- Armstrong Home
- About Armstrong   - Overview
  - Doing Business with Armstrong
  - Employee Alerts
  - History
  - Leadership/Organizations
  - Media Resources
  - People
  - Strategic Plan
  - Virtual Tour
- Programs & Projects   - Overview
  - Advanced Air Mobility
  - Flight Opportunities
  - Quesst
  - Sustainable Flight Demonstrator
  - Aeronautics Projects
  - Science Projects
  - Space Projects
- Capabilities   - Overview
  - Aircraft Flown at Armstrong
  - Dryden Aeronautical Test Range
  - Flight Loads Laboratory
  - Flight Operations
  - Mission Operations
  - Research & Engineering
  - Technology Development
- Multimedia   - All Armstrong Images
  - NASA Image and Video Library
  - Image Galleries A-Z
  - Videos

# Space Projects

Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, supports NASA’s Human Exploration and Space Technology missions by exploring space beyond low-Earth orbit and developing and demonstrating revolutionary, high-payoff technologies.

                                Read About Our Contributions to Orion and Artemis about Space Projects

## Branch Chief

Tony Ginn

## Deputy Branch Chief

John Kelly

## Flight Opportunities Program Manager

Danielle Mcculloch

## 

## Flight Opportunities

Rapidly demonstrating technologies for space exploration, discovery, and expansion of space commerce.
				Learn More About the Program                                     about Flight Opportunities

## Research Focus Areas

In addition to the Flight Opportunities program, Armstrong plays a pivotal role in NASA's space exploration and technology mission activities.

Article4 min readNASA Taps into the Power of Magnets for Moon, Mars MissionsArticle4 min readNovel Magnetic Release Mechanism Succeeds in NASA FlightArticle4 min readNASA Team Eyes Better Parachute Systems for Mars MissionsArticle4 min readPutting NASA Technology into Public Hands

Featured Story

# NASA TechRise Student Challenge Tests Experiments in Stratosphere

On July 24, students from 30 middle and high schools selected for NASA’s TechRise Student Challenge watched their experiments launch…
Read the Story

## Space Projects News

Stay up-to-date with the latest news from Armstrong's as we break down barriers and accelerate change for the benefit of humanity.

What is 3D-MAT?
A thermal protection material for the Artemis Generation The 3-Dimensional Multifunctional Ablative Thermal Protection System (3D-MAT) is a thermal protection…

Article

Altitude Chamber Gets Upgrade for Artemis II, Spacecraft Testing Begins 
Before the Orion spacecraft is stacked atop NASA’s powerful SLS (Space Launch System) rocket ahead of the Artemis II mission,…

Article

NASA’s Artemis IV: Building First Lunar Space Station
NASA and its partners are developing the foundational systems needed for long-term exploration at the Moon for the benefit of…

Article

Key Test Drive of Orion on NASA’s Artemis II to Aid Future Missions
Astronauts will test drive NASA’s Orion spacecraft for the first time during the agency’s Artemis II test flight next year.…

Article

Compact Robot Takes Flight to Support CERISS Initiative
NASA’s TechFlights 2023 Selections Advance Space Science in Collaboration with Industry A new robot will be taking flight soon to…

Article

NASA Armstrong Updates 1960s Concept to Study Giant Planets
NASA researchers are looking at the possibility of using a wingless, unpowered aircraft design from the 1960s to gather atmospheric…

Article

                            2                        
                            3                        
                            77                        
Next

### Lander Simulation Testing Helps Advance NASA Navigation Technology

How do you test lunar lander technology on Earth before going to the Moon? NASA uses commercial flight providers like Masten Space Systems vertical takeoff vertical landing rocket, Xodiac, to validate it during a recent flight in Mojave, California. The flight test simulates some of the maneuvers of a lunar lander. Designed for precision landing in a very tightly defined area, the Navigation Doppler Lidar technology transmits laser beams to the ground that bounce back to a sensor, providing information about the lander’s velocity and distance to the ground. Unlike Earth where GPS satellites are used to navigate, NASA needs new technology to explore the Moon and other planets so a precision landing technology could open possibilities to land anywhere even near a crater.
				Watch our Space Exploration video playlist                			

## Armstrong Space Projects

44 Images

Go To Gallery

Go To Gallery

## 				Explore Armstrong Facilities & Capabilities			

## Aircraft Flown at Armstrong

Flying everything from light aircraft to high-speed jets and rocket-powered airplanes.

## Dryden Aeronautical Test Range

Supporting flight operations and low Earth-orbiting missions. 

## Simulation Laboratory

Developing high-fidelity engineering simulations that can support various research phases ranging from conceptual studies through flight testing.

@NASA@nasaarmstrong

@NASA@nasaarmstrong

@NASA@nasaarmstrong

@NASA

## Discover More Topics From NASA

Armstrong Aeronautics Projects

Armstrong Science Projects

Armstrong Technologies

Armstrong Research & Engineering