnerships with other government agencies as well as commercial and international partners.
NASA's current technology portfolio spans a range of discipline areas and technology readiness levels. For the latest opportunities to work with STMD, see our current and upcoming solicitations.
Investments in revolutionary, American-made space technologies provide solutions on Earth and in space. NASA technology turns up in nearly every corner of modern life.
As an organisation, NASA makes space technology available to commercial companies to generate real-world benefits – everything from creating jobs to saving lives. Learn more about NASA technology transfer.
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