Tech Demo Missions

People of Goddard

Careers

Dark Energy

Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI)

Goddard Space Flight Center

ICESat (Ice, Clouds and Land Elevation Satellite)

James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)

Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

People of NASA

Tech Demo Missions

Technology

Women at NASA

Bente Eegholm: Ensuring Space Telescopes Have Stellar Vision

Bente Eegholm is an optical engineer working to ensure missions like the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope have stellar vision. When it launches by May 2027, the Roman mission will shed light on many astrophysics topics, like dark energy, which are currently shrouded in mystery.

Posted July 2, 2024

Space Technology Mission Directorate

Ames Research Center

CubeSats

Game Changing Development Program

General

Small Satellite Missions

Small Spacecraft Technology Program

Tech Demo Missions

Swarming for Success: Starling Completes Primary Mission

After ten months in orbit, the Starling spacecraft swarm successfully demonstrated its primary mission’s key objectives, representing significant achievements in the capability of swarm configurations. Swarms of satellites may one day be used in deep space exploration.

Posted May 29, 2024

Psyche Mission

Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC)

Marshall Space Flight Center

Space Communications & Navigation Program

Space Technology Mission Directorate

Tech Demo Missions

Technology Demonstration Missions Program

NASA’s Optical Comms Demo Transmits Data Over 140 Million Miles

NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications experiment also interfaced with the Psyche spacecraft’s communication system for the first time, transmitting engineering data to Earth. Riding aboard NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, the agency’s Deep Space Optical Communications technology demonstration continues to break records.

Posted April 25, 2024

Glenn Research Center

Artemis

Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS)

Cryogenic Fluid Management (CFM)

Marshall Space Flight Center

Moons

Space Technology Mission Directorate

Tech Demo Missions

Technology Demonstration

Brr, It’s Cold in Here! NASA’s Cryo Efforts Beyond the Atmosphere

Establishing sustained operations at the Moon and Mars presents a multitude of opportunities and challenges NASA has yet to encounter. Many of these activities require new technologies and processes to ensure the agency is prepared for its ambitious Artemis missions and those beyond.

Posted January 11, 2024

Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC)

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Psyche Mission

Space Communications & Navigation Program

Space Operations Mission Directorate

Space Technology Mission Directorate

Tech Demo Missions

NASA’s Tech Demo Streams First Video From Deep Space via Laser

The video, featuring a cat named Taters, was sent back from nearly 19 million miles away by NASA’s laser communications demonstration, marking a historic milestone. NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications experiment beamed an ultra-high definition streaming video on Dec.

Posted December 18, 2023

Psyche Mission

Space Communications & Navigation Program

Space Operations Mission Directorate

Space Technology Mission Directorate

Tech Demo Missions

NASA’s Deep Space Optical Comm Demo Sends, Receives First Data

DSOC, an experiment that could transform how spacecraft communicate, has achieved ‘first light,’ sending data via laser to and from far beyond the Moon for the first time.

Posted November 17, 2023

General

Ames Research Center

CubeSats

Low-Earth Orbit Economy

Small Satellite Missions

Small Spacecraft Technology Program

SmallSats Program

Space Technology Mission Directorate

Tech Demo Missions

Follow NASA’s Starling Swarm in Real Time

NASA’s Starling CubeSats are zipping through low Earth orbit in the agency’s latest test of robotic swarm technologies for space. The four Starling spacecraft, launched in July 2023, are testing a group of small satellites ability to coordinate and cooperate independently without real-time updates from mission control.

Posted October 24, 2023