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FLIGHT OPPORTUNITIES

Lessons Learned Library

Over many years and through numerous flights, participants in the Flight Opportunities 

program have identified dozens of suggestions to help researchers be more successful in 

their flight testing and as they advance their technologies through flight tests. The Lessons 

Learned Library curates suggestions from the Community of Practice webinars; post-flight 

reports; and other interactions with researchers, NASA personnel, and flight providers.

The lessons are organized as follows: 

• Get Involved with the Flight Opportunities Program

• Preparing Proposals

• Getting Ready to Fly: Step-by-Step Suggestions

• Best Practices for Payload Design

• Top Tips for Each Type of Flight Platform

Check back often, as Flight Opportunities is always adding to the Lessons Learned 

Library.

Get Involved with the Flight Opportunities Program

Researchers interested in testing their payload in a relevant environment are encouraged 

to follow these best practices to engage with the program and make the most of their 

experience. In some cases, a link is provided where you can hear more about the 

suggestion from the relevant Community of Practice webinar. Follow the links below to 

jump to a set of suggestions.

• Learn about the program

• Engage with us

• Align with our goals

Learn about the Program

• Stay in the know: Subscribe to the Flight Opportunities newsletter and monitor the 

NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System 

(NPSIRES) to stay on top of the latest news about calls and solicitations. (Hear 

more about news subscriptions. Starts at timecode: 17:46) 
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• Understand the avenues for funding: Visit the Access Flight Tests page to see 

the funding mechanisms available to researchers. (Hear more about funding. Starts 

at timecode: 8:06)

• Leverage resources from Flight Opportunities: Review previous flight 

summaries, the technology portfolio, and the flight provider information to 

understand the types of technologies the program supports and the types of 

vehicles and flight profiles that program-supported teams have leveraged for flight 

testing.

››› Return to the beginning of Get Involved with the Flight Opportunities Program

Engage with Us

• Reach out to Flight Opportunities personnel: Talk to Flight Opportunities 

personnel early on for valuable insights, such as how to better scope your testing 

before flight. Subscribe to the Flight Opportunities newsletter to know which 

conferences program personnel will be attending. (Hear more about reaching out.

Starts at timecode: 9:05)

• Ask questions: Reach out to the Flight Opportunities program to discuss your 

technology and any questions you have prior to the opening of a solicitation. (Hear 

more about asking questions. Starts at timecode: 42:56)

››› Return to the beginning of Get Involved with the Flight Opportunities Program

Align with Our Goals

• Research the state of the art and current gaps: Research what technologies 

already exist and the relevant technology gaps. As needed, find appropriate subject 

matter experts to help you understand the state of the art and how your technology

might address any gaps. The Flight Opportunities technology team can assist you 

with finding appropriate partners to work with.

• Understand NASA’s needs: Consult NASA’s Strategic Framework, which has 

documents as well as videos from principal technologists within NASA’s Space 

Technology Mission Directorate. (Hear more about NASA’s needs. Starts at timecode: 

43:50)

››› Return to the beginning of Get Involved with the Flight Opportunities Program

›› Return to Lessons Learned Table of Contents
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Preparing Proposals

Here are some quick tips to keep in mind when writing proposals to apply for access to 

Flight Opportunities testing. In some cases, a link is provided where you can hear more 

about the suggestion from the relevant Community of Practice webinar. Follow the links 

below to jump to a set of suggestions.

• Best practices for proposals

• About your technology

• About flights and flight providers

Best Practices for Proposals

• Do your research on the solicitation: Explore our website to review fact sheets, 

reports on what has been funded, and details on previous solicitations. Attend the 

Q&A session to understand the specific requirements and focus points of the 

solicitation. (Hear more about researching the solicitation. Starts at timecode: 16:01)

• Check if your project is within scope: Ensure your technology fits within 

NASA’s/the commercial space industry’s needs and that it fits within the scope of 

the Flight Opportunities program. Keep in mind that you will receive feedback on 

your proposal, providing an opportunity to learn from the process. (Hear more about 

scope. Starts at timecode: 38:53)

• Be clear, cogent, and to the point: Don’t repeat information and make appropriate 

use of the space (e.g., add graphics, data). (Hear more about making the best use 

of your space. Starts at timecode: 15:08)

• Don’t skip the basics: Make sure your suborbital flight testing proposal is selfcontained and meets all formatting requirements (e.g., page count, margins). (Hear 

more about the basics. Starts at timecode: 13:56)

• Put your proposal through peer review: Enlist the help of colleagues to ensure 

that your ideas flow and that your proposal is easy to read and follow. (Hear more 

about putting your proposal through peer review. Starts at timecode: 18:39)

››› Return to the beginning of Preparing Proposals

About Your Technology

• Make the case for flight: Show that you have done any necessary ground-testing 

to mitigate as much risk as possible, demonstrating that you have a real need to 

see your technology perform in the flight environment at this time. (Hear more about 

making your case. Starts at timecode: 13:08)
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• Communicate the connection to NASA’s goals: Express how your technology 

and flight experiment benefit NASA’s mission and the agency’s strategic goals. 

(Hear more about connecting to NASA goals. Starts at timecode: 10:15)

• Demonstrate others’ interest in your technology: Discuss the potential 

customers/applications to build a compelling story for your technology (e.g., you 

could include the detail that NASA is interested). Although cost-sharing is not 

required, if any additional or matching funds are available, include that information 

in your proposal. (Hear more about demonstrating others’ interest in your 

technology. Starts at timecode: 53:45)

• Explain why your technology is outstanding: Compare it to the state of the art 

so NASA is aware of how your technology is an advancement over what has been

done before or addresses a technology gap. (Hear more about describing your 

technology. Starts at timecode: 12:27)

• Provide sufficient technical detail: Providing the technology background, key 

elements enabling your technology, and relevant performance metrics. (Hear more

about providing the right level of detail. Starts at timecode: 59:00)

• Communicate your technology development plan: Be clear and specific about 

where you are today with your technology and what applications/benefits you see it 

having in the future. Refer to NASA’s technology readiness level (TRL) definitions

for more information on properly identifying the current TRL of your technology as 

well as the expected TRL after the proposed flight test. Think about how the flight 

testing opportunity fits into a progression or iterative plan for widespread 

commercial application or a future mission (e.g., to the International Space Station, 

the Moon, or Mars). (Hear more about communicating TRL. Starts at timecode: 51:56)

• Understand the risks and requirements. Be realistic about your minimum, 

nominal, and extended mission requirements. Take mission operations into 

account. Consider whether your payload is expendable, keeping in mind that it 

potentially could be lost. Build in redundancies or safety mechanisms for critical 

elements. Also, ensure your proposal reflects the time required to obtain any 

additional paperwork to meet regulatory requirements.

››› Return to the beginning of Preparing Proposals

About Flights and Flight Providers

• Reach out to flight providers early: Contact flight providers – either those that 

have flown with Flight Opportunities in the past or other vendors that meet the 

solicitation eligibility requirements – early in the process to strengthen your 

proposal: 
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o Discuss which would be the best vehicle for your needs, determine whether 

customization is needed/available, and obtain a quote that reflects your test 

needs. (Hear more about vehicle choice. Starts at timecode: 33:05)

o For more information about orbital platforms hosting payloads, refer to the 

State-of-the-Art: Small Spacecraft Technology report published by the Small 

Spacecraft Systems Virtual Institute (S3VI) to review a selection of 

companies that host payloads on their orbital platforms. Refer to the specific 

Flight Opportunities solicitation (e.g., TechFlights) to understand flight 

provider eligibility requirements.

o Understand vehicle flight profiles and environments (e.g., length/duration of 

flight, temperature ranges, humidity ranges, vibration/shock). (Hear more 

about flight profiles and environments. Starts at timecode: 55:55)

o Ask for a payload user’s guide (PUG) with information about weight allowed, 

maximum dimensions, etc., to use as a starting point for building your 

payload. The payload integration package (PIP) is another resource for 

parabolic aircraft for researchers to reference and complete with the details 

of their payload. (Hear more about PUG. Starts at timecode: 14:14)

• Build a trip to the flight provider into your budget: Obtain a quote from your 

flight provider to factor into your proposal and gain valuable insight and first-hand 

experience with payload hardware. (Hear more about factoring a trip to the flight 

provider into your budget. Starts at timecode: 29:19)

• Consider the number of flights you will need: Consider proposing more than one 

flight test for an iterative development and test approach (i.e., fly-fix-fly). Consider 

creative funding mechanisms (e.g., cost sharing) to accommodate the cost of 

additional flights as needed.

››› Return to the beginning of Preparing Proposals

›› Return to Lessons Learned Table of Contents
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Getting Ready to Fly: Step-by-Step Suggestions

In addition to general advice for getting involved with the Flight Opportunities program, the 

following are key best practices at specific stages of the Flight Opportunities process. In 

some cases, a link is provided where you can hear more about the suggestion from the 

relevant Community of Practice webinar. Click the links below to jump to that stage in the 

process:

• General best practices

• Upon award

• During payload development

• Months before the flight

• Weeks before the flight

• Packing for and traveling to the flight site

• Week of the flight

• Immediately after flight

• Later after flight testing

General Best Practices

• Cultivate a successful team: Choose team members you trust and work well with 

and who can contribute in specific ways that add value to the flight testing effort. 

(Hear more about choosing team members. Starts at timecode: 48:18)

• Reach out early: Communicate with your flight provider, NASA flight campaign 

manager, and other team members early and often to resolve questions and best 

prepare for your flight. (Hear more about reaching out early. Starts at timecode: 47:28)

• Stay organized: Make organization a priority for you and your team every step of 

the way as you prepare for your flight. For example, create and follow 

procedures/checklists and ensure that you have the user’s guides and 

documentation you need. (Hear more about staying organized. Starts at timecode: 

36:36)

• Have contingencies for your experiment: Consider everything that could go 

wrong with your technology as well as the demonstration itself and plan for how to 

solve it. For example, if software is automated, make sure you have the option to 

override it. If a team member gets sick, ensure you have a back-up person in place.

(Hear more about having contingencies. Starts at timecode: 19:11)

››› Return to the beginning of Getting Ready to Fly: Step-by-Step Suggestions
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Upon Award

• Understand what your flight provider can offer: Review vehicle specs in the 

flight provider documentation and talk to your flight provider to see what other 

options are available (e.g., flight modeling and safety support), as discussed in this 

example from Aerostar, one of the program’s flight providers. (Hear more about

understanding what your flight provider can offer. Starts at timecode: 36:36)

• Contact your flight provider if your team includes a foreign national: Ask if the

flight provider has export control support or processes in place. Even if what you 

need is not a standard service for the flight provider, it could be possible to have it 

included in the contract. (Hear more about making sure export control support or 

processes are in place. Starts at timecode: 46:12)

o NASA researchers: Familiarize yourself with U.S. export control protocols 

well in advance of your flight to determine if you will need Office of 

International Relations involvement. (Hear more about export control. Starts at 

timecode: 44:56)

• Start preparing forms required by the flight provider: Some flight providers 

require a payload integration package (PIP) to be completed, which includes a 

description of your payload. Consult the payload user’s guide (PUG) and discuss 

what paperwork is needed with your flight provider and your NASA campaign 

manager, as it could vary depending on your payload.

• Start the process of applying for any required licenses or other permissions:

Work with your flight provider to learn which regulatory requirements they cover and 

which ones you will need to acquire or complete yourself. Depending on your 

payload and the type of flight platform, you may need to have a license to transmit 

radio frequency (RF) systems, which can take various forms. Also investigate safety 

requirements, special arrangements for shipping hazardous materials, and any local 

government or Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements. (Hear more

about licenses and permissions. Starts at timecode: 30:44)

o Start the process of securing licenses/permissions early, as they can take 

more than two months to be approved and may need to be in place well 

before the flight.

o Ensure that the licenses will still be valid in the event of a delayed flight. 

o Add a one-month margin to account for potential weather delays.

››› Return to the beginning of Getting Ready to Fly: Step-by-Step Suggestions

During Payload Development

• Communicate with your NASA campaign manager frequently: Your campaign 

manager can help you have the most successful flight possible. They have 
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experience working with many researchers and flight providers. By staying in 

frequent communication with them, you will gain valuable insights that will help you 

make the most of your flight opportunity. (Hear more about communicating with your 

NASA campaign manager. Starts at timecode: 47:31)

• Keep in touch with your flight provider: Discuss the specific requirements for 

your experiment (e.g., considerations for pressure systems, heat sources, fluids that 

might be used, or large amounts of power draw). Leverage their expertise by asking

detailed questions to confirm you are meeting all requirements laid out in the flight 

provider documentation (e.g., the payload integration package (PIP) provided by 

flight providers for parabolic flights). (Hear more about staying in touch with your 

flight provider. Starts at timecode: 14:49)

• Take advantage of the flight vehicle’s capabilities: Consider the environment the 

flight vehicle will experience and plan to gather as much relevant data as possible to 

maximize the flight test opportunity. (Hear more about vehicle capabilities. Starts at 

timecode: 28:32)

• Set a payload readiness date with your flight provider: Develop a realistic 

timeline to implement the design, review it with colleagues, and pre-test it. Reach 

out to your flight provider and Flight Opportunities campaign manager if you 

encounter any issues or delays.

• Request feedback on your technical documentation: Ask the flight provider if 

they would be willing to review a draft of your technical documentation and, if so, 

how far in advance of the flight it should be submitted. (Hear more about technical 

documentation. Starts at timecode: 51:37)

• Prepare as much as possible: It is better to over-prepare than under-prepare for 

the flight and learn from your experience. (Hear more about preparation. Starts at 

timecode: 21:07)

• Follow best practices for payload design: Review this advice for designing your 

payload.

• Test as you plan to fly: Conduct tests in the lab that are as close to the flight 

configuration as possible to identify issues early. 

››› Return to the beginning of Getting Ready to Fly: Step-by-Step Suggestions

Months Before the Flight

• Submit your technical documentation on time: Complete and return technical 

documentation according to the deadline given by your flight provider, typically 6–8 

weeks prior to the flight. This includes securing any licenses, completing payload 

integrations, and other required paperwork. Talk to your flight provider for more 

specifics.
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• Use the flight provider and Flight Opportunities campaign manager as a key 

resource: Reach out to your flight provider, as they often have expertise and 

experience that could be instrumental for your flight test. (Hear more about tapping 

into expertise. Starts at timecode: 32:57)

• Establish procedures: Ensure you have procedures in place for every part of the 

process (e.g., testing, launch, post-flight operations) and update them as you test to 

best prepare for your flight. Use checklists and labels to simplify the tasks. Consider 

making a stand-alone card with key information for each part of the experiment.

Brainstorm other tools that might be helpful to your team during flight. (Hear more

about procedures. Starts at timecode: 38:08)

• Have a back-up plan: Build redundancies into your setup – not only in equipment 

but also in team members – and practice executing the experience so that the 

process is simplified. (Hear more about back-up plans. Starts at timecode: 21:53)

• Cross-training is important: For parabolic flights, crew members may get sick, so 

cross-training the crew such that they can perform all roles is a best practice. 

• Consider the in-flight environment: For researcher-tended experiments, account 

for the time needed for team members to get used to the in-flight environment and 

be realistic with your expectations. (Hear more about the in-flight environment. Starts 

at timecode: 46:27)

• Prepare, prepare, prepare: Practice running your experiment outside the lab to be 

fully prepared for the flight. (Hear more about the importance of preparing. Starts at 

timecode: 54:39)

• Account for shipping and travel time: If you need to ship your experiment to the 

site, ensure that it gets there early and safely. Check with your campaign manager 

to determine the best way for your experiment to arrive at the site intact (e.g., 

consider adding electronic shock and humidity trackers to the packages). Consult

with your flight provider about arriving a few days early to set up the payload. (Hear 

more about shipping and travel. Starts at timecode: 58:42)

• Test your payload prior to delivery: Take care to perform all necessary testing, 

particularly for the duration of the flight test, to ensure you are fully prepared. To the 

extent possible, test your payload against parameters outlined in the payload user’s 

guide (PUG), including the temperature, pressure, acceleration, shock, vibration, 

and other environmental variables your payload may be exposed to. (Hear more

about testing your payload. Starts at timecode: 37:12)

››› Return to the beginning of Getting Ready to Fly: Step-by-Step Suggestions

Weeks Before the Flight

• Plan for flight provider facility logistics: Ensure you know the process for what 

happens when you arrive on site and have a plan in place. For example, determine 
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whether an escort is required to and from the integration facility. Consider visiting

the flight provider ahead of the flight week. (Hear more about facility logistics. Starts 

at timecode: 40:28)

• Communicate needs to the flight provider: Talk to your flight provider if you have 

special requirements like cold storage, power, clean environments, electrostatic 

discharge (ESD) benches, or special test equipment to make sure they can be 

accommodated. Common in-lab items may not be standard at the flight provider’s

site. Make alternative plans if needed.

• Develop your packing list: Stage your lab before you go so you can take stock of 

the tools and space you will need at the launch site. 

• Plan ahead for personnel attendance: Ensure the principal investigator (PI) can 

attend payload integration and flight. Identify knowledgeable alternate personnel to 

be on site in case the PI cannot be present. 

• Prepare all team members: Make sure all team members are familiar with the 

payload, including hardware, software, and other systems as well as pre-flight 

testing and in-flight operation so that a team member is prepared to step in for the 

PI if needed. Ensure all team members are aware of safety protocols.

• Start preparing your team to fly: Follow best practices for flight testing on aircraft 

flying parabolic profiles if that is the vehicle platform you will be using.

››› Return to the beginning of Getting Ready to Fly: Step-by-Step Suggestions

Packing for and Traveling to the Flight Site

• Use labels: Identify items by team name to stay organized at the flight site. 

• Create a checklist: Make note of every part, procedure, and step-by-step process. 

Group the information on the checklist, ensuring it is in logical order. (Hear more

about checklists. Starts at timecode: 51:12)

• Address special payload needs for multi-flight campaigns: Plan for

consumables or materials that may require servicing or replacement between flights

(e.g., additional batteries to hot-swap). 

• Do a final check for easily overlooked items: Keep in mind the remote location of 

many launch sites – they often lack conveniences like local hardware stores. Don’t 

assume you will be able to do any last-minute shopping for tools or equipment:

o Pack an extension cord. 

o Bring spares of all critical payload modules, including hardware, biological 

samples, etc.
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o Include extra electrical peripherals, such as batteries, power connectors, and 

data cards.

››› Return to the beginning of Getting Ready to Fly: Step-by-Step Suggestions

Week of the Flight 

• Be prepared: Have a thorough understanding of what to expect and contingency 

plans to account for things you might not have expected.

• Know the schedule: Be sure you are familiar with the schedule and key activities. 

Each flight campaign is unique, so don’t assume this flight schedule will be the 

same as the last one.

• Be familiar with the facility and equipment: Get a description of the payload 

integration facility and any available payload support equipment from your flight 

provider before you arrive on site. 

• Be aware of the security protocol: Ask for a security briefing from the flight 

provider when you arrive.

• Perform integrated compatibility testing: Conduct comprehensive and flight-like 

representative integrated tests, including system electromagnetic and interference 

(EMI) testing to identify potential radio frequency (RF) impacts on the payload 

systems. 

• Perform functional and/or performance checks on your hardware: Check on 

hardware at the beginning and end of each day to ensure the payload is at a 

nominal state at each stage of the integration process.

››› Return to the beginning of Getting Ready to Fly: Step-by-Step Suggestions

Immediately After Flight

• Perform daily hardware reviews: For multi-day flight campaigns, check the status 

of your hardware at the end of each day (if possible) to detect any issues before the 

next day’s flight. (Hear more about performing daily reviews. Starts at timecode: 29:47)

• Assess how the flight went: Document lessons learned right away to identify what 

went well and what could be improved. (Hear more about assessing the flight. Starts 

at timecode: 39:07)

• Prepare for the next flight: Develop new techniques, checklists, approaches, and

activities to practice in advance based on your experience. (Hear more about 

preparing for what’s next. Starts at timecode: 21:13)

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Later After Flight Testing

• Take stock of lessons learned: When you get your payload back, review what 

worked and what did not to advance your technology. Even if the technology did not 

advance, reviewing the lessons learned is key part of the process. What would you 

change? What improvements could you make for the next iteration? (Hear more

about capturing lessons learned. Starts at timecode: 27:07)

• Prepare follow-on proposals: Use your Flight Opportunities experiences for a 

path toward technology maturation, advancing your technology readiness level 

(TRL) and preparing you to write follow-on proposals for larger missions or 

applications, following these best practices for proposal preparation. (Hear more

about preparing follow-on proposals. Starts at timecode: 28:57)

››› Return to the beginning of Getting Ready to Fly: Step-by-Step Suggestions

›› Return to Lessons Learned Table of Contents

Best Practices for Payload Design

In addition to the tips provided for the payload-development stage of the process, keep the 

following guidance in mind when designing your payload. In some cases, a link is provided 

where you can hear more about the suggestion from the relevant Community of Practice 

webinar. Follow the links below to jump to a set of suggestions.

• Integrating with the flight vehicle

• Designing for flight

Integrating with the Flight Vehicle

• Use the guidelines from your flight provider: Each flight provider has their own 

information about how to integrate your technology with their vehicle. For example, 

your flight provider may provide an interface control document (ICD) that includes 
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information about mechanical, electrical, and data interfaces. When extensive 

software is involved, there may be a separate software interface document. Be sure 

to follow your flight provider’s guidance and reach out to them with any questions. 

• Discuss payload design: Bring your colleagues (and engineering review team if 

you have one) into the design conversation early to allow plenty of time to 

accommodate their input.

• Employ smart payload design: Incorporate independent or backup subsystems to 

avoid multi-point or chain-reaction failures. 

• Remember modularity is key: Employ a modular design approach with your 

payload hardware to enable replacement of critical parts or removal of non-critical 

parts if needed. 

• Focus on ease of access: Ensure hardware is easily accessible during and after 

installation on the flight vehicle while also meeting the flight provider’s mechanical 

design requirements. 

• Fit-check everything beforehand: If possible, send a 3D printed model of your 

payload or critical payload mechanical interfaces to the flight provider to confirm fit.

• Avoid payload changes after flight system integration and testing (I&T): All 

payload configurations are considered “locked” after combined 

system/electromagnetic interference (EMI) testing with the other payloads 

manifested on your flight. Engage with your flight provider to discuss any post-I&T 

changes, but only after you have considered ways to avoid reconfiguration, as it is 

best to fly as you have tested. Any last-minute changes to hardware, software, or 

experiment procedures will require a thorough and rigorous calibration and 

operational checkout prior to flight.

››› Return to the beginning of Best Practices for Payload Design

Designing for Flight

• Consider the flight environment: Consider adding structures to stabilize the 

payload (e.g., to avoid vibrations) and to address the risk of floating during 

microgravity flights (e.g., provide handholds, secure parts). (Hear more about the 

flight environment. Starts at timecode: 16:05)

• Consider power needs: If you will be providing your own payload power, evaluate 

the payload’s power consumption and select a suitable-sized battery with enough 

capacity to withstand significant launch delays. Consider the operational time, 

battery shut off, and any battery charge time as well as whether a hot swap will be 

needed. 
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• Keep EMI and EMC in mind: Implement radio frequency (RF) shielding 

techniques, proper ground planes, and build-up stages to aid electromagnetic 

interference (EMI) prevention and ensure electromagnetic compatibility (EMC).

• Ensure your payload is ruggedized: Inspect all electrical connections and solder 

joints. Replace any faulty components. 

››› Return to the beginning of Best Practices for Payload Design

›› Return to Lessons Learned Table of Contents

Top Tips for Each Type of Flight Platform

Click the links below to jump to the advice for that platform. Then check with your flight 

provider for considerations for their specific vehicle. In some cases, a link is provided 

where you can hear more about the suggestion from the relevant Community of Practice 

webinar.

• Parabolic flights

• High-altitude balloons

• Rocket-powered vehicles

• Orbital platforms hosting payloads
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Parabolic Flights

• Clarify research team roles: Assign and document clear roles and responsibilities 

and make sure that each team member fully understands them prior to flying.

• Rehearse flight procedures with your team: Run an all-hands-on-deck rehearsal 

to reveal holes or errors to be addressed and ensure that all research team 

members understand how the experiment will run on the day of the flight. (Hear 

more about rehearsing. Starts at timecode: 14:24)

• Get your timing down: Consider the timing of each step and rehearse those 

timings carefully with the researchers involved to make sure that they are accurate. 

• Plan for the environment: Practice your experiment with the in-flight environment 

in mind. Consider simulating the challenges you expect to encounter. (Hear more

about planning. Starts at timecode: 48:22)

• Practice in-flight communication with your team: Consider using brief, clear callouts during flight. Also, ask the flight provider how they will communicate with you 

and your team during flight. (Hear more about in-flight communications. Starts at 

timecode: 29:11)

• Train all participants: Go through scenario planning and/or debug training with all 

team members so they can resolve any issues that arise during the flight. (Hear 

more about training. Starts at timecode: 30:13)

• Prepare for in-flight nausea: 

o Account for the time needed for team members to get used to the in-flight 

environment and be realistic with your expectations. Use the first few 

parabolas to get used to the environment. Ask the flight provider in advance 

for advice on how to best get accustomed to the flight environment. (Hear 

more about acclimation to flight. Starts at timecode: 24:26)

o Cross-train everyone so that all team members can do each other’s jobs if 

someone gets sick.

o Develop a clear procedure if a team member is not feeling well so the 

experiment can proceed without disruption. (Hear more about wellness 

procedures. Starts at timecode: 28:26)

››› Return to the beginning of Top Tips for Each Type of Flight Platform

High-Altitude Balloons

• Meet the flight provider’s requirements: Follow all requirements outlined in the 

payload user’s guide (PUG), including parameters for mass, center of mass, 

expected temperatures, secondary locking features for fasteners, secondary 

capture features for deployables, and range safety. 
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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Learn more at: nasa.gov/stmd-flight-opportunities/

• Consider the environmental conditions of high-altitude balloons: The 

environment could be very cold, and there could be pressure issues. Design your 

payload accordingly.

• Automate experiment processes: Remember that your experiment will be out of 

your hands during the flight test; therefore, the entire experiment must run 

autonomously.

• Plan for remote and dusty environments: Bring appropriate clothing and support 

equipment for the test environment, including closed toe shoes, hat, sunglasses, 

pants (no shorts/skirts), clean tents if needed for payload staging, and rental cars

suited for off-road terrain for payload recoveries. 

• Be prepared for darkness: Bring a headlamp as most launches happen at dawn.

• Factor in delays: Plan for weather delays up to 7 days. 

• Plan for long campaign days: Pre-flight and actual flight campaign days are long. 

Ensure you bring enough people and/or plan for adequate crew rest.

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Rocket-Powered Vehicles

• Meet the flight provider’s requirements: Check that you are following all 

requirements outlined in the payload user’s guide (PUG), such as parameters for 

electrical, communications, range safety, and vibration tests (if required).

• Consider the environmental conditions of rocket-powered vehicles: Vibrations 

likely will be substantial during launch, flight, and/or descent. Deign your payload 

accordingly.

• Automate experiment processes: Remember that your experiment will be out of 

your hands during the flight test; therefore, the entire experiment must run 

autonomously.

• Plan for remote and dusty environments: Bring appropriate clothing and support 

equipment for the test environment, including closed toe shoes, hat, sunglasses, 

pants (no shorts/skirts), clean tents if needed for payload staging, and rental cars 

suited for off-road terrain for payload recoveries. 

• Be aware of the procedures: Ensure that you understand range safety rules and 

mishap plans.

• Factor in delays: Plan for delays due to high winds.

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17

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Learn more at: nasa.gov/stmd-flight-opportunities/

Orbital Platforms Hosting Payloads

• Confirm the environmental test requirements: Get clarity on testing 

requirements (e.g., vibration tests, off-gas all volatiles) and how/when tests should 

be performed. Keep in mind that you may be required to test your payload once and 

then again after it is integrated with the platform. 

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