Jump to content

NASA Shares Use Requirements with Commercial Destination Partners


Recommended Posts

  • Publishers
Posted
A male astronaut is looking into a glass glovebox as he works on a science experiment. Inside the glovebox there is various scientific equipment including several syringes and bags. The astronaut is holding two syringes inside the glovebox.
NASA astronaut Mike Barratt processes brain organoid samples inside the life science glovebox for a neurodegenerative disorder study. NASA plans to use future commercial low Earth orbit destinations for the continuation of scientific research.
NASA

NASA hosted a meeting to share knowledge with companies developing future commercial destinations at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The discussion could aid in developing safe, reliable, innovative, and cost-effective space stations. Industry representatives from more than 20 companies attended.

The program focused on NASA’s planned use of commercial destinations, draft utilization requirements, and the payload life cycle. A primary interest for the use of commercial stations includes the continuation of scientific research in low Earth orbit, such as human research, technology demonstrations, biological and physical science, and Earth observation.

A man wearing a gray blazer stands at a podium with the NASA meatball logo attached to the front. The man is gesturing with his hands as he speaks to an audience.
David Caponio from Vast Space presents a five-minute lightning talk on the company’s capabilities during the program NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Vast is working with NASA under the second Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities initiative for technologies and operations required for its microgravity and artificial gravity stations, including the Haven-1 commercial destination.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel

“NASA has benefited from the unique microgravity environment of low Earth orbit to conduct important science investigations and technology demonstrations for more than two decades,” said Dr. Kirt Costello, utilization manager for NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program. “As commercial companies make progress in the design and development of their own space stations, it is important that we share NASA’s needs and requirements as well as foster an open dialogue between government and private industry.”

The program builds on a request for information released last year, seeking feedback from industry as the agency refines its requirements for new commercial space destinations.

A group of four people are speaking to each other. There are three men and a woman. The man in the center is wearing a blue button-down shirt with a gray blazer and glasses and smiling at the other people.
Vergel Romero of Sierra Space speaks with representatives from other commercial companies during a networking opportunity. Sierra Space is working with Blue Origin on the development of Orbital Reef, and also holds an unfunded Space Act Agreement with NASA for the development of its commercial low Earth orbit ecosystem.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel

Since then, the feedback has helped develop and refine a utilization requirements strategy, including a concept of operations, basic laboratory capabilities, and common payload standards for heritage hardware. NASA will continue to refine its future requirements and incorporate future low Earth orbit needs of other U.S. government agencies and international partners.

NASA uses a two-phase strategy to support the development of commercial destinations and enable the agency to purchase services as one of many customers. Phase 1 efforts extend through 2025, before NASA plans to transition to Phase 2, which will be to certify commercial destinations and purchase services.   

A woman wearing a pink blouse and a black blazer stands at a podium with the NASA meatball logo attached to the front. The woman is speaking to a group of people.
Eleasa Kim, payload operations lead for NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program, presents on NASA’s planned utilization activities for commercial destinations and expectations for provider support.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel

The agency’s commercial strategy for low Earth orbit will provide the government with reliable and safe services at a lower cost and enable the agency to focus on Artemis missions to the Moon in preparation for Mars while also continuing to use low Earth orbit as a training and proving ground for those deep space missions.

Learn more about NASA’s commercial space strategy at:

https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/commercial-space/

View the full article

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Similar Topics

    • By NASA
      The unpiloted Roscosmos Progress spacecraft pictured on Aug. 13, 2024, from the International Space Station.Credit: NASA NASA will provide live launch and docking coverage of a Roscosmos cargo spacecraft delivering approximately three tons of food, fuel, and supplies for the crew aboard the International Space Station.
      The unpiloted Roscosmos Progress 91 spacecraft is scheduled to launch at 4:24 p.m. EST, Thursday, Feb. 27 (2:24 a.m. Baikonur time, Friday, Feb. 28), on a Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
      Live launch coverage will begin at 4 p.m. on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
      After a two-day in-orbit journey to the station, the spacecraft will dock autonomously to the aft port of the Zvezda service module at 6:03 p.m. Saturday, March 1. NASA’s rendezvous and docking coverage will begin at 5:15 p.m. on NASA+.
      The Progress 91 spacecraft will remain docked to the space station for approximately six months before departing for re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere to dispose of trash loaded by the crew.
      The International Space Station is a convergence of science, technology, and human innovation that enables research not possible on Earth. For more than 24 years, NASA has supported a continuous U.S. human presence aboard the orbiting laboratory, through which astronauts have learned to live and work in space for extended periods of time. The space station is a springboard for developing a low Earth economy and NASA’s next great leaps in exploration, including missions to the Moon under Artemis and, ultimately, human exploration of Mars.
      Get breaking news, images and features from the space station on Instagram, Facebook, and X.
      Learn more about the International Space Station, its research, and its crew, at:
      https://www.nasa.gov/station
      -end-
      Claire O’Shea
      Headquarters, Washington
      202-358-1100
      claire.a.o’shea@nasa.gov
      Sandra Jones
      Johnson Space Center, Houston
      281-483-5111
      sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov
      Share
      Details
      Last Updated Feb 24, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
      International Space Station (ISS) Humans in Space ISS Research Johnson Space Center Space Operations Mission Directorate View the full article
    • By NASA
      Live High-Definition Views from the International Space Station (Official NASA Stream)
    • By NASA
      Live Video from the International Space Station (Official NASA Stream)
    • By NASA
      Drone pilot Brayden Chamberlain flashes a “good to go” signal to the command tent, indicating that the NASA Alta X quadcopter is prepped for takeoff during a FireSense uncrewed aerial system (UAS) Technology Demonstration test in 2023 in Missoula, Montana. The instruments on board collected data on wind speed and direction, humidity, temperature, and pressure.NASA/Milan Loiacono NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida invites media to attend a prescribed fire campaign event hosted by the NASA FireSense Project, the Department of Defense (DOD), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Campaign activities will occur from Monday, April 7, to Monday, April 21.
      The FireSense campaign activities will test cutting-edge models and demonstrate new technologies to measure fire behavior and smoke dynamics. The Fish and Wildlife Service will conduct the prescribed fire as part of their land management responsibilities on the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which shares a boundary with NASA Kennedy.
      The event also will demonstrate how NASA, DOD, and the Fish and Wildlife Service work with interagency and private sector partners to reduce the risk from wildland fires and benefit ecosystem health, ultimately preventing catastrophic impacts on critical national infrastructure, the economy, and local communities, while increasing the safety of wildland fire response operations.
      Credentialing is open to U.S. and international media. International media must apply by 11:59 EDT p.m. Sunday, March 16, and U.S. media must apply by 11:59 p.m. EDT Sunday, March 23.
      More details on the specific date of the prescribed fire, weather permitting, will be provided in the coming weeks. Media wishing to take part in person must apply for credentials at:
      https://media.ksc.nasa.gov
      Credentialed media will receive a confirmation email upon approval. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online. For questions about accreditation or to request special logistical support, please email by Friday, March 28 to: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov.
      For other questions, please contact NASA Kennedy’s newsroom at: 321-867-2468.
      Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Messod Bendayan, messod.c.bendayan@nasa.gov.
      NASA coordinates field and airborne sampling with academic and agency partners, including the DOD Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program and DOD Environmental Security Technology Certification Program. The Fish and Wildlife Service oversees all prescribed burn activities on the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
      NASA Kennedy is one of the most biologically diverse areas in the United States, counting over 1,000 species of plants, 117 kinds of fish, 68 types of amphibians and reptiles, 330 kinds of birds, and 31 different mammals within its more than 144,000 acres.
      For more information about NASA’s FireSense Project, please visit:
      https://cce.nasa.gov/firesense
      -end-
      Milan Loiacono
      Ames Research Center, California
      650-450-7575
      milan.p.loiacono@nasa.gov
      Harrison Raine
      Ames Research Center, California
      310-924-0030
      harrison.s.raine@nasa.gov
      Messod Bendayan
      Kennedy Space Center, Florida
      256-930-1371
      messod.c.bendayan@nasa.gov
      View the full article
    • By NASA
      NASA logo. (Credit: NASA) NASA acting Administrator Janet Petro announced Monday Vanessa Wyche will serve as the acting associate administrator for the agency at NASA Headquarters in Washington, effective immediately. Wyche, who had been the director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, is detailed as Petro’s senior advisor leading the agency’s center directors and mission directorate associate administrators. She will act as the agency’s chief operating officer for about 18,000 civil servant employees and an annual budget of more than $25 billion. Stephen Koerner will become the acting center director of NASA Johnson.
      The agency also named Jackie Jester as associate administrator for the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs and announced Catherine Koerner, associate administrator for the agency’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate will retire effective Friday, Feb. 28. Lori Glaze, currently the deputy associate administrator for Exploration Systems Development will become the mission directorate’s acting associate administrator.
      “As we continue to advance our mission, it’s crucial that we have strong, experienced leaders in place,” Petro said. “Vanessa will bring exceptional leadership to NASA’s senior ranks, helping guide our workforce toward the opportunities that lie ahead, while Steve will continue to provide steadfast leadership at NASA Johnson. Jackie’s return to the agency will ensure we remain closely aligned with national priorities as we work with Congress. Cathy’s legacy is one of unwavering dedication to human spaceflight, and we are grateful for her years of service. Lori’s leadership will continue to build on that legacy as we push forward in our exploration efforts. These appointments reflect NASA’s unwavering commitment to excellence, and I have full confidence that each of these leaders will carry our vision forward with purpose, integrity, and a relentless drive to succeed.”
      Prior to her new role, Wyche was the director NASA Johnson – home to America’s astronaut corps, Mission Control Center, International Space Station, Orion and Gateway Programs, and its more than 11,000 civil service and contractor employees. Her responsibilities included a broad range of human spaceflight activities, including development and operation of human spacecraft, NASA astronaut selection and training, mission control, commercialization of low Earth orbit, and leading NASA Johnson in exploring the Moon and Mars.
      During her 35-year career, Wyche has served in several leadership roles, including Johnson’s deputy center director, director of Exploration Integration and Science Directorate, flight manager of several Space Shuttle Program missions, and executive officer in the Office of the Administrator. A native of South Carolina, Wyche earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and Master of Science in Bioengineering from Clemson University. 
      As deputy director of NASA Johnson, Stephen Koerner, oversaw strategic workforce planning, serves as the Designated Agency Safety Health Officer, and supported the Johnson center director in mission reviews. Before his appointment in July 2021, Koerner held various leadership roles at NASA Johnson, including director of the Flight Operations Directorate, associate director, chief financial officer, deputy director of flight operations, and deputy director of mission operations.
      In her new role as the associate administrator for the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, Jester will direct a staff responsible for managing and coordinating all communication with the U.S. Congress, as well as serve as a senior advisor to agency leaders on legislative matters.  
      Jester rejoins the agency after serving as the senior director for government affairs at Relativity Space’s Washington office where she led policy engagement for the company. Prior to her time with Relativity, she served as a policy advisor at NASA and at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. She has served as a professional staff member for the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. She has spent time in state government as the Chief Legislative Aide to a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Jester has significant experience advising on space policy issues, aviation operations and safety policy, and has helped develop numerous pieces of legislation.
      With a 34-year career at NASA, Catherine Koerner has been instrumental in leading NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, overseeing the development of the agency’s deep space exploration approach. Previously, she was the deputy associate administrator for the mission directorate. Her extensive career at NASA includes roles such as the Orion program manager, director of the Human Health and Performance Directorate, former NASA flight director, several leadership positions within the International Space Station Program during its assembly phase and helping to foster a commercial space industry in low Earth orbit.
      Glaze has a distinguished background in planetary science, previously serving as the director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division before joining Explorations Systems Development. Prior to her tenure at NASA Headquarters in Washington, she was the chief of the Planetary Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry Laboratory at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and the Deputy Director of Goddard’s Solar System Exploration Division. She has been a leading advocate for Venus exploration, serving as the principal investigator for the Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging mission. Glaze earned her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science degrees in Physics from the University of Texas at Arlington and a doctorate in Environmental Science from Lancaster University in the United Kingdom. Her prior experience includes roles at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and at Proxemy Research as Vice President and Senior Research Scientist.
      For more about NASA’s missions, visit:
      http://www.nasa.gov
      -end-
      Amber Jacobson / Kathryn Hambleton
      Headquarters, Washington
      202-358-1600
      amber.c.jacobson@nasa.gov / kathryn.a.hambleton@nasa.gov
      View the full article
  • Check out these Videos

×
×
  • Create New...