Space Technology Mission Directorate

Space Technology Mission Directorate
Ames Research Center
Flight Opportunities Program
Technology
Technology Transfer
Using cutting-edge material licensed from NASA, a protective heat shield manufactured in-house by Varda Space Industries for the first time enabled one of its capsules to blaze through Earth’s atmosphere on Thursday, marking a significant milestone for the agency and America’s space industry.
Posted January 29, 2026
Space Nuclear Propulsion (SNP)
Marshall Space Flight Center
Space Technology Mission Directorate
Technology Demonstration Missions Program
Nuclear propulsion and power technologies could unlock new frontiers in missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. NASA has reached an important milestone advancing nuclear propulsion that could benefit future deep space missions by completing a cold-flow test campaign of the first flight reactor engineering development unit since the 1960s.
Posted January 28, 2026
Spinoffs
Space Technology Mission Directorate
Technology
Technology Transfer
Technology Transfer & Spinoffs
As NASA fosters technologies needed to live and work farther away from home than ever before, the agency’s Technology Transfer program has the sole mission of getting those innovations into the hands of companies, entrepreneurs, and, ultimately, everyday people.
Posted January 26, 2026
Space Technology Mission Directorate
Biological & Physical Sciences
Centennial Challenges
Centennial Challenges News
Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation (CoECI)
Earth Science Division
Get Involved
Heliophysics
Human Research Program
Mars Campaign Development Division
Marshall Space Flight Center
Opportunities to Contribute to NASA Missions & Get Involved
Planetary Science
Planetary Science Division
Prizes, Challenges, & Crowdsourcing News
Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing Program
Technology
NASA is getting ready to send four astronauts around the Moon with Artemis II, laying the foundation for sustainable missions to the lunar surface and paving the way for human exploration on Mars. As the agency considers deep space endeavors that could last months or years, it must develop ways to feed astronauts beyond sending […]
Posted January 13, 2026
Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation (CoECI)
CoECI News
Get Involved
NASA Directorates
Opportunities to Contribute to NASA Missions & Get Involved
Prizes, Challenges, & Crowdsourcing News
Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing Program
Space Technology Mission Directorate
NASA has identified a list of 32 technology shortfalls and invites you to give input on your critical technology needs using this feedback mechanism. Whether you’re part of the space technology community or an interested member of the public, your input is invaluable.
Posted January 12, 2026
Space Technology Mission Directorate
Technology
As NASA prepares for long-duration missions to the Moon that will pave the way for human exploration on Mars, the agency is tapping into America’s expanding space economy to help guide its strategic technology investments. This initiative, led by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate invites collaboration from U.S.
Posted January 12, 2026
General
Ames Research Center
Small Spacecraft Technology Program
Space Technology Mission Directorate
Wallops Flight Facility
NASA’s DiskSat technology demonstration mission will test the performance of a new small spacecraft platform designed to expand the capabilities of current small spacecraft.
Posted December 18, 2025
Ames Research Center
CubeSats
International Space Station (ISS)
ISS Research
SBIR STTR
Small Spacecraft Technology Program
Space Technology Mission Directorate
NASA is working with commercial partners to create high-performing, reliable propulsion systems that will help small spacecraft safely maneuver in orbit, reach intended destinations across the solar system, and accomplish mission operations.    Two new micropropulsion technologies are being tested in space onboard a CubeSat called DUPLEX (Dual Prop
Posted December 17, 2025
Goddard Space Flight Center
Space Technology Mission Directorate
Technology
Technology Demonstration
NASA and industry partners will fly and operate a commercial robotic arm in low Earth orbit through the Fly Foundational Robots mission set to launch in late 2027. This mission aims to revolutionize in-space operations, a critical capability for sustainably living and working on other planets.
Posted December 2, 2025
Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation (CoECI)
CoECI News
Get Involved
Opportunities to Contribute to NASA Missions & Get Involved
Prizes, Challenges, & Crowdsourcing News
Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing Program
Space Technology Mission Directorate
Crater rims are vital landmarks for planetary science and navigation. Yet detecting them in real imagery is tough, with shadows, lighting shifts, and broken edges obscuring their shape. This project invites you to develop methods that can reliably fit ellipses to crater rims, helping advance future space exploration.
Posted November 25, 2025
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