NASA’s industry partners under the second Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities initiative have made progress in developing technologies to advance future low Earth orbit space missions.
Space Exploration and In-Orbit Transportation
Northrop Grumman, Blue Origin, SpaceX and Outpost Technologies are focused on maturing their spacecraft designed for commercial space transportation, logistics and research, human transportation to the moon and Mars, and cargo delivery.
Blue Origin is advancing work on its integrated commercial space transportation capability to ensure safe, affordable and high-frequency U.S. access to orbit for crew and other missions.
SpaceX and Outpost Technologies have completed flight tests of the Starship reusable rocket and the Cargo Ferry reusable cargo vehicle, respectively. SpaceX is now preparing to launch new generations of Starship in advance of the first crewed lunar landing mission under NASA’s Artemis program.
Northrop Grumman, meanwhile, cleared a project management review with NASA related to the company’s development of the Cygnus logistics and research spacecraft.
Commercial Space Station
NASA has partnered with Sierra Space and Vast to build in-orbit space stations as the existing International Space Station nears the end of its life.
Sierra Space has completed two full-scale ultimate burst pressure tests of its Large Integrated Flexible Environment, a NASA-funded inflatable habitat structure component. The company also tested materials for the habitat’s air barrier to ensure they meet the recommended safety standards.
Ahead of the expected 2025 launch of the Haven-1 commercial space station, Vast achieved technical milestones, including fabricating key components such as the primary structure pathfinder, hatch, battery module and control moment gyroscope. It also completed a solar array deployment test and the station’s preliminary design review.
In-Space Servicing and Manufacturing
NASA partners Special Aerospace Services and ThinkOrbital are focused on in-space servicing and manufacturing capabilities.
Special Aerospace Services is developing an Autonomous Maneuvering Unit for the assembly of commercial LEO space stations, servicing, retrieval and inspection of in-space systems, while ThinkOrbital works on autonomous in-space welding, cutting and X-ray inspection technologies.
“Our commercial partners’ growing capabilities in low Earth orbit underscore NASA’s commitment to advance scientific discovery, pioneering space technology and support future deep space exploration,” said Angela Hart, manager of the Commercial LEO Development Program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
