The Pace of Space: What's New in Suborbital Flight

Michelle Munk and Lucas Moxey, NASA STMD and Danielle McCulloch, 

NASA Flight Opportunities

October 5, 2022

Community of Practice Webinar Series

NASA Flight Opportunities

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/flightopportunities/community-of-practice

1

NASA FLIGHT OPPORTUNITIES

www.nasa.gov

NASA Flight Opportunities

Session will start at 10 a.m. PT – Please mute your microphone and turn off your camera

Community of Practice Webinar Series – October 5, 2022

Michelle Munk, Acting Chief Architect, NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate

Lucas Moxey, Lead – Commercial Suborbital Initiative, NASA’s Science Mission Directorate 

Danielle McCulloch, Deputy Program Manager, NASA Flight Opportunities

The Pace of Space: What's New in Suborbital Flight

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NASA FLIGHT OPPORTUNITIES

Welcome to the Community of Practice Webinar Series!

First, a bit of housekeeping...

• Please mute your microphone and turn off your camera

• Today’s session will be recorded

• Recordings for this and all future session will be posted on the Flight Opportunities 

website

• Please engage!

• Use the chat throughout the session to ask questions

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The Pace of Space: What's New in Suborbital Flight

Michelle Munk and Lucas Moxey, NASA STMD and Danielle McCulloch, 

NASA Flight Opportunities

October 5, 2022

Community of Practice Webinar Series

NASA Flight Opportunities

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/flightopportunities/community-of-practice

2

NASA FLIGHT OPPORTUNITIES

Flight Opportunities Mission

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The Flight Opportunities program facilitates rapid 

demonstration of promising technologies for 

space exploration, discovery, and the expansion 

of space commerce through suborbital testing 

with industry flight providers.

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NASA FLIGHT OPPORTUNITIES

Join us for future Community of Practice webinars!

Watch our website and 

newsletter for next month’s 

topic

nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/flighto

pportunities/newsletter

4

Future webinars

• Webinars are held 1st Wednesday of each 

month at 10 a.m. PT

• Topics will be announced in the Flight 

Opportunities newsletter and website

• Session recordings will be posted on the 

Flight Opportunities website

• Let us know session topics you would like 

to see covered

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The Pace of Space: What's New in Suborbital Flight

Michelle Munk and Lucas Moxey, NASA STMD and Danielle McCulloch, 

NASA Flight Opportunities

October 5, 2022

Community of Practice Webinar Series

NASA Flight Opportunities

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/flightopportunities/community-of-practice

3

NASA FLIGHT OPPORTUNITIES

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• TechRise invites teams of sixth to 12th grade students to design, build, and launch experiments on 

suborbital rockets and balloon flights. Winning teams receive $1,500 to build payloads and an 

assigned spot on a NASA-sponsored high-altitude balloon flight via a commercial provider.

• Provides students of all experience levels with hands-on engineering and technical skills through 

close mentorship. Students go through the same design, build, and test process as NASA-supported 

researchers.

• Please share with students/educators or visit the website below to volunteer as a judge

Current challenge closes

Oct. 24th! 

futureengineers.org/nasatechrise

TechRise Student Challenge

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NASA FLIGHT OPPORTUNITIES

Today’s Speakers

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Michelle Munk

Acting Chief Architect

Space Technology Mission 

Directorate

Lucas Moxey

Lead, Commercial Suborbital 

Initiative

Science Mission Directorate

Danielle McCulloch

Deputy Program Manager, 

NASA Flight Opportunities

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The Pace of Space: What's New in Suborbital Flight

Michelle Munk and Lucas Moxey, NASA STMD and Danielle McCulloch, 

NASA Flight Opportunities

October 5, 2022

Community of Practice Webinar Series

NASA Flight Opportunities

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/flightopportunities/community-of-practice

4

NASA FLIGHT OPPORTUNITIES

www.nasa.gov

NASA Flight Opportunities

Community of Practice

October 2022 | Michelle Munk

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Strategic Technology Architecture 

Roundtable (STAR)

Flight Opportunities Community of Practice

October 5, 2022

Michelle M. Munk

Acting Chief Architect

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The Pace of Space: What's New in Suborbital Flight

Michelle Munk and Lucas Moxey, NASA STMD and Danielle McCulloch, 

NASA Flight Opportunities

October 5, 2022

Community of Practice Webinar Series

NASA Flight Opportunities

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/flightopportunities/community-of-practice

5

Space Technology Mission Directorate

The 2022 NASA Strategic plan outlines the goals and objectives NASA will pursue to fulfill its mission (see Table 2). STMD has primary lead 

responsibility implementing Strategic Goal 3, Objective 3.1. Additionally, STMD contributes to achieving all NASA strategic goals and 

objectives through developing crosscutting technologies for multiple customers. The STMD Technology Portfolio is the vehicle by which 

Strategic Objective 3.1 is implemented. 

Strategic Objective 3.1 Innovate and advance transformational space technologies. 

Develop revolutionary, high-payoff space technologies driven by diverse ideas to transform 

NASA missions and ensure American leadership in the space economy.

The policy emphasizes the importance of facilitating the growth of the commercial space sector, continuing the sustained US leadership in 

space. As NASA's technology mission directorate dedicated to developing state-of-the-art and advanced cross-cutting technologies, STMD 

develops technologies that enable science and human exploration goals and support the space economy, working with industry and academia 

ensuring a robust national space technology engine to meet national needs. 

In addition, the 2020 National Space Policy provides the direction for NASA to lead in:

"the responsible and constructive use of space, promoting a robust commercial space industry, 

returning Americans to the Moon and preparing for Mars, leading in exploration, and defending 

United States and allied interests in space." 

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STMD and ESDMD Gap 

database

STMD Strategic Framework describes the STMD investment priority strategy. 

Strategic Technology Framework aligned to Agency Moon to Mars Strategy along 

with science and industry partner needs, prioritized by Agency Strategic 

Capability Leads (SCL’s) and Principal Technologists (PT’s).

STARPort is the database of all Capability Area gaps for both STMD and 

ESDMD. Envisioned Future Priorities (EFPs) are developed by SCL/PT’s to 

show the future state envisioned and suggested path forward to inform 

Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) process.

PPBE

Process

Envisioned 

Future 

STAR process inclusive of Center Priorities

Chief Technologists, ESDMD and 

SMD Representation. 

Maps to OTPS Taxonomy.

Space Community’s participation is obtained through 

Conferences and Requests for Information (RFIs) to 

validate envisioned futures, the current state of the 

art and the gaps between those two.

Strategic Technology Architecture Roundtable (STAR) Process

STAR

Draws directly on Artemis architectures and Science 

Mission Directorate Decadal to identify technology gaps.

+

In order to achieve the NASA Strategic Objective, the STAR process led by the Space Technology Mission Directorate was implemented to bring together the various inputs from stakeholders 

to produce a set of gaps that can be closed through STMD investments. 

10
The Pace of Space: What's New in Suborbital Flight

Michelle Munk and Lucas Moxey, NASA STMD and Danielle McCulloch, 

NASA Flight Opportunities

October 5, 2022

Community of Practice Webinar Series

NASA Flight Opportunities

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/flightopportunities/community-of-practice

6

STMD Strategic Framework

Lead Thrusts Outcomes Primary Capabilities

Transforming Space Missions

Go

Rapid, Safe, and 

Efficient Space 

Transportation

• Develop nuclear technologies enabling fast in-space transits.

• Develop cryogenic storage, transport, and fluid management technologies for surface and in-space 

applications.

• Develop advanced propulsion technologies that enable future science/exploration missions.

• Nuclear Systems

• Cryogenic Fluid Management

• Advanced Propulsion

Ensuring American 

global leadership in 

Space Technology Land

Expanded Access to 

Diverse Surface 

Destinations

• Enable Lunar/Mars global access with ~20t payloads to support human missions.

• Enable science missions entering/transiting planetary atmospheres and landing on planetary bodies.

• Develop technologies to land payloads within 50 meters accuracy and avoid landing hazards. 

• Entry, Descent, Landing, & Precision 

Landing

• Advance US space technology 

innovation and competitiveness 

in a global context

• Encourage technology driven 

economic growth with an 

emphasis on the expanding 

space economy

• Inspire and develop a diverse 

and powerful US aerospace 

technology community

Live

Sustainable Living 

and Working 

Farther from Earth

• Develop exploration technologies and enable a vibrant space economy with supporting utilities and 

commodities

• Sustainable power sources and other surface utilities to enable continuous lunar and Mars surface 

operations.

• Scalable ISRU production/utilization capabilities including sustainable commodities on the lunar & 

Mars surface. 

• Technologies that enable surviving the extreme lunar and Mars environments.

• Autonomous excavation, construction & outfitting capabilities targeting landing 

pads/structures/habitable buildings utilizing in situ resources.

• Enable long duration human exploration missions with Advanced Habitation System technologies. 

[Low TRL STMD; Mid-High TRL SOMD/ESDMD] 

• Advanced Power

• In-Situ Resource Utilization

• Advanced Thermal

• Advanced Materials, Structures, & 

Construction

• Advanced Habitation Systems

Explore

Transformative 

Missions and 

Discoveries

• Develop next generation high performance computing, communications, and navigation.

• Develop advanced robotics and spacecraft autonomy technologies to enable and augment 

science/exploration missions.

• Develop technologies supporting emerging space industries including: Satellite Servicing & Assembly, 

In Space/Surface Manufacturing, and Small Spacecraft technologies.

• Develop vehicle platform technologies supporting new discoveries. 

• Develop technologies for science instrumentation supporting new discoveries. [Low TRL STMD/MidHigh TRL SMD. SMD funds mission specific instrumentation (TRL 1-9)]

• Develop transformative technologies that enable future NASA or commercial missions and discoveries

• Advanced Avionics Systems

• Advanced Communications & 

Navigation

• Advanced Robotics

• Autonomous Systems

• Satellite Servicing & Assembly

• Advanced Manufacturing

• Small Spacecraft

• Rendezvous, Proximity Operations & 

Capture

• Sensor & Instrumentation

STMD rapidly develops, demonstrates, and transfers revolutionary, high pay-off space technologies, driven by diverse ideas

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STMD Strategic Framework Definitions

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STARPort database stores the technology gaps associated with a strategic capability and links them to the Thrusts and 

Strategic Outcomes. STARPort is part of the TechPort ecosystem and therefore has access to STMD and other Agency 

technology program data. This database provides the capability to trace investments from the highest levels of strategy, 

down through the capability areas and gaps, all the way to the individual projects and track progress over time. NASA is 

developing both public and government only facing STARPort common database.

THRUSTS

STRATEGIC 

OUTCOMES

CAPABILTY

AREAS

TECHNOLOGY

GAP

TECHNOLOGY 

INVESTMENTS

Broad categories of strategic impact (Go, Land, Live, Explore). 

Example: Go: Rapid, safe, & efficient space transportation

High-level Goals under each Thrust. 

Quantified Example: Develop technologies to land payloads within 50 meters accuracy and 

avoid landing hazards.

Crosscutting Example: Develop advanced robotics and spacecraft autonomy technologies to 

enable and augment science/exploration missions.

A document that communicates an Envisioned 

Future for a capability area, the current state of 

the art for that area, major gaps, and the plan on 

how to close these gaps. (i.e. Includes charts 

summarizing the technology development 

priorities to accomplish the envisioned future.) 

Project/Investment that represents 

quantifiable unit(s) of work to address closing 

technology gap(s) in one or more capability 

areas.

Key technology focus areas aligned to NASA’s System Capability 

Leads and Principal Technologists. Examples: Advanced 

Propulsion, Entry, Descent and Landing, ISRU, etc.

ENVISIONED 

FUTURE PRIORITIES

Technical hurdle(s) that needs to be overcome 

to enable an envisioned future. 

12
The Pace of Space: What's New in Suborbital Flight

Michelle Munk and Lucas Moxey, NASA STMD and Danielle McCulloch, 

NASA Flight Opportunities

October 5, 2022

Community of Practice Webinar Series

NASA Flight Opportunities

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/flightopportunities/community-of-practice

7

STAR Schedule Cycle and STAR Recommend (DRAFT)

STAR Recommend:

• PTs/SCLs identify Top 5 

priorities

• Discussion/Comparison 

against current portfolio 

(with PDs; PE/L2 support 

as needed)

• Chief Architect seeks 

input from Centers and 

other MDs

• Chief Architect publishes 

STAR Recommend Top 10

• Feedback opportunity

• STAR Recommend to 

STMD Leadership

Update Envisioned Future 

Priorities

Release EFPs for other MD 

and Center comments

Present updated EFPs with 

agency-wide comments 

included

Baseline EFP and release on 

Techport

Gather comments from Industry, 

academia, and OGAs through 

RFIs and other means

ASCEND

STAR Recommend 

with “Top 10” 

priorities created

October-November

November-December

January

February

Spring-Summer

Gap 

Updating

Gap 

Baselining 

STAR Recommend finalized –> PRG; PPBE Process Kickoff

Gaps Open 

for viewing 

but locked 

from 

modification

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International 

Workshop

Industry/Academia

Consultation

Federated Board

Gap Analysis

NASA

Workforce Federated

Board

Processes

• Incl. Center Reps & SME’s

• August 2022

Final M2M Objectives

Federated Board : Blueprint Objectives Updates

14
The Pace of Space: What's New in Suborbital Flight

Michelle Munk and Lucas Moxey, NASA STMD and Danielle McCulloch, 

NASA Flight Opportunities

October 5, 2022

Community of Practice Webinar Series

NASA Flight Opportunities

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/flightopportunities/community-of-practice

8

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Architecture Update Timeline

• IAC (18-24 Sep)

o Public release of final M2M objectives

• Architecture Updates (Oct – Dec)

• Gap Assessment Updates (early 2023)

• Feedback Opportunity

o Form through NASA Techport

• Next version of Envisioned Future Priorities

• Envisioned Future Priorities for LAND and EXPLORE are 

currently open for comment: NSPIRES

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NASA FLIGHT OPPORTUNITIES

www.nasa.gov

NASA Flight Opportunities

Community of Practice

October 2022 | Lucas Moxey

16
The Pace of Space: What's New in Suborbital Flight

Michelle Munk and Lucas Moxey, NASA STMD and Danielle McCulloch, 

NASA Flight Opportunities

October 5, 2022

Community of Practice Webinar Series

NASA Flight Opportunities

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/flightopportunities/community-of-practice

9

NASA FLIGHT OPPORTUNITIES

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Addition of Commercial Suborbital Platforms to ROSES-22

Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences 2022 (ROSES-22)

• D.3 Astrophysics Research and Analysis Program (APRA)

Focus: investigations (scientific & technology payloads) aligned to NASA's astronomy 

and astrophysics programs

NOI Due: 11/4/2022 Full Proposals (invited): 12/15/2022

• B.9 Heliophysics – Low Cost Access to Space (H-LCAS)

Focus: investigations to advance the development of technologies and their 

application to enable new investigations of heliophysics science questions

NOI Due: 11/17/2022 Full Proposals (invited): 1/12/2023

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AVAILABLE COMMERCIAL IDIQ 

SUBORBITAL PLATFORMS

IN ROSES-22

UP AEROSPACE

VIRGIN

GALACTIC

AEROSTAR

WORLD

VIEW

BLUE

ORIGIN

APRA & H-LCAS

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The Pace of Space: What's New in Suborbital Flight

Michelle Munk and Lucas Moxey, NASA STMD and Danielle McCulloch, 

NASA Flight Opportunities

October 5, 2022

Community of Practice Webinar Series

NASA Flight Opportunities

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/flightopportunities/community-of-practice

10

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NEW IN ROSES-22 FOR SUBORBITAL RESEARCH

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1. Proposals must follow suborbital flight guidelines detailed in Sect. VIII(c) ROSES-2022 Summary of 

Solicitation

2. Mandatory brief NOI-stage Payload Requirements Document (PRD) (available via NSPIRES)

- Provides basic information about the proposed payload needs (e.g.: vehicle type, dimensions, mass, 

launch location, flight date, min/max altitudes, etc.) 

- Used by NASA to conduct preliminary assessments of compatible suborbital platforms

- PRD information will not be used as part of proposal evaluation process

3. Mandatory Proposal-stage Payload Requirements Document (PRD) (Available via NSPIRES)

- Provides more detailed information about the payload needs

- Used by NASA to match payload requirements with suitable suborbital platforms

4. No quotes or cost estimates related to flight services should be included in the proposal

5. If selected, NASA Campaign Manager will serve as liaison between PI and commercial flight provider

6. Informational webinar will be held on Oct. 11 at 1pm ET (10am PT) via Webex (detailed info via NSPIRES)

Important Guidelines for APRA (D.3) and H-LCAS (B.9) Solicitations 

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NASA FLIGHT OPPORTUNITIES

20 www.nasa.gov

Thank you! 

Flight Opportunities website: 

http://nasa.gov/flightopportunities

Contact us:

NASA-FlightOpportunities@mail.nasa.gov

20
The Pace of Space: What's New in Suborbital Flight

Michelle Munk and Lucas Moxey, NASA STMD and Danielle McCulloch, 

NASA Flight Opportunities

October 5, 2022

Community of Practice Webinar Series

NASA Flight Opportunities

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/flightopportunities/community-of-practice

11

NASA FLIGHT OPPORTUNITIES

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NASA FLIGHT OPPORTUNITIES

NASA's TechLeap Prize

• Designed to rapidly identify and test solutions to specific NASA 

technology needs

• Format allows NASA to select winners and flight test their technologies 

in less than a year

• Open to businesses, universities, entrepreneurs, and other innovators

• Previous awards have been up to $650K to build payloads, plus access 

to a suborbital flight test

• 2022: Nighttime Precision Landing Challenge No. 1

• 2021: Autonomous Observation Challenge No. 1

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