NASA Selects Seven Companies for Collaborations on Commercial Space Capabilities

NASA Selects Seven Companies for Collaborations on Commercial Space Capabilities

In 2023, NASA announced partnerships with seven U.S. companies as part of the second Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities (CCSC-2) initiative. These unfunded Space Act Agreements are designed to advance commercial space-related efforts by facilitating access to NASA’s expertise, assessments, lessons learned, technologies, and data. The selected companies will collaborate with NASA to develop capabilities that can be crucial to the development of a robust low Earth orbit (LEO) economy and ultimately benefit human spaceflight.

The CCSC-2 initiative is part of NASA’s broader strategy to enable a vibrant low Earth orbit economy that is sustainable, cost-effective, and safe. As NASA transitions from the International Space Station to commercial destinations, partnerships with private industry will be essential for maintaining a continuous U.S. presence in LEO and fostering scientific discovery, technology development, and economic growth.

The seven companies were selected through a competitive process based on the relevance of their proposed capabilities to NASA’s goals, the feasibility of their business and technical approaches, and the ability for NASA to provide the requested support within available resources. Each company will fully fund its own effort and work closely with NASA experts to advance their technologies and capabilities.

In 2024, NASA released the details associated with their selection process; based upon that information, this article reviews the seven selected companies and their associated plans.

Blue Origin

Blue Origin is collaborating with NASA to develop an integrated commercial space transportation capability that ensures safe, affordable, and high-frequency U.S. access to orbit for crew and other missions. The company’s proposal focuses on maturing its orbital launch vehicle New Glenn and its reusable biconic capsule called the Space Vehicle.

Blue Origin will work with NASA to mature the design and operations of these vehicles to enable crewed missions to LEO destinations. This includes collaborating on areas such as environmental control and life support systems, crew interfaces, launch and recovery operations, safety and mission assurance processes, and astronaut training. The company aims to conduct an orbital flight test with the Space Vehicle by as early as 2024.

Blue Origin’s integrated space transportation system has the potential to provide expanded commercial access to space and foster a growing orbital economy. NASA will provide expertise and lessons learned from its decades of human spaceflight experience to help Blue Origin create a safe and reliable commercial crew transportation capability.

Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Northrop Grumman is collaborating with NASA on the company’s Persistent Platform to provide autonomous and robotic capabilities in LEO. The platform is envisioned as an uncrewed, free-flying spacecraft that can support a variety of payloads and missions for government and commercial customers.

Under the agreement, Northrop Grumman will work with NASA to mature the design of the Persistent Platform and its key subsystems, such as power, thermal control, guidance, navigation and control, and communications. The company will leverage its extensive experience in developing and operating spacecraft like the Cygnus cargo vehicle and Mission Extension Vehicles.

The Persistent Platform will be capable of hosting payloads for Earth observation, scientific research, technology demonstrations, and potentially even manufacturing and assembly applications. It will be designed for long-duration missions of a year or more, with the ability to be refueled and serviced in orbit.

Northrop Grumman will collaborate with NASA to ensure the Persistent Platform interfaces and operations are compatible with future commercial LEO destinations and crew vehicles. The company aims to have an initial demonstration mission in orbit by 2026. NASA will provide expertise in areas such as robotic payload operations, autonomous rendezvous and docking, and orbital infrastructure interoperability standards.

Sierra Space Corporation

Sierra Space is collaborating with NASA for the development of the company’s commercial LEO ecosystem, including next-generation space transportation, in-space infrastructure, and expandable and tailorable space facilities providing a human presence in LEO. The company’s proposal focuses on advancing its Dream Chaser spaceplane and LIFE habitat module.

Under the agreement, Sierra Space will work with NASA to mature the design of the crewed variant of Dream Chaser, which will be able to transport up to seven astronauts to LEO destinations. The company will collaborate with NASA on areas such as environmental control and life support systems, crew interfaces, launch and recovery operations, and safety and mission assurance processes.

Sierra Space will also work with NASA to advance the development of its Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE) habitat module. LIFE is an expandable, three-story commercial habitation, business and science platform that launches on a conventional rocket and inflates on-orbit. It will be able to support a crew of up to four astronauts for missions of 90 days or more.

The company plans to launch an uncrewed LIFE prototype module to LEO as early as 2024 to demonstrate its key systems and technologies. This will be followed by the launch of the first crewed Dream Chaser to the LIFE module by 2026, forming the initial building blocks of Sierra Space’s commercial LEO ecosystem.

NASA will provide Sierra Space with expertise and lessons learned from its development of expandable habitat modules like BEAM on the ISS, as well as guidance on human rating processes for space vehicles. The agency will also advise Sierra Space on the interoperability and compatibility of its vehicles and modules with other commercial LEO destinations and NASA’s Artemis architecture.

Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)

SpaceX is collaborating with NASA on an integrated LEO architecture to provide a growing portfolio of technology and services, including Starship as a transportation and in-space LEO destination element supported by Super Heavy, Dragon, and Starlink, as well as constituent capabilities including crew and cargo transportation, communications, and operational and ground support.

Under the agreement, SpaceX will work with NASA to advance the development and human rating of its Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket. Starship is being designed as a fully reusable, two-stage transportation system capable of carrying crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The vehicle will be able to transport up to 100 people to LEO and have a large habitable volume that could potentially be used as a commercial destination in itself.

SpaceX will collaborate with NASA on areas such as environmental control and life support systems, crew interfaces, launch and recovery operations, in-orbit refueling, safety and mission assurance processes, and astronaut training.

In addition to Starship, SpaceX will work with NASA to mature its Dragon spacecraft for crew and cargo missions to commercial LEO destinations. The company will also explore how its Starlink satellite constellation can provide communications and data relay services for commercial space stations and vehicles.

NASA will provide SpaceX with expertise and lessons learned from its Commercial Crew Program, as well as insights into developing sustainable and scalable space architectures. The agency will also advise SpaceX on interoperability standards to ensure its vehicles and systems can support a diverse ecosystem of commercial LEO activities.

Special Aerospace Services

Special Aerospace Services is collaborating with NASA on an in-space servicing technology, propulsion, and robotic technology called the Autonomous Maneuvering Unit (AMU) and the Astronaut Assist-AMU for commercial in-space servicing, retrieval, and inspection of in-space systems.

The AMU is a small, modular spacecraft designed to provide on-orbit services such as inspection, maintenance, repair, assembly, and debris removal. It will use a suite of robotic arms and tools to perform these tasks, with both teleoperated and autonomous capabilities. The AMU will be able to operate in proximity to other spacecraft and dock with them for servicing.

The Astronaut Assist-AMU is a variant of the AMU designed to work alongside astronauts during spacewalks. It will provide astronauts with additional tools, lighting, cameras, and robotic assistance to enhance the safety and efficiency of extravehicular activities.

Under the agreement, Special Aerospace Services will work with NASA to mature the design of the AMU and Astronaut Assist-AMU and demonstrate their key capabilities in ground testing and potential flight demonstrations. NASA will provide expertise in robotic servicing technologies, autonomous rendezvous and proximity operations, and human-robot interaction.

The AMU could help enable sustainable commercial LEO activities by providing a cost-effective way to maintain and upgrade spacecraft and infrastructure. It could also support the assembly of large structures like space stations and satellites. The Astronaut Assist-AMU could enhance the productivity and safety of astronauts working in space, enabling more ambitious commercial missions.

ThinkOrbital

ThinkOrbital is collaborating with NASA on the development of ThinkPlatforms and CONTESA (Construction Technologies for Space Applications). ThinkPlatforms are self-assembling, single-launch, large-scale orbital platforms that facilitate a wide array of applications in LEO, including in-space research, manufacturing, and astronaut missions. CONTESA features welding, cutting, inspection, and additive manufacturing technologies, and aids in large-scale in-space fabrication.

Under the agreement, ThinkOrbital will work with NASA to mature the design of its ThinkPlatforms and demonstrate the key capabilities of CONTESA. This includes advancing the company’s in-space welding and assembly technologies, which would allow large structures to be launched in a compact volume and then expanded and integrated on-orbit.

ThinkOrbital plans to launch an initial demonstration mission by 2024 to test the deployment and assembly of a small-scale ThinkPlatform using CONTESA. This will be followed by the launch of larger ThinkPlatforms in 2025 and 2026, with the goal of having a fully operational platform available for commercial use by 2027.

NASA will provide ThinkOrbital with expertise in in-space assembly and manufacturing technologies, as well as guidance on the design and operation of large space structures. The agency will also advise ThinkOrbital on potential applications for its platforms and how they can support a sustainable commercial LEO economy.

ThinkOrbital’s technologies could enable a new paradigm for in-space construction and infrastructure, where large structures are built and reconfigured on-orbit rather than launched from Earth. This could dramatically reduce the cost and complexity of establishing commercial facilities in LEO and beyond. The company’s platforms could support a wide range of activities, from research and manufacturing to space tourism and exploration missions.

Vast Space

Vast is collaborating with NASA on technologies and operations required for its microgravity and artificial gravity stations. This includes the Haven-1 commercial destination, which will provide a microgravity environment for crew, research, and in-space manufacturing, and the first crewed mission, called Vast-1, to the platform. Development activities for larger space station modules will also take place under the Space Act Agreement.

Under the agreement, Vast will work with NASA to mature the design of its Haven-1 station and demonstrate its key technologies, such as its environmental control and life support system, power and thermal management, and crew accommodations. The company will also collaborate with NASA on the development of its artificial gravity modules, which will use centrifugal force to simulate Earth-like gravity levels.

Vast plans to launch its first Haven-1 module to LEO in 2024, followed by additional modules and crew missions in 2025 and 2026. The company aims to have a continuously crewed commercial space station operational by 2027, with the ability to support up to 8 astronauts for missions of 6 months or more.

NASA will provide Vast with expertise in space station design, human health and performance in microgravity, and the development of life support and crew systems. The agency will also advise Vast on the potential impacts and benefits of artificial gravity on human physiology and space operations.

Vast’s Haven-1 station could provide a new commercial platform for microgravity research, manufacturing, and tourism in LEO. Its artificial gravity modules could help mitigate the negative effects of long-duration spaceflight on human health, such as bone and muscle loss, and enable longer and more sustainable missions. The company’s technologies and expertise could also support future exploration missions to the Moon and Mars.

Summary

The seven companies selected for the CCSC-2 initiative represent a diverse portfolio of capabilities that are crucial to the development of a robust LEO economy. These collaborations will leverage NASA’s expertise and resources to advance commercial space-related efforts and ultimately benefit human spaceflight. As NASA transitions from the International Space Station, partnerships with private entities will be essential for maintaining U.S. presence in LEO and fostering scientific discovery and technology development.

The CCSC-2 agreements will help mature critical technologies and capabilities, such as in-space manufacturing and assembly, artificial gravity, robotic servicing, and advanced space transportation. They will also help establish interoperability standards and best practices for commercial LEO activities, ensuring a safe and sustainable ecosystem of platforms and vehicles.

By partnering with industry, NASA can help lower the barriers to entry and reduce the risks associated with commercial space ventures. The agency can provide technical expertise, facilities, and data that would be difficult or expensive for companies to acquire on their own. In return, NASA can leverage industry’s innovation, agility, and cost-effectiveness to achieve its exploration goals and maximize the benefits of space for humanity.

The CCSC-2 initiative is an important step towards realizing NASA’s vision of a vibrant and self-sustaining LEO economy. It will help create new markets, industries, and jobs, and inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs. As these commercial capabilities come online in the next few years, they will open up new opportunities for research, technology development, and human spaceflight, and help ensure American leadership in space for decades to come.