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ANNUAL REPORT 2022 NASA’s Johnson Space Center

National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration
VANESSA WYCHE

DIRECTOR

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER

We to expand frontiers

We with our partners to complete bold missions

We space for the benefit of humanity

Dare | Unite | Explore is a call to action to leverage lessons learned and apply them to even more 

daring destinations in the solar system. It’s not just a vision, but a strategy to keep Johnson centered 

and engaged as the hub of human space exploration. As commercial and international space travel 

partnerships continue to evolve, this strategy is designed to remove barriers to effective business 

practices while leveraging the human spaceflight legacy of the Apollo generation for the benefit of 

the Artemis Generation.

There are five additional aspirations that set the tone for Johnson’s future and will enable the team to break 

the bonds of gravity, set foot on our lunar neighbor once more and build a foundation that will see another 

20 years of constant human presence in space. These transformative approaches guide the center as it serves 

the United States as the home of human space exploration. They will become even more critical as NASA maps 

a path forward that includes even more daring destinations. These principles, when supported by the heart and 

soul of our united Johnson team, will give a new generation something to remember — and dream about.

SOLVES CHALLENGES 

TO ADVANCE HUMAN 

PRODUCTIVITY 

IN SPACE.

SENDS HUMANS 

INTO THE SOLAR 

SYSTEM FASTER 

AND FARTHER.

PROVIDES CRITICAL 

EXPERIENCE 

AND CHAMPIONS 

INNOVATION.

EXPANDS THE 

SPACE ECONOMY 

LOCALLY AND 

NATIONALLY.

UNLEASHES 

THE POWER OF 

INTERNATIONAL 

HUMAN EXPLORATION.
NASA’S Johnson Space Center is the hub of human spaceflight and the iconic setting to some of humankind’s 

greatest achievements. As the home of the nation’s astronaut corps, Mission Control Center, International 

Space Station, Orion, and Gateway programs, Johnson plays a critical role in leading human space exploration 

and enhancing technological and scientific knowledge. With our next giant leap, we will pave the way beyond 

low-Earth orbit to the Moon through our Artemis program. We completed a major milestone toward our goal 

of landing the first woman and the first person of color on the lunar surface with the launch of Artemis I, an 

integrated, uncrewed flight test of our Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket. The first launch of 

astronauts aboard Orion is expected on the Artemis II mission. This will be the next milestone in 2024 paving 

the way for the first launch of astronauts to the surface of the Moon.

The year 2023 will also see great progress with Gateway, a space station orbiting the Moon that will provide 

vital support for a sustainable, long-term human return to the lunar surface, as well as a staging point for deep 

space exploration. Additionally, two companies are expected to deliver payloads to the Moon as part of our 

Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative, which enables commercial vendors to quickly land science 

and technology payloads on the lunar surface.

Johnson is the home of NASA’s new Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program (EHP) that 

is working with industry to develop the next generation of spacesuits and lunar rovers. The new spacesuits 

are being developed in cooperation with industry partners Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace, and will allow 

testing of the new designs on the space station and the lunar surface. Under this commercial partnership, the 

participating companies would be free to rent the vehicles to other companies when not in use by NASA. EHP 

will manage development of both suits and rovers from the program office located here at Johnson. The new 

Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services contract will allow moonwalkers to explore the challenging environment of the 

lunar South Pole. Under this commercial partnership, the participating companies would be free to rent the 

vehicles to other companies when not in use by NASA. EHP will manage development of both suits and rovers 

from the program office located here at Johnson.

Also at Johnson, NASA’s Health and Human Performance program will begin simulating long-duration missions 

to Mars in a new habitat built specially to support one-year missions by test subjects here on Earth. Crews 

of non-astronaut test subjects will live and work in a new 3D-printed Crew Health and Performance Analog 

(CHAPEA) habitat, simulating the challenges of future human missions on the surface of Mars. These longer 

simulations will build on a series of Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) missions that have been 

expanding our understanding of how the challenges of deep-space exploration can be met through shorter, 

ever-expanding campaigns in a smaller habitat.

Working with our commercial partners, the International Space Station will see a variety of crew and vehicle 

traffic in the coming months. We plan to celebrate the splashdown of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission, the launch 

and return of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6, and the launch and return of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test mission of 

Starliner, the first flight of astronauts aboard NASA’s second provider of commercially built and owned spacecraft 

launching from American soil. We also anticipate the launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7. In 2024, NASA expects to 

launch its eighth regular crew rotation mission to the space station on a U.S. crewed launch vehicle. Both SpaceX 

and Northrop Grumman are set to launch additional supplies and equipment to the space station over the next 

two years, and a third commercial cargo carrier, Sierra Nevada, will begin its station resupply missions. Following 

the first private space mission to the space station in 2022, NASA is working with Axiom Space to continue 

private missions to the station under a formal agreement that is helping NASA nurture a robust commercial lowEarth orbit economy. In Houston, the newest class of astronaut candidates will graduate in 2023 after completing 

two years of rigorous training, becoming eligible for exciting missions to the space station and potentially the 

Moon. Our workforce is laser-focused on the next giant leap forward to our lunar neighbor, to build outposts in 

uncharted territory while revolutionizing the strategies and technologies that eventually will open up the universe. 

Today, we are yielding phenomenal achievements on the space station by testing technologies that will help 

us travel farther into space. Tomorrow, we will leap to greater heights and remote corners of the solar system. 

I invite you to join us on our missions as we inspire a new generation of explorers to reach greater heights. 

You are invited to explore NASA Johnson’s efforts in 2022 in the pages that follow.

Astronaut Zena Cardman and geologist Trevor Graff perform 

operational assessments of the NASA-designed prototype 

space suit at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory lunar simulation 

environment in preparation for future Artemis missions.
Johnson Economic Impact

NASA’s Johnson Space Center is working toward a bright future and improving life on earth today 

with new technology, research, and science. Located on over 1,700 acres in Houston, our roots are 

strengthened through partnerships with Texas universities, private companies, and nonprofits, and 

we are constantly seeking new paths for local collaboration. NASA is setting its sights on deep space 

exploration, and Texas will play a critical role in that mission.

History of Johnson

NASA established its Manned Spacecraft Center 

(MSC) in 1961, on a 1,000-acre site donated by Rice 

University. MSC later was renamed to honor former 

president Lyndon B. Johnson, an early champion of 

NASA’s Texas operations. Houston provided NASA 

with the economic, logistical and intellectual support 

needed for human spaceflight. Today, NASA employs 

about 10,000 public and private workers in Texas, 

contributing to local and state economies, as well as 

university and commercial research.

Texas Economic Snapshot

Johnson continues to serve as the leader and originator of 

human spaceflight, continuously drawing the aerospace 

industry to the Greater Houston region and Texas every 

year. As the center’s mission expands in coming decades 

to accommodate missions to more distant destinations, 

Texas will continue to provide a perfect home base for 

training, planning, and command. NASA Johnson is leading 

the way by providing astronaut training, Mission Control 

Center operations, the International Space Station program, 

Human Research, and Commercial Crew leadership, and 

the center is a primary contributor to the agency’s Artemis 

program with Orion, Gateway, and Exploration Architecture, 

Integration and Science.

Total JSC 

Budget

$5.65B

Total JSC 

Expenditures in Texas

$2.69B

 Johnson - White Sands 

Test Facility Budget

$78M

Johnson Space Center Total Budget by Program 

International Space Station Program $1.05B

Orion Program $1.34B

Human Research Program $117M

Commercial Crew Program $56.3M

Gateway Program $449M

Commercial Cargo Program $1.13B

Exploration Operations Program $5M

Commercial Low-Earth Orbit Development Program $113M

Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science $59M

Business Development and Technology Integration Office $104.5M

Select NASA Expenditures in Texas

Small 

Businesses

$442M

Self-Certified Small 

Disadvantaged 

Businesses

$64M

Woman-Owned 

Businesses

$105M

Veteran-Owned 

Businesses

$34M

Non-Profit 

and University 

Awards 

$67M

Minority-Owned 

Businesses

$58M

Our People - NASA’s Johnson Space Center Workforce 

Total Johnson 

Workforce 

# Federal Employees 2,946

# Contractors 8,843

Total # JSC Workforce 11,789

Total Johnson Workforce 

in Texas

# Federal Employees 2,896

# Contractors 7,214

Total # in Texas 10,110

White Sands Test Facility 

Workforce

# Federal Employees 50

# Contractors 350

Total # WSTF Workforce 400

Workforce Representation

Engineer or Scientist 75%

Perform Science, Technical or Aerospace Work 76%

Hold Science, Engineering or Technical Degrees 80%

Hold at Least a Bachelor’s Degree 96%

Hold a Graduate Degree 45%

Are Minorities 32%

Are Female 36%

FY22 Education Leadership in Texas

Individual High Schools/Homeschools in Texas 852

Individual High Schools/Homeschools Represented in Texas Aerospace Scholars 334

Texas Cities Represented in Texas Aerospace Scholars 219

Texas Students that Have Participated in Texas Aerospace Scholars Since 1999 15K

Texas Community Colleges Represented in Texas Aerospace Scholars 15

Texas Minority Serving Institution Colleges and Universities in MUREP Initiatives 17

Johnson’s Office of STEM Engagement leverages NASA’s unique capabilities to advance 

STEM education, and human space exploration. Students in Texas have a unique opportunity 

to participate in Texas Aerospace Scholars – encouraging students to explore unlimited career 

possibilities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) with human space 

exploration as its central theme.

NASA’s Minority University Research and Education (MUREP) Project engages underrepresented populations through a wide variety of initiatives. Multiyear grants are awarded to 

assist minority serving institutions’ faculty and students conducting research of pertinent missions.
NASA’s Johnson Space Center at a Glance

NASA’s Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center is known as the agency’s human spaceflight center. It is not only home to 

the NASA astronaut corps, but is also the key center for several major NASA programs and organizations. The Johnson 

community is made up of nearly 11,800 contractors and civil servants who are involved in the day-to-day execution of 

NASA’s missions, research and future programs. Here are some of NASA Johnson’s key roles.

International Space Station 

Program Management Office

Johnson is home to the management and integration of 

operations associated with the world’s most complex 

multi-national space laboratory. The International Space 

Station is entering its third and most productive decade as 

a groundbreaking scientific platform in microgravity. The 

third decade is one of results, building on our successful 

global partnership to verify exploration and human research 

technologies to support deep space exploration, continue to 

return medical and environmental benefits to humanity, and 

lay the groundwork for a commercial future in low-Earth orbit.

Commercial Crew Program

In collaboration with Kennedy Space Center and the 

American aerospace industry, the center is helping develop 

and operate a new generation of spacecraft and launch 

systems capable of carrying crews and cargo to low-Earth 

orbit and the space station.

Commercial Low-Earth Orbit 

Development Program

A new office was established in 2020 as NASA opened 

the International Space Station for commercial business, 

unleashing U.S. industry on the path to a commercial economy 

in low-Earth orbit. NASA is partnering with industry to achieve 

this commercial economy. The first private astronaut mission 

enabled by these partnerships is already in the history books, 

with many more to follow. 

Artemis

The Orion and Gateway Program Offices are housed at 

Johnson. Along with supporting the Human Landing System 

Program, the center will lead the way to develop these critical 

components to the agency’s next lunar program.

Orion Program

The Orion spacecraft is the safest, most capable vehicle for 

deep space travel, and will take astronauts farther in space 

than a spacecraft built for humans has gone before. Built 

by NASA and lead contractor Lockheed Martin, Orion will 

carry up to four astronauts. It is the only spacecraft capable 

of sustaining crew for up to 21 days in deep space and 

withstanding high-speed re-entry from the vicinity of the Moon.

Gateway Program

The Gateway Program is an international collaboration to 

establish humanity’s first space station in orbit around the 

Moon as a vital component of NASA’s Artemis missions. 

Gateway will host capabilities for sustained exploration and 

research in deep space, including docking ports for a variety 

of visiting spacecraft, space for crew to live, work, and 

prepare for lunar surface missions, and on-board science 

investigations. Gateway is a critical platform for developing 

technology and capabilities to support future Mars exploration.

Extravehicular Activity and 

Human Surface Mobility Program 

The overarching goal of the Extravehicular Activity (EVA) and 

Human Surface Mobility (HSM) Program is to provide safe, 

reliable, and effective spacewalk and HSM capability that allows 

astronauts to maximize their exploration potential, while also 

surviving outside in the harsh Lunar and Martian environments 

away from the confines of a base camp or spacecraft.

Human Research Program

NASA’s Human Research Program conducts research and 

develops countermeasures for the five hazards of human 

spaceflight: radiation, isolation and confinement, distance 

from Earth, microgravity, and hostile/closed environments. 

These hazards pose risks to astronaut health and performance, 

and NASA aims to understand and manage those risks through 

research in ground-based analogs, the International Space 

Station, and lunar mission studies.

Human Health and Performance Directorate

The Human Health and Performance Directorate (HH&P) is 

the primary organization focused on enhancing crew health 

and performance and mitigating the risks associated with 

human spaceflight. With three offices, three divisions and 

over 900 employees, all HH&P functions are ultimately aimed 

at achieving the mission while optimizing human health and 

performance throughout all phases of spaceflight.

Flight Operations Directorate

The Flight Operations Directorate at NASA’s Johnson Space 

Center touches every program and part of sending humans 

to space. The people who serve this program work to train 

astronauts in a variety of facilities on land in spacecraft 

mockups, underwater in NASA’s enormous Neutral Buoyancy 

Laboratory, and in the air in T-38 jet aircraft. They also plan 

human missions to space and then direct and implement 

them from NASA’s iconic Mission Control Center.

Mission Control Center for the Space Station, 

Commercial Crew, and Orion

The NASA-unique flight control teams of experienced 

engineers, medical officers and technicians who work with 

international counterparts and commercial space companies 

to develop mission plans and keep a constant watch on flight 

crew activities, monitoring space systems, and crew health 

and safety are housed at the center in Houston.

Astronaut Selection and Training

An experienced NASA team screens and selects each diverse 

class of U.S. astronauts to lead our NASA missions and explore 

our universe. The majority of training for all space explorers 

from the U.S., international partner countries, and even private 

industry takes place at the center’s state-of-the-art facilities, 

including the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility, Neutral Buoyancy 

Laboratory, and virtual reality simulators.

Engineering Directorate

NASA Johnson’s Engineering Directorate is the premiere 

organization for the design and development of human 

spacecraft and human systems integration. It is one of 

the largest organizations at Johnson Space Center and is 

responsible for providing engineering design, development, 

and test support for crew equipment, numerous flight 

experiments, and all space flight programs assigned to 

Johnson, including the space station and advanced spacecraft. 

Business Development and 

Technology Integration Office

Johnson Space Center continues to partner with industry 

and academia on the development of broadly applicable 

technologies to advance the future of human spaceflight 

and expand the space economy locally and nationally. NASA 

Johnson’s Office of Business Development and Technology 

Integration serves as the front door into the center for 

traditional and new space partners. The office is focused 

on capturing and developing new capabilities for human 

exploration and is responsible for forming innovation discovery, 

early-stage technology integration, technology transfer and 

licensing, and new partnerships.

Exploration Architecture, Integration 

and Science Directorate

The Exploration Architecture, Integration, and Science 

Directorate supports NASA’s human and science exploration 

programs with expertise in exploration architecture, mission 

planning, systems engineering, planetary and space science, 

and program integration and assessments.

Astromaterials Research and 

Exploration Science

Johnson curates the world’s largest collection of astromaterials, 

including materials from the Moon, Mars, Sun, asteroids, 

comets, and other stars. Scientists research planetary and 

space environments to investigate the origin and evolution of 

our solar system. The team is also the global leader and expert 

on orbital debris and predicting risk to spacecraft.

Mars Sample Receiving Project Office 

Johnson will house the new Mars Sample Receiving Project 

office, responsible for receiving and curating the first samples 

returned from the Red Planet. The project office will recover, 

contain, transfer, assess safety, curate, and coordinate 

scientific investigation of the samples collected by NASA’s 

Mars 2020 Perseverance rover, which are expected to arrive 

on Earth in 2033. 

Office of Safety and Mission Assurance

The Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate (SMA) provides 

system safety, reliability, and risk analysis for the human 

spaceflight programs. The directorate works with Program 

Offices to reduce risk by providing technical assessments, 

analytical services and guidance on SMA requirements 

throughout the program and project lifecycle.

White Sands Test Facility

The White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) is a remote, selfcontained, hazardous testing facility managed by Johnson 

Space Center, and located near Las Cruces, New Mexico. 

WSTF supports space exploration operations and research 

like no other NASA organization, as it has unique and 

comprehensive testing and analysis capabilities used by 

NASA, other government agencies, and commercial industry.
Business Development 

and Technology 

Integration Office

NICK SKYTLAND

JSC CHIEF TECHNOLOGIST 

AND DIRECTOR

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT 

AND TECHNOLOGY 

INTEGRATION OFFICE

Johnson Space Center continues to partner with industry 

and academia on the development of broadly applicable 

technologies to advance the future of human spaceflight 

and expand the space economy locally and nationally. 

NASA Johnson’s Office of Business Development and 

Technology Integration serves as the front door into the 

center for traditional and new space partners. The office is 

focused on capturing and developing new capabilities for 

human exploration. It is also an incubator for innovative 

approaches, technology development and technology 

transfer, providing a front door into NASA’s Johnson Space 

Center for both traditional and new space partners and 

customers. In these unprecedented times of exploration, 

the office helps the center, the agency and our partners 

go further toward the future of human spaceflight. 

Partnership Pursuits 

Partners with industry and academia using public and 

private partnerships to create products and services that 

meet NASA and industry needs, leveraging Technology 

Programs, Technology Transfer and Space Act Agreements 

to develop trusted relationships and drive new initiatives.

Strategy and Opportunity Formulation 

Helps Johnson go further by turning opportunities into 

partnerships, actions, and sustainable collaborations, 

formulating effective partnership agreements and 

developing strategic capabilities and initiatives.

Technology Transfer 

Promotes and facilitates the transfer of useful technologies 

to the government and commercial sectors, so that the 

public can directly benefit from the ingenuity and creativity 

of our outstanding researchers.

Technology Integration 

Leads execution of Johnson’s technology initiatives 

and strategy to accelerate the sustainable long-term 

human exploration and utilization of space, and supports 

the innovator community with hands-on development 

opportunities, best practices and use of common resources.

Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation

Works across NASA and other federal agencies to educate 

and facilitate the use of open innovation (crowdsourcing) to 

help programs and projects solve hard problems.

2022 Accomplishments

• Formed the Business Development & Technology 

Development Office in July 2022.

• Led the execution of the Johnson technology portfolio and 

technology solicitations (78 Johnson technology projects 

totaling just over $65 million in terms of direct dollars and 

Full Time Equivalent received by Johnson projects).

• Held 75 exploratory conversations, managed more than 

85 relationships and formulated 184 agreements with an 

average completion time of 84 days.

• Provided critical Government Task Agreement support 

for Human Launch Systems, Exploration Extravehicular 

Activity Services, Lunar Terrain Vehicles, and Gateway.

• Executed 81 NASA crowdsourced projects worth 

$2.8 million, with an estimated cost savings of 

$4.9 million (and 45 other federal agency projects 

worth $11.6 million, with savings of $11.3 million.)

• Completed the NASA Open Innovation Services Contract 2 

On-Ramp activity that added 13 new vendors (for a total 

of 32 crowd vendors/communities, with total membership 

of over 200 million people), and raised the contract cap 

value from $25 million to $175 million to accommodate 

forecasted increased utilization.

• Engaged in impactful Small Business Innovation Research 

(SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer outreach to 

historically underserved communities, including several 

Alaska universities, the Hispanic Association of Colleges 

and Universities, and the first SBIR Phase II awarded to a 

Tribal College and University.
International Space 

Station Program

JOEL MONTALBANO

PROGRAM MANAGER

INTERNATIONAL SPACE 

STATION PROGRAM

The International Space Station has been home to humans 

in space for more than 20 years. The station is our nation’s 

catalyst for growing an economy in space and is NASA’s 

springboard to the Moon and Mars. It’s the largest and most 

productive laboratory ever to orbit the Earth. The dawn of a 

new era in space is here as SpaceX’s Crew Dragon is now 

routinely delivering crews to the space station and will soon 

be joined by Boeing’s Starliner.

Space Laboratory

The station is the largest and most-visited spacecraft 

in the history of spaceflight. It has enabled nearly 

3,000 investigations conducted by more than 

4,000 researchers from more than 100 countries. 

It’s important to note that the amount of research on 

board has and will continue to increase as commercial 

spacecraft carry additional crew to the station. The array 

of different disciplines represented on the station range 

from biology and biotechnology to Earth and space science, 

educational activities, human research, physical science, 

and technology.

Deep Space Exploration

NASA continues to prepare for an expanded presence on 

the Moon and Mars, and is leveraging the capabilities of the 

station to make this vision a reality. New technologies and 

materials run through a gauntlet of trials and tests designed 

to push them to their limits. Because of the incredible 

research conducted on this unique platform, our scientists 

and engineers have been able to learn more about creating 

extraterrestrial habitats for our explorers, and how 3D 

printing can potentially be used to create spare parts, 

tools and materials on demand during journeys to the Moon 

and Mars. They have designed a space suit that can act as 

its own mobile life-support system, and much more.

Commercial Space Market

A new market in low-Earth orbit is taking shape, and the 

station is the destination for this new commercial space 

race. Companies use the station to carry out new work in 

research and technology development. New contracts to 

deliver human and other cargo continue to lay foundations 

of a future working in space.

Global Partnership

The space station wasn’t built by one nation, and it takes 

a diverse team to keep the vehicle supplied and in working 

order. The future of spaceflight is made more sustainable 

by this model for global partnership. The shared benefit 

of this U.S.- led international effort advances shared goals 

and rewards in space exploration.

Benefits for Humanity

The national lab offers a unique environment to perform 

research that allows the development not just of 

pharmaceuticals, but also better product development 

across a wide range of industries that may not have 

otherwise realized the benefits of using the space station 

for research. This research could have profound impacts 

for life on Earth, while driving the growth of a robust 

commercial marketplace in space.
Commercial Crew Program

STEVEN STICH

PROGRAM MANAGER

COMMERCIAL CREW 

PROGRAM

NASA’s Commercial Crew Program began launching 

crews from United States soil in 2020, and is now 

ensuring a steady supply of astronauts is onboard the 

space station conducting science for the benefit of humanity. 

Commercial transportation to and from the space station 

provides the capability for additional research and discovery 

on the orbiting laboratory. The station is critical for NASA’s 

continued research into understanding and overcoming 

the challenges of long-duration spaceflight necessary 

for human journeys into deep space, including Mars. 

The Commercial Crew Program represents a revolutionary 

approach to government and commercial collaborations for 

the advancement of space exploration. 

Goal

NASA, SpaceX, and Boeing – with the help of contractors 

throughout America – are achieving historic progress. 

Men and women at locations across the country have 

dedicated countless hours to the Commercial Crew Program 

to achieve a common goal: maintain our nation’s ability 

to launch humans to the International Space Station from 

U.S. soil. Facilitating the development of U.S. commercial 

crew space transportation systems to provide safe, reliable, 

cost-effective access to and from the station and lowEarth orbit ensures our nation can maximize the return on 

our pursuits in space. Transporting pressurized scientific 

research and cargo and increasing the station crew enables 

twice the amount of scientific research to be conducted. 

By encouraging private companies to provide human 

transportation services to and from low-Earth orbit, NASA 

has been able to focus more of its own efforts on building 

spacecraft and rockets for deep space exploration. 

Safety

Crew safety remains NASA’s primary responsibility and 

priority for all human spaceflight programs. Since the 

beginning of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, safety 

has been built into the agency’s requirements as a 

direct result of NASA’s extensive experience in human 

spaceflight systems development and operations. 

NASA and its commercial crew partners, Boeing and 

SpaceX, have developed systems that prioritize crew safety 

and survival, including launch pad emergency escape and 

egress systems. Both companies have been put through a 

rigorous certification program that includes an uncrewed 

test flight to the space station to demonstrate their ability 

to safely fly before astronauts climb onboard. These 

commercial systems are required to meet NASA’s safety and 

performance requirements to be certified to transport NASA 

and international partner astronauts to the space station. 

Commercial Crew’s Approach

NASA identified a need for a crew transportation system 

and a broad set of requirements that would be necessary 

to ensure crew safety. In the case of commercial crew, the 

need centered around a safe, reliable, and cost-effective 

means of getting humans to low-Earth orbit, including the 

International Space Station, and return safely to Earth. 

Interested companies are free to design in a way they think 

is best and are encouraged to apply their most efficient and 

effective manufacturing and business operating techniques. 

The companies own and operate their hardware and 

infrastructure. NASA’s engineers and aerospace specialists 

work closely with the commercial companies, allowing 

for substantial insight into the development process and 

offering expertise and available resources. The Commercial 

Crew Program is the first time this model has been 

implemented for human-rated spacecraft, enabling NASA to 

acquire transportation services on firm fixed-price contracts, 

ensuring safe, reliable and cost-effective access to space. 

NASA also is spurring economic growth through this 

program as potential new space markets are created.

Commercial Crew Astronauts

More than a dozen astronauts from six countries have 

traveled to the space station onboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon 

since its first crewed launch in 2020. Two astronauts are 

training for the 2023 crewed test flight of Boeing’s Starliner 

CST-100, with more already assigned to the long-duration 

missions that will follow once the spacecraft is fully certified.

American Ingenuity

Returning these launches to American soil has significant 

economic benefits, with suppliers working in states across 

the country on commercial crew spacecraft systems. 
Commercial 

Low-Earth Orbit 

Development Program

ANGELA HART

PROGRAM MANAGER

COMMERCIAL 

LOW-EARTH ORBIT 

DEVELOPMENT 

PROGRAM

A robust and competitive low-Earth orbit economy is 

vital to continued progress in space. The United States is 

committed to encouraging and facilitating the growth of 

the U.S. commercial space sector that supports U.S. needs, 

is globally competitive, and advances U.S. leadership in 

the next generation of new markets and innovation-driven 

entrepreneurship. NASA has developed a long-term vision 

to achieve this goal and, one day, NASA will become one of 

many customers in low-Earth orbit. This plan builds on, uses 

the capabilities of, and applies the lessons learned from 

over a decade of work and experience with commercial 

companies. The Commercial Low-Earth Orbit Development 

Program Office at Johnson was established in 2020 to 

enable NASA’s vision of a self-sustaining market in lowEarth orbit. The Program Office’s main goal is to support 

the development of commercially owned and operated 

low-Earth orbit destinations from which NASA, along with 

other customers, can purchase services and stimulate the 

growth of commercial activities in low-Earth orbit to sustain 

these future commercial destinations. As part of this plan, 

the Commercial Low-Earth Orbit Development Program, 

jointly with the International Space Station Program, is 

enabling industry to expand commercial enterprise in lowEarth orbit by capitalizing on the capabilities of the space 

station, including purchase of space station resources 

for commercial purposes; providing an early destination 

for private astronaut missions; and stimulating demand 

in manufacturing and production for future commercial 

low-Earth orbit destinations. Transition of low-Earth orbit 

operations to the private sector will yield efficiencies in the 

long term, enabling NASA to shift resources toward deep 

space exploration. 

NASA has made rapid progress in these efforts to build 

a low-Earth orbit economy. The agency has opened the 

International Space Station for commercial business, 

and has offered opportunities for industry to conduct 

commercial activities aboard. In support of these activities, 

NASA developed a pricing policy for dedicated commercial 

and marketing activities aboard the orbiting laboratory. 

The agency selected Axiom Space to design and develop 

one or more commercial modules to attach to the station. 

NASA also selected Blue Origin, Nanoracks, and Northrop 

Grumman, with their associated commercial partners, to 

develop designs of space stations and other commercial 

destinations in low-Earth orbit. NASA and Axiom Space 

successfully completed the first private astronaut mission 

to the International Space Station in 2022. Axiom Space was 

selected for the second private astronaut mission, and the 

third and fourth missions are expected to be announced by 

the agency in early 2023. NASA also announced awards for 

in-space manufacturing initiatives, as well as collaboration 

opportunities between the agency and industry partners. 

The extension of International Space Station operations to 

2030 will continue to return benefits to the United States 

and humanity as a whole, while preparing for a successful 

transition of capabilities to commercially owned and 

operated low-Earth orbit destinations. NASA has contracted 

for one or more commercial modules to be attached to a 

space station docking port. The agency also awarded Space 

Act Agreements for design of three free-flying commercial 

space stations. U.S. industry is developing these commercial 

destinations to begin operations in the late 2020s for both 

government and private-sector customers, concurrent with 

space station operations, to ensure these new capabilities 

can meet the needs of the U.S. and its partners.

Image Credit: Nanoracks
Orion Program

HOWARD HU

PROGRAM MANAGER

ORION PROGRAM

Orion is the safest, most capable vehicle for deep space 

travel. It will take astronauts farther in space than any 

spacecraft built for humans has gone before. Built by NASA 

and lead contractor Lockheed Martin, Orion will carry up to 

four astronauts. It is the only spacecraft capable of 

sustaining crew for up to 21 days in deep space, and 

withstanding high-speed re-entry from the vicinity of the 

Moon. This year, NASA set records with Artemis I – the first 

of several increasingly complex missions to build a 

sustainable presence on the surface of the Moon and in 

lunar orbit. Orion successfully flew around the Moon in a 

distant retrograde orbit to test the systems of the spacecraft, 

including the European Service Module, in the extreme 

environment of deep space before flying astronauts on 

Artemis II. This achievement will demonstrate NASA’s 

commitment and capability to extend human presence to 

the Moon and eventually to Mars. Early in 2023, Orion’s heat 

shield performance – one of the main objectives of Artemis I 

– will be assessed after inspection at Kennedy Space Center, 

where Orion will remain for further evaluation and offloading 

of several reusable elements. Eventually it will be shipped to 

the Glenn Research Center’s Armstrong Test Facility in Ohio, 

for abort-level acoustic vibration and other environmental 

testing. With a successful Artemis I mission complete, 

NASA and its lead contractor Lockheed Martin continue to 

process the Orion spacecraft for Artemis II and build Orion 

for Artemis III – the mission that will land astronauts on the 

Moon. Moving from design and development, NASA procured 

Orion spacecraft for Artemis III through V in 2019, and 

recently ordered production of spacecraft for Artemis VI 

through Artemis VIII. By ordering Orion production in groups 

of three spacecraft, NASA is capitalizing on efficiencies 

available in the supply chain to improve production, lower 

costs, and allow for reusability. Orion is a multinational 

project involving all 50 states of the U.S., plus Washington, D.C.

and Puerto Rico, and 10 European countries. It drives 

innovation and advanced manufacturing techniques, 

boosting American manufacturing competitiveness. 

NASA has provided more than 1,000 data products to 

commercial partners to help enable the agency’s 

collaborative approach to exploring deep space and lowEarth orbit. We currently have more than 3,500 employees 

working on Orion across the country. Since the program’s 

inception, more than 2,900 subcontractor and supplier 

companies nationwide have contributed to Orion. Texas is 

home to more than 250 of those small and large businesses. 

NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, 

along with the commercial human landing system and the 

Gateway in orbit around the Moon, are NASA’s backbone 

for deep space exploration.

Orion Spacecraft Artemis II Progress

At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, engineers are outfitting 

the Orion crew module and its European Service Module 

for the Artemis II mission that will carry astronauts around 

the Moon. Both elements were powered on for the first 

time, and technicians have been performing electrical and 

mechanical work to support a series of functional tests 

to ensure the spacecraft systems are routing power and 

operating as designed. All three of Orion’s launch abort 

motors for the Artemis II test flight also are at Kennedy 

and ready for integration and stacking.

Orion Spacecraft Artemis III Progress

NASA’s Super Guppy aircraft flew the heat shield for 

Artemis III — the mission that will see astronauts landing 

on the Moon — from Lockheed Martin’s facility in Colorado, 

to Kennedy. In the coming months, technicians will attach 

blocks of ablative material to the heat shield and install 

them on the bottom of Orion’s crew module. The Artemis III 

crew module is also undergoing assembly of interior and 

exterior secondary structures at Kennedy, while the Airbus 

team is working on the Artemis III European Service Module 

in Bremen, Germany.
The Gateway Program is the centerpiece of the architecture 

for a sustained presence at the Moon, with a mission 

statement of: “Creating the cislunar springboard for 

cooperative and sustainable human deep space exploration.” 

Gateway will be a human-tended space station in orbit 

around the Moon and a critical part of the Artemis missions. 

Gateway symbolizes the expansion of NASA’s partnerships 

into deep space, with international partner contributions, 

U.S. elements managed at multiple NASA centers, and 

commercial partners. From the Johnson Space Center, the 

Gateway Program provides global leadership for our partners. 

The Program is developing integrated software development 

and autonomy, labs to support development and flight 

verification testing, integrated performance analyses and 

integrated safety, and flight operations from Houston for 

Gateway’s minimum 15-year design life. 

Gateway is an incrementally built and deployed spacecraft, 

which will provide unprecedented access to the Moon and 

enable sustainable lunar exploration, science, and technology 

development. Gateway will be instrumental in exploration 

of the Moon and Mars by providing the first permanent 

infrastructure at the Moon, which will serve as a staging 

point for lunar surface activities and build knowledge for 

deep space exploration to places like Mars. Continuous 

deep space science and technology investigations onboard 

will help provide insight into the environments in cislunar 

space. Gateway’s NASA-led components will be provided 

by commercial partners, enhancing the emerging lunar 

economy. Maxar Technologies in Westminster, Colorado, 

is providing Gateway’s Power and Propulsion Element 

(PPE), providing power, maneuvering, attitude control, and 

communications for Gateway. Northrop Grumman Space 

of Dulles, Virginia is building the Habitation and Logistics 

Outpost (HALO), the initial habitation element for crew. 

NASA has selected SpaceX of Hawthorne, California, as the 

first U.S. commercial provider under the Gateway Logistics 

Services contract to deliver cargo, experiments, and other 

supplies to Gateway. SpaceX will also launch the integrated 

PPE and HALO to Gateway’s unique orbit around the Moon.

Gateway Program

DAN HARTMAN

PROGRAM MANAGER

GATEWAY PROGRAM

International Partners

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) will contribute external 

robotics systems (including a robotic arm), robotic interfaces, 

and end-to-end robotic operations. ESA (European Space 

Agency) is providing the International Habitation (I-HAB) 

module, with contributions from the Japanese Aerospace 

Exploration Agency (JAXA), I-HAB will provide the heart 

of Gateway’s life-support systems, and additional space 

for crew to live and work. JAXA will provide I-HAB’s 

environmental control and life-support system, batteries, 

thermal control, and imagery components. ESA will 

also provide the European System Providing Refueling, 

Infrastructure and Telecommunications, or ESPRIT 

Refueling Module (ERM). ERM will provide refueling, 

storage, windows, and enhanced lunar communications. 

These agreements strengthen the broad effort by the U.S. 

to engage international partners in sustainable lunar 

exploration as part of the Artemis program, and demonstrate 

the technologies needed for human missions to Mars. 

As Gateway’s capabilities grow with additional modules, 

mission durations will increase, creating opportunities for 

longer stays on and around the Moon.

Milestones

• All major U.S. elements for the integrated Gateway 

spacecraft are under contract, with flight and ground 

hardware in development.

• In 2020, the U.S. Government finalized Gateway 

international agreements with Canada, Europe, 

and Japan.

• NASA has selected three radiation science payloads 

as the first scientific investigations to fly aboard the 

Gateway. The science payloads will help scientists better 

understand unpredictable space weather from the Sun 

and galactic cosmic rays from deep space that astronauts 

and their equipment will encounter.

• In FY2023, the Gateway Program will proceed to its Key 

Decision Point I that will mark the Program’s transition 

from formulation to implementation. At the project level, 

multiple preliminary and critical design reviews will help 

mature the integrated spacecraft’s design and initiate 

hardware integration and testing.
Extravehicular Activity 

and Human Surface 

Mobility Program

LARA KEARNEY

PROGRAM MANAGER

EXTRAVEHICULAR 

ACTIVITY AND 

HUMAN SURFACE 

MOBILITY PROGRAM

The Extravehicular Activity (EVA) and Human Surface 

Mobility (HSM) Program (EHP) provides safe, reliable, 

and effective spacewalk and HSM capabilities that allow 

astronauts to survive and work outside the confines of a 

base spacecraft. The program is developing the future today 

by continuing spacewalk advancement on the International 

Space Station and preparing for the next giant leap by 

providing crew exploration capability on the Moon and 

other planets, which involves not only space suits, but also 

vehicles that will allow astronauts to explore further afield 

than just their landing sites.

The needs of future missions are becoming clearer as we 

learn from the Artemis I mission and prepare for future 

missions. Teams are already working to develop the 

infrastructure and industry partnerships needed for the 

success of exploration in low-Earth orbit, on the Moon, 

and beyond. EHP will play critical roles in landing the 

first woman and the first person of color on the surface 

of the Moon.

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Support

The International Space Station has been a monumental 

feat of science and engineering that has been home to 

humans in space for more than 20 years. The continued 

expansion of the station is made possible through 

spacewalks and related service activities. As NASA and its international partners extend the life of the station until 

2030, the necessary upgrades and improvements made 

through spacewalks will enable the legacy of scientific 

exploration to continue. As humans explore farther into 

space than ever before – and on the lunar surface during 

the Artemis missions, and eventually on Mars – spacewalk 

capability will enable humans to continue to set foot deeper 

into the cosmos.

Spacesuits

These individual spacecrafts that humans wear to explore 

space are vital to our exploration goals. In 2022, NASA 

embarked on the new Exploration Extravehicular Activity 

Services (xEVAS) contract, which leverages the innovation 

of industry to provide the best value to the taxpayer and 

nurture a healthy commercial space economy. Under xEVAS, 

industry vendors will develop new spacesuits for use in 

low-Earth orbit, as well as on the surface of the Moon. These 

new spacesuits will be provided as a service to NASA and 

available for other private or commercial entities to utilize.

Lunar Terrain Vehicle

When humans return to the lunar surface during 

Artemis V, they will be able to venture farther and conduct 

more science than ever before with a new Lunar Terrain 

Vehicle. This unpressurized rover will bring the latest 

technologies to the forefront for astronaut mobility and 

remotely commanded vehicles as NASA partners with 

industry to provide the vehicle for the missions. The Lunar 

Terrain Vehicle Services contract will spurn a new age of 

commercial interest in the space industry, and leverage 

industry innovations to benefit NASA’s Artemis program.

Pressurized Rover

To establish a long-term presence on the lunar surface, 

astronauts will use a pressurized rover to extend their 

exploration and science missions. They will complete 

spacewalks farther away from base camp and extend their 

time on the lunar surface. Astronauts will be able to live, 

sleep, and conduct science freely inside the cabin of the 

rover, as well as perform spacewalks with the flexibility 

for missions to last for extended periods of time. NASA is 

looking at both commercial and international collaboration 

for development of the pressurizer rover, currently targeting 

a 2030 delivery date for Artemis IIV.
Human Research Program

DAVID BAUMANN

DIRECTOR 

HUMAN RESEARCH 

PROGRAM

NASA’s Human Research Program, or HRP, conducts 

research and develops countermeasures for the five 

hazards of human spaceflight: radiation, isolation and 

confinement, distance from Earth, microgravity, and hostile/

closed environments. These hazards pose risks to astronaut 

health and performance, and NASA aims to understand 

and manage those risks through research in ground-based 

analogs, the International Space Station, and lunar mission 

studies. HRP pursues methods and technologies to support 

safe, productive human travel. Through science conducted 

in these environments, the team scrutinizes how spaceflight 

affects human bodies and behaviors. Such research drives 

NASA’s quest to innovate ways to keep astronauts healthy 

and mission-ready as space travel expands to the Moon, 

Mars, and beyond.

Analogs

Analogs are environments on Earth that mimic spaceflight 

conditions. HRP uses several ground-based analogs, 

including :envihab in Germany, Antarctic stations, Nazemnyy 

Eksperimental’nyy Kompleks (NEK) in Russia, and the NASA 

Space Radiation Laboratory in Brookhaven, New York. 

The Human Exploration Research Analog, or HERA, is 

housed at Johnson Space Center, and supports roughly four 

45-day missions per year. HERA’s next campaign will start 

in late 2023 and include studies from the European Space 

Agency, and participants from the Mohammed bin Rashid 

Space Centre in the United Arab Emirates. Ground-based 

analogs provide a unique way to study the effects of space 

exploration on humans without leaving Earth. In particular, 

these missions offer access to a large pool of volunteer 

participants, along with state-of-the-art equipment that 

doesn’t need to be launched into space.

Partnerships

To protect astronauts as NASA ventures farther into space, 

HRP works closely with innovative minds all over the 

country. These experts come from a variety of universities, 

commercial partners, and other government organizations, 

along with NASA’s international partners. One of those 

valuable partnerships is the Translational Research Institute 

for Space Health, or TRISH, a cooperative agreement 

with a consortium led by Houston-based Baylor College 

of Medicine. Other members of this consortium include 

the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena and the 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. 

Milestones

Scientists from the Space Radiation Element within HRP, 

which focuses on predicting and managing radiation risks 

associated with human spaceflight, joined the White House’s 

Cancer Moonshot initiative this year. These NASA scientists 

are working with doctors and researchers across the federal 

government to help cut the nation’s cancer death rate by 

at least 50% over the next 25 years. HRP has contributed 

to cancer studies over the years, from exploring shielding 

strategies to protect against space radiation exposure to 

identifying biomarkers that could serve as early indicators of 

the disease.

NASA approved the HRP-proposed inflight payload 

activities planned for inclusion in the Artemis II Mission 

Definition Baseline. This paves the way for HRP to begin 

integration work with representatives from Orion and the 

Exploration Ground Systems programs, to capture potentially 

groundbreaking data on human responses to spaceflight 

when crews fly on Artemis II.

A multinational analog crew that included two U.S. members 

completed an eight-month SIRIUS-21 Mission in July 

2022. Data from this spaceflight simulation study will help 

scientists examine how long-term isolation and confinement 

affects crew interactions, health, and physiology. The data 

will also help scientists develop methods and technologies 

to mitigate and counteract risks associated with isolation 

and confinement on future extended missions into space.
Engineering Directorate

JULIE 

KRAMER-WHITE

DIRECTOR

ENGINEERING 

DIRECTORATE

Johnson’s Engineering Directorate specializes in the design, 

development, test and evaluation of human spacecraft 

and human space exploration systems. The portfolio 

includes development and operational support for all U.S. 

human-rated spacecraft. That includes supporting missions 

as diverse as the continued operations and research 

capabilities of the space station for over 20 years, and 

the Commercial Crew Program’s historic development of 

commercial human-rated spacecraft to maintain flying 

astronauts to the station from U.S. soil. Johnson Engineering 

continues to enable the Artemis program objectives to 

return humans to cislunar space, and on to Mars, through 

development and testing of the Orion vehicle and the 

Gateway deep space platform, as well as providing 

human systems expertise to Marshall Space Flight 

Center’s Human Lander Systems program. In 2022, 

Engineering also executed a myriad of essential 

Government Furnished Equipment projects in support 

of human spaceflight programs. 

These projects include continued spacesuit development 

through the xEMU project; launch entry suit and crew 

survival hardware for Orion; critical capabilities in crew 

systems such as waste management, tools, air monitoring, 

portable fire extinguisher and other emergency systems; 

unique scientific instruments for measuring reentry 

environments on Orion; as well as key technology 

development targeted to reduce risk on future exploration 

capabilities and systems. Engineering also has partnered 

with multiple Commercial Lunar Payload Services providers 

to provide engineering consultation and collaboration, 

payload development and test support that amplifies their 

capability. Johnson Engineering is providing expertise to 

the Lunar Terrain Vehicle project through procurement 

development and evaluation support, technical insight 

and oversight roles, and development of a ground test 

unit. Johnson Engineering supports our programs through 

collaboration with other NASA centers, many contractors 

and universities around the country. Bringing these diverse 

perspectives and experienced teams together allows us to 

solve exceptionally difficult problems in innovative ways. 

Partnerships

The Engineering Directorate continues to actively pursue 

external partnerships to augment and support almost all 

aspects of design, development, test and evaluation 

(DDT&E) of spacecraft systems, and technology 

development. Existing partnerships include those with 

aerospace companies, non-aerospace industries, other 

government agencies, and academia. Partnerships of 

note in 2022 include support to Human Lander Systems 

for advancing key areas of system design and mission 

design; leveraging spacesuit design expertise and testing 

capabilities to advance the DDT&E of a new EVA System 

for both zero gravity and lunar surface use; supporting 

Commercial Lunar Payload System providers in their efforts 

to return the U.S. to the surface of the Moon; leveraging 

advanced avionics development investments into the 

Gateway Program for the use of Time-Triggered Gigabit 

Ethernet (TTGbE) systems, which will be the backbone of its 

command and control network; and university and industry 

collaborations on materials and techniques for additive 

manufacturing of heatshields. We are also working with 

the Houston Innovation Community to expand the Houston 

Aerospace Community by enabling small businesses 

and start-ups through the identification of technology 

development opportunities. Johnson Engineering continues 

looking toward the future, and is actively exploring 

partnerships in lunar mobility, communication and power 

systems. Johnson Engineering renewed an International 

Space Act Agreement to continue developing robotic 

manipulation technologies for not-normally-crewed 

facilities or spacecraft.

VIPER 

Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) is the 

first resource-mapping mission on another celestial body. 

The mission is tasked with prospecting for lunar resources 

in permanently shadowed areas in the lunar south pole 

region of the Moon. VIPER will give us surface-level detail 

of where water is and how much is available for use on 

the lunar surface. With this close-up view, we can begin to 

develop water resource maps of the Moon that tell us the 

best spots to harvest water. The rover hardware is being 

designed, tested, and integrated with its instruments by the 

center. Commercial Lunar Payload Services, also managed 

at Johnson, will oversee VIPER’s delivery to the lunar surface 

through a chosen commercial provider. VIPER has a planned 

launch date of November 2024.
Exploration Architecture, 

Integration and 

Science Directorate

BURT LAWS

DIRECTOR (ACTING)

EXPLORATION 

ARCHITECTURE, 

INTEGRATION AND 

SCIENCE DIRECTORATE 

The Exploration Architecture, Integration and Science 

Directorate (EAIS) supports NASA’s human and science 

exploration programs with expertise in exploration 

architecture, mission planning, systems engineering, 

planetary and space science, and program integration 

and assessments.

Sending humans to Mars remains a long-term goal of NASA 

– and the Moon will help us get there. This is the agency’s 

Moon to Mars exploration approach. Through Artemis, NASA 

will learn to live and work on another world in preparation 

for Mars. The architecture at the Moon will inform 

development of systems that will take humanity farther 

into space than ever before.

EAIS continues to support Artemis missions through 

integration across NASA programs and enterprises that are 

venturing to the Moon and beyond. This includes Gateway, 

Orion, the Space Launch System, Commercial Lunar 

Payload Services, Human Landing System, Extravehicular 

Activity and Human Surface Mobility, and lunar surface and 

mission planning, among other initiatives. EAIS weaves 

these exploration components together to deliver a cohesive 

and comprehensive strategy for mission planning and 

architecture, program integration, and science to extend 

human presence beyond low-Earth orbit into cislunar 

space, to the Moon, and on to Mars. EAIS seeks answers 

to fundamental questions about the origins and dynamics 

of our solar system, the availability of resources, and 

opportunities for human habitation beyond Earth.

Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science 

The Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) 

Division of EAIS is responsible for curating the world’s 

largest collection of astromaterials, including samples from 

asteroids, comets, Mars, the Moon, the Sun, and dust from 

other stars. ARES is a key participant in NASA’s Artemis 

program, providing expertise in sample collection and 

curation, imagery, lunar science research, and lunar surface 

science mission planning. ARES is also home of the new 

Mars Sample Receiving Project office. The team is also the 

global leader and expert on orbital debris and predicting risk 

to spacecraft.

Mars Sample Receiving Project Office

Johnson will house the new Mars Sample Receiving 

Project office, responsible for receiving and curating the 

first samples returned from the Red Planet. The project 

office will recover, contain, transfer, assess safety, curate, 

and coordinate scientific investigation of the samples 

collected by NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover, 

which are expected to arrive on Earth in 2033.

Commercial Lunar Payload Services

NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative 

allows rapid acquisition of lunar delivery services from 

American companies for payloads that advance capabilities 

for science, exploration or commercial development of 

the Moon. Through CLPS, NASA is attempting to catalyze 

a market for lunar delivery services and leverage the 

entrepreneurial and innovative commercial space industry.
Flight Operations 

Directorate

NORMAN KNIGHT

DIRECTOR

FLIGHT OPERATIONS

DIRECTORATE

The Flight Operations Directorate (FOD) at NASA’s Johnson 

Space Center touches every program and part of sending 

humans to space. The people who serve this program 

work to train astronauts in a variety of facilities on land 

in spacecraft mockups, underwater in NASA’s enormous 

Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL), and in the air in 

T-38 jet aircraft. 

The mission of the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility (SVMF) 

is to provide world-class training for spaceflight crews 

and their support personnel, and high-fidelity hardware for 

real-time mission support. A major task of the SVMF is to 

support Engineering and Mission Operations evaluations for 

the International Space Station, Orion, Gateway and other 

Artemis exploration programs. All mockups and part-task 

trainers are available to support troubleshooting on the 

ground any time problems develop on orbit in real time.

The mission of the NBL is to prepare for space missions 

involving spacewalks. NASA team members use the NBL 

to develop flight procedures, verify hardware compatibility, 

train astronauts, and refine spacewalk procedures during 

flight as necessary to ensure mission success. In addition 

to training space station crews for spacewalks to maintain 

and upgrade the orbital facility, astronauts use the NBL to 

test prototype spacewalk tools and techniques for future use 

on the space station, and for exploration missions to 

the Moon and beyond.

Ellington Field is the heart of Johnson Space Center’s flying 

operations. NASA’s primary function at Ellington is training 

astronauts for spaceflight. The field is also a base for 

administrative, cargo transport and high-altitude aircraft, 

with many types of NASA aircraft at the hangers.

FOD also plans human missions to space and then directs 

and implements them from NASA’s iconic Mission Control 

Center, where teams of flight controllers watch over the 

International Space Station and its inhabitants around 

the clock. The center has served as the nerve center for 

American human spaceflight since June 1965. The concepts 

of mission control developed in the early years of the space 

program are still in use today, even as human missions have 

grown more complex and now include international and 

commercial partners. Starting with missions lasting only 

a few hours or a few days, monitoring of the International 

Space Station is an ongoing, round-the-clock activity.

This year, Mission Control saw four new flight directors take 

the helm as the 2021 class graduated and earned their 

callsigns. Now over 100 people have held the role since 

NASA’s inception, and the number is quickly growing. 

FOD welcomed seven new flight directors-in-training 

in 2022. The White Flight Control Room became a pillar 

in history this year, as flight controllers shared historic 

moments of the Artemis I mission. They worked hard to 

learn everything they could about the Orion spacecraft as 

it reached its record-breaking distance from the Earth for 

a human-rated spacecraft and returned home once again. 

Whether it’s involved in a space station mission, or a mission 

to the Moon, this team holds itself to the highest standard. 

Vigilance, competence, and teamwork are just a few words 

used every day within the Flight Operations Directorate as 

the team carries out its duties in the pursuit of exploration 

in human spaceflight. 
Human Health and 

Performance Directorate

JOHN T. SIMS

DIRECTOR

HUMAN HEALTH 

AND PERFORMANCE 

DIRECTORATE

The Human Health and Performance Directorate (HH&P) is 

the primary organization focused on enhancing crew health 

and performance while mitigating the risks associated with 

human space exploration. With three offices, three divisions, 

and more than 900 employees, all HH&P functions target 

optimizing astronaut health and performance throughout 

all phases of human space exploration.

Partnerships

HH&P engages in partnerships in many capacities through 

academia, industry, government, and international partners. 

• Microbiologists have shared their techniques for 

handheld DNA sequencing with the Centers for Disease 

Control (CDC) in a joint approach to microbial monitoring 

to reduce antimicrobial resistance. Johnson benefits 

by obtaining CDC expertise toward method design, 

optimization and insight regarding how antimicrobial 

resistance evolves in spaceflight. Long-term, Johnson 

will transfer microbial isolates to the CDC to perform 

resistance testing on the organisms.

• Flight surgeons and scientists teamed with AEXA 

Aerospace to complete a holo-portation with a physician 

“visit” aboard the space station. This demonstration 

showcased how the innovation reconstructed and 

transmitted a physician in real-time, in a high-quality, 

3D model. Results from this technology demonstration 

may expand Artemis telemedical capabilities. 

• Interagency agreements with the U.S. Navy, Army, 

and Air Force offer mechanisms to augment HH&P 

capabilities through temporary personnel placements 

and fellowships, as well as technical exchanges. 

Military flight surgeons and aerospace physiologists 

work at Johnson alongside NASA physicians and 

scientists to gain experience in space life sciences, 

while sharing their best practices. Similarly, partnerships 

with U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development 

Command and the U.S. Army Research Institute of 

Environmental Medicine team with NASA physiologists 

and biomechanists. They engage in solving common 

problems regarding soldier and astronaut performance 

for improving suit design, fit, and metabolic models.

• HH&P collaborated with colleagues at Glenn Research 

Center on a project involving the Glenn airplane engine 

aero-acoustic fan technology. This focused on designing 

highly efficient and quiet fans for spaceflight vehicles, 

and infusing this technology into NASA’s Exploration 

Program. A metal spacecraft cabin ventilation fan 

prototype, suitable for ground testing, was designed, 

built, and tested at Johnson and Glenn in 2021 and 2022. 

In response to interest from other aerospace companies, 

the project released a NASA Technical Report of the fan 

geometry, computer-aided drawings, and flowlines for 

infusion into NASA Exploration vehicles. 

Milestones

• A team of physicians, flight surgeons, and other medical 

personnel within HH&P led COVID-19 countermeasures to 

prevent impacts to astronaut health, training, and mission 

objectives. This enabled the continuation of human 

spaceflight throughout the pandemic. These COVID-19 

countermeasures continue to evolve, and are being 

adopted in a post-COVID world to ensure the furtherance 

of agency goals while protecting NASA personnel. 

• The HH&P team of physiologists, bioengineers, and 

physicians worked closely with the Engineering Crew 

and Thermal Division to test and validate the Exploration 

Atmosphere Prebreathe Protocols for the Artemis 

missions to reduce decompression sickness (DCS) risk 

to acceptable levels. The Artemis Program calls for 

higher mobility demands on the lunar surface with lunar 

extravehicular activities, which may significantly increase 

the DCS risk as compared to microgravity spacewalks. 

This protocol was assessed in a three-day evaluation, 

followed by an 11-day test in a 20-foot hypobaric 

chamber, including six test subjects and two in-chamber 

doppler technicians. Future work includes an additional 

11-day test planned for 2023 to further validate this 

Prebreathe Protocol.

• Construction of the Crew Health and Performance 

Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) habitat was completed 

at Johnson. The 1,700-square-foot, 3D-printed habitat 

will host four analog crew members for three subsequent, 

one-year Mars surface simulation missions beginning 

in summer 2023. The series of analogs will support 

research and test technologies to resolve potential 

problems on future human planetary missions. 

In December 2022, the CHAPEA team conducted a 

one-week, pre-mission test as a shakedown of the 

facility, procedures, simulated spacewalks, and 

operations. This test was critical to the success 

of the upcoming studies that enable the human 

exploration missions of tomorrow.
Office of Safety and 

Mission Assurance

WILLIE LYLES

DIRECTOR

OFFICE OF SAFETY AND 

MISSION ASSURANCE

The Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate (SMA) 

provides system safety, reliability, and risk analysis for 

the human spaceflight programs. The directorate works 

with program offices to reduce risk by providing technical 

assessments, analytical services and guidance on SMA 

requirements throughout the program and project lifecycle. 

It also ensures the safety and success of habitation systems 

by providing safety, reliability, and maintainability assurance 

in International Space Station mission operations and space 

station hardware and software sustaining engineering. 

SMA administers the institutional safety program to assist 

management and employees in the prevention of injuries 

and mishaps, and to ensure excellence in hazardous 

operations. It does so by promoting and assessing 

Johnson and White Sands safety programs, while 

applying/developing engineering and system safety 

techniques to facilitate safe Johnson systems and 

operations. SMA also analyzes hazards to limit or 

eliminate consequences and investigates events to 

prevent recurrence. SMA’s mission is also to identify, 

characterize, mitigate, and communicate risks by 

implementing an efficient and effective assurance model 

that is of value to its customers. SMA ensures safety and 

mission assurance is preeminent in multiple programs at 

the center. The directorate is responsible for safety, reliability, 

and quality assurance processes and requirements. SMA is 

also responsible for Johnson’s Knowledge Management and 

Quality Management Systems Office. 

SMA provides regular reporting to Johnson Space Center 

organizations and personnel. The organization recently 

marked the 25th anniversary of the JSC Close Call system, 

which was established in 1995. Since its implementation, 

Johnson injury rates have decreased dramatically. 

Additionally, SMA tracked a dramatic decrease in injury 

and illness at Johnson in 2020 and 2021, while much of 

the workforce was teleworking and on-site employee 

presence was reduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

SMA continues to ensure that the workforce is informed 

of safety measures as employees continue to transition back 

to more on-site work following the extended quarantine. 
White Sands Test Facility

JASON NOBLE

SITE MANAGER

WHITE SANDS 

TEST FACILITY

The White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) near Las Cruces, New 

Mexico, is a remote, self-contained, hazardous testing facility 

managed by Johnson Space Center. WSTF supports space 

exploration operations and research like no other NASA 

organization, as it has unique and comprehensive testing 

and analysis capabilities used by NASA, other government 

agencies, and commercial industry. 

WSTF has seven core capabilities: rocket propulsion systems 

testing, hypervelocity impact testing, propellants and 

aerospace fluids testing and analysis, oxygen systems testing 

and analysis, flight acceptance standard testing, composite 

overwrapped pressure vessels testing and analysis, and 

spaceflight component services. Much of the expert 

workforce that performs these testing activities lives in the 

Las Cruces area, with a small percentage commuting from 

Texas. The facility plays a key role conducting the agency’s 

Flight Acceptance Standard Testing (FAST) and Hypervelocity 

Impact Testing (HVIT). With FAST, the WSTF team tests all 

materials that will launch on a human spacecraft to ensure 

they qualify with NASA’s flammability and toxic off-gas 

standards. HVIT makes it possible to simulate micrometeoroid orbital debris impacts, leading to safer designs 

and a greater understanding of the low-Earth 

orbit environment. 

The team has leveraged this capability to design robust 

safety trainings for NASA, other government agencies and 

commercial providers. This enables others to safely work 

on research and testing, and unite with NASA to develop 

new capabilities for human spaceflight and benefits on 

Earth. WSTF is playing a major role in returning astronauts 

to the Moon, and continues to push the envelope in the 

development and innovation of spaceflight. 

Highlights from 2022

Propulsion Testing

• Successfully hot-fire tested four heritage thrusters for 

the Boeing Space Technology Program 3, Department 

of Defense project

• Completed modal testing on the Boeing Service Module 2 

for the NASA Commercial Crew Program 

• Completed multiple hot-fire tests on TALOS (Thruster 

for the Advancement of Low-Temperature Operation in 

Space), including workhorse and development thrusters, 

and acceptance tested four additional thrusters slated to 

fly this spring 

Materials and Components Laboratory Office

• Extravehicular Activity (EVA) 80 anomaly support

• Qualification and acceptance testing of commercial 

off-the-shelf valves for International Space Station 

air resupply

• NanoRack airlock trash bag testing for the International 

Space Station Program

• Brine processing assembly installation for space station 

water recycling system 

• Polaris Dawn – HVIT for various spacesuit materials

• Ignition and burning risk testing for Dream Chaser 

isolation valve

• HVIT to support the Mars Sample Return capture, 

containment, and return system

Spaceflight Component Services

Orion service module main engine assembly support:

• Artemis IV – Completed refurbishment of a valve and 

pneumatic pack; initiated engine reassembly

• Artemis III – Developed procedure for installing emissivity 

tape onto engines

• Artemis I – Engine completed at WSTF (around 2016) 

and shipped to Kennedy Space Center performed 

exceptionally during Artemis I

International Space Station

• Initiated work to fabricate, qualify, and deliver a 

Contamination Detection Kit, which determines an 

approximate concentration of contaminant astronauts 

may potentially be exposed to during EVAs

• Completed annual acceptance testing of Respiratory 

Support Packs as a flight spare, in the event of immediate 

replacement needs during an on-orbit activity
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