The NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program has created 18 new awards to support visionary ideas to improve aerospace technologies in areas ranging from the exploration of the solar system to understanding the universe.

The 18 NIAC Phase I awards total $3.2 million. Each award provides up to $175,000 for a nine-month initial investigation. The NIAC projects are about early-stage concept development and are not considered official NASA missions.

“NASA has outlined an ambitious vision for the future of space exploration, we’re returning the Moon to stay, advancing to Mars, and pushing to deepen our understanding of space,” said Greg Stover, director of the Advanced Research and Technology division within the Research and Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Achieving that will require more than incremental technological advancement. It means we need great leaps. These awards are the kinds of innovation the world needs NASA to help foster.”

As an innovation incubator, NIAC funds early development of potential breakthrough technologies. Concepts for award consideration must have both transformative potential and possible feasibility for eventual implementation.

“Every innovation, every leap in technology, starts with a seed of an idea,” said Phillip Williams, NIAC’s acting program executive. “The NIAC program allows NASA to germinate those seeds and determine if there’s something that could be grown to benefit future space missions and our nation’s aerospace economy.”

As NASA and its partners push for sustained lunar presence, some of the 2026 awardees focused on ways to help explore the Moon and build infrastructure there. These include a system to support hovering robots to explore lava tubes under the Moon’s surface, a method to manage temperatures for small mobile exploration robots, and a way to incorporate radioisotopic heat sources into suits to help keep astronauts warm when operating in the Moon’s nearly two-week-long lunar nights.

Other concepts focus on exploring some of the solar system’s most remarkable features. Venus, with its hot atmosphere, presents an imposing challenge for research vehicles, so one NIAC awardee explores methods for hardening instruments for longer missions.

Two other concepts could help study planetary rings. One would use a swarm of 10,000 tiny satellites to map and analyze the rings of Saturn, while another would create a system for collecting samples from rings such as those circling Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Some NIAC awardees will look far beyond the solar system, exploring ways to power interstellar spacecraft, map out continents on exoplanets, observe the photon rings around black holes, and detect subtle gravitational waves to explain how galaxies formed. Others will work to answer questions directly related to life on Earth, like the potential use of spaceborne dust to reduce solar radiation, and awareness about the debris orbiting Earth.

Researchers, known as NIAC Fellows, will investigate their concepts and identify potential challenges and opportunities for further development.

The 18 selections for 2026 NIAC Phase 1 grants are:

• Saptarshi Bandyopadhyay, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California: Dimming the Sun Using Controllable Dust Cloud to Reduce Solar Insolation (DimSun)  

• David Bugby, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory: Combinatory Architecture offering Neomobility, on-Venus Adaptability, and Survivability (CANVAS)

• A.C. Charania, Zeno Power Systems, Inc., Washington:
  Extended Astronaut Radioisotope-EVA in Nighttime and Deep-space Icy Landscapes (EARENDIL)

• Anish Damodaran, University of Central Florida, Orlando: PS21: Transforming Submillimeter Space Interferometry with Photonic Technologies

• Artur Davoyan, University of California, Los Angeles: Coilable Stacked Solar Sails for Very High delta-V Missions

• Daniel Drew, University of Hawaii, Honolulu: Solid-state Propulsion for Autonomous Reconnaissance of Karst (SPARK)

• Gilly Elor, Stone Aerospace, Inc., Del Valle, Texas: Power-over-Fiber to Enable a Lunar Underground eXplorer (LUX)

• Zhaoyan Liu, NASA Ames Research Center, California’s Silicon Valley: Quantum Wind Lidar Applications for Planetary and Earth Science Missions

• Jeff Nosanov, Orbital Velocity, LLC, Decatur, Georgia: OBLIVIAN: Observing Black hole LIght Via Intensity cOrrelatioN (OBLIVIAN)

• Keunhan Park, University of Utah, Salt Lake City: Plasmon-Enhanced Radioisotope Thermophotovoltaic (PRTPV) Power Generation for Interstellar Missions

• Austin Phoenix, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia: Efficient variable Conductivity Lunar Insulator for Passive Surveyor Environmental Control (ECLIPSE)

• Marco Quadrelli, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory: PRAXIS: Planetary Rings Autonomous EXploration with In-situ Sampling (PRAXIS)

• Michael Rubenstein, Northwestern University, Chicago: Actively Steerable Femtosat Constellations for In-situ Exploration of Saturn’s Rings, Atmosphere, and Magnetosphere

• Benjamin Schafer, Rarefied Technologies Inc., Albuquerque, New Mexico: : Photophoretic Tracers for Near-Space Remote Sensing at 30-100 km Altitudes

• David Smith, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina: Robotically Assembled Electromagnetic Metamaterials for Long-Range Space Situational Awareness

• Pablo Sobron, Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute, Mountain View, California: Interworld Slingshot Resource Surveys

• Paul Stankus, Brookhaven Science Associates, Upton, New York: Mapping Alien Continents: Achieving Optical VLBI for Exoplanet Imaging

• Paul Stankus, Brookhaven Science Associates, Upton, New York: Precision Astrometry Using Optically Independent Spacecraft for Gravitational Wave Detection

To learn more about NASA’s NIAC program, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/about-niac

-end-

Rob Margetta
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-0918
robert.j.margetta@nasa.gov 

NASA is working with industry to advance the next phase of cislunar infrastructure for the agency’s Artemis program and Moon Base, including orbital assets and demonstrations. Under a contract awarded to Advanced Space, the agency’s CAPSTONE 02 mission will demonstrate rendezvous and proximity operations, autonomous navigation, and cislunar communication capabilities while continuing to characterize the radiation environment at the Moon.  

The CAPSTONE 02 mission, targeted for launch in 2027, will use two small spacecraft in lunar orbit to facilitate these demonstrations to support future NASA lunar and deep space missions.  

NASA’s original CAPSTONE demonstration, short for Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment, became the first U.S. commercial mission to the Moon and the first spacecraft to operate in a near rectilinear halo orbit around the Moon. This is a nearly stable orbit, thanks to the interactive pull of gravity from both the Earth and the Moon.  

The mission successfully validated communications, networking, and autonomous navigation capabilities while gathering operational experience in cislunar space. The second CAPSTONE mission expands upon these accomplishments by transitioning from orbit validation to demonstrations that will inform future lunar exploration and infrastructure development. 

NASA’s CAPSTONE 02 mission will demonstrate advanced relative navigation technologies for rendezvous and proximity operations in cislunar space. These techniques are more sophisticated than those used in low Earth orbit and are designed to support NASA astronauts as they dock with Moon landers in cislunar orbit, enabling safe crew transfers to and from the lunar surface. 

The demonstration will fly two identical spacecraft of approximately 400 kilograms (882 pounds) from Terran Orbital Systems, Inc. Mission operators will conduct a series of rendezvous and proximity operations and loitering – or formation flying – techniques in lunar orbit with each spacecraft to better understand the trajectories of the spacecraft under the simultaneous influence of Earth and Moon gravities, otherwise known as three-body orbits.   

The CAPSTONE 02 mission will use ground tracking measurements, optical sensors, and celestial bodies to help one spacecraft locate and rendezvous with another. The mission will apply  navigation strategies similar to those planned for Orion’s approach to a lunar lander in deep space, helping NASA build confidence in these techniques for future exploration. 

Each CAPSTONE 02 spacecraft will have the ability to switch between ‘chaser’ and ‘target’ roles, testing a broad range of operational scenarios under a variety of environmental conditions in cislunar space. Transporting crew to the lunar surface from cislunar orbit depends on knowing how well navigation systems will perform during these operations. Since these conditions can’t be fully recreated on Earth, they must be tested in space. 

The CAPSTONE 02 mission also will serve as an operational testbed, enabling testing of three NASA-developed navigation software suites. Each software application will collect data during CAPSTONE 02’s low energy transfer trajectory, which will take it from the Earth to beyond the Moon before settling into a lunar orbit. The spacecraft will carry an optical imaging payload from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to support the navigation demonstration as well as capture imagery of the Moon. In addition, the mission will further mature the Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System navigation software that was first demonstrated on CAPSTONE as a method of determining spacecraft position relative to other spacecraft without relying on Earth-based tracking.  

The suite of technologies on CAPSTONE 02 are designed to automate routine navigation tasks, reduce reliance on traditional space-to-ground data, and enable new mission concepts that may be derived from increased inter-satellite coordination. Additionally, the CAPSTONE 02 spacecraft are designed for cost-effective, rapid deployment, demonstrating a scalable and repeatable mission model. 

“This mission represents an important step in the maturation of cislunar capabilities,” said Sean Fuller, Moon Base CAPSTONE manager. “By expanding on the lessons learned from CAPSTONE to demonstrate increasingly sophisticated operational concepts, CAPSTONE 02 lays the foundation for lunar infrastructure and commercial services that support Artemis, Moon Base, and future missions to deep space.”  

The CAPSTONE 02 mission is funded by NASA’s Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate with support from the Research and Technology Mission Directorate. The mission is managed by Small Spacecraft & Distributed Systems, based at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, within the Research and Technology Mission Directorate. NASA used a Small Business Innovation Research Phase III contract to fund the mission.  

To learn more about NASA’s CAPSTONE mission, visit: 

https://www.nasa.gov/mission/capstone02/

Phase I

Saptarshi Bandyopadhyay
Dimming the Sun (DimSun) Using Controllable Dust Cloud to Reduce Solar Insolation
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Pasadena, CA 91109-8001
2026 Phase I

David Bugby
Combinatory Architecture offering Neomobility, on-Venus Adaptability, and Survivability (CANVAS)
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Pasadena, CA 91109-8001
2026 Phase I

Anish Damodaran
PS21: Transforming Submillimeter Space Interferometry with Photonic Technologies
University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL  32826-2933
2026 Phase I

Artur Davoyan
Coilable Stacked Solar Sails for Very High delta-V Missions
University of California
Los Angeles, CA 90024-0001
2026 Phase I

A.C. Charania
EARENDIL: Extended Astronaut Radioisotope-EVA in Nighttime and Deep-space Icy Landscapes
Zeno Power Systems, Inc.
Washington, DC 20001-3701
2026 Phase I

Daniel Drew
Solid-state Propulsion for Autonomous Reconnaissance of Karst (SPARK)
University of Hawaii
Honolulu, HI 96822-2303
2026 Phase I

Gilly Elor
Power-over-Fiber to Enable a Lunar Underground eXplorer (LUX)
Stone Aerospace, Inc.
Del Valle, TX 78617-3017
2026 Phase I

Zhaoyan Liu
Quantum Wind Lidar Applications for Planetary and Earth Science Missions
NASA Ames Research Center
Moffett Field, CA 94034-0001
2026 Phase I

Jeff Nosanov
OBLIVIAN: Observing Black hole LIght Via Intensity cOrrelatioN
Orbital Velocity, LLC
Decatur, GA 30033-4151
2026 Phase I

Keunhan Park
Plasmon-Enhanced Radioisotope Thermophotovoltaic (PRTPV) Power Generation for Interstellar Missions
University of Utah
Salt Lake City 84112-1109
2026 Phase I

Austin Phoenix
ECLIPSE – Efficient variable Conductivity Lunar Insulator for Passive Surveyor Environmental Control
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State
University, Blacksburg, VA 24060-5605
2026 Phase I

Marco Quadrelli
PRAXIS: Planetary Rings Autonomous EXploration with In-situ Sampling
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Pasadena, CA 91109-8001
2026 Phase I

Michael Rubenstein
Actively Steerable Femtosat Constellations for In-situ Exploration of Saturn’s Rings, Atmosphere, and Magnetosphere
Northwestern University
Chicago Evanston, IL 60208-0001
2026 Phase I

Benjamin Schafer
Photophoretic Tracers for Near-Space Remote Sensing at 30-100 km Altitudes
University of California
Los Angeles, CA 90024-0001
2026 Phase I

David Smith
Robotically Assembled Electromagnetic Metamaterials for Long-Range Space Situational Awareness
Duke University 
Durham, NC 27708-9976
2026 Phase I

Pablo Sobron Sanchez
Interworld Slingshot Resource Surveys
SETI Institute
Mountain View, CA 94043-5203
2026 Phase I

Paul Stankus
Mapping Alien Continents: Achieving Optical VLBI for Exoplanet Imaging
Brookhaven Science Associates
Upton NY 11973-0001
2026 Phase I

Paul Stankus
Precision Astrometry Using Optically Independent Spacecraft for Gravitational Wave Detection
Brookhaven Science Associates
Upton, NY 11973-0001
2026 Phase I

Paul Stankus
Brookhaven Science Associates 

The scientific goal is to enable a new method for observing gravitational waves at low frequencies, based on the astrometric GW signature — gravitational waves passing by the Earth will cause a (very small) coordinated apparent motion of all sky objects. Our innovation is to deploy a new approach to precision astrometry using quantum mechanical two-photon interference, which was published quite recently. The approach has the great benefit that two separate interferometric spacecraft stations can operate independently, ie without an optical connection between them, greatly simplifying spacecraft requirements compared to standard space-based interferometric designs. With this capability we propose to be able to detect passing gravitational waves at low frequencies, in the micro-Hz to nano-Hz range, at a sensitivity at an astronomically interesting level (note that there are, currently, essentially no alternative approaches for GW detection in this band). We show how this could be achieved with a straightforward mission using two modest-sized spacecraft in free-fall orbits; and detection of such GW’s would be of great interest for galaxy formation and SM black hole physics, as well as exciting the public imagination.

2026 Selections

Paul Stankus
Brookhaven Science Associates

The scientific goal of the proposed work will be reconstructing the image, ie resolving surface features, of an Earth-like exoplanet around a nearby star as seen in visible light. The innovation is in two stages. First, the design of a new kind of nulling interferometer — “dynamic hierarchical nulling” — combining inputs from multiple apertures and capable of separating star light from planet light with contrast of 10^10 or better in the visible. Second, combine the output beams from two such nullers on spacecraft stationed ~100km apart to achieve the required angular resolution using Michelson interferometric imaging; note that the hierarchical nuller preserves the star’s light in a separate beam which can then be used as in interference phase reference. The capability to survey the features of Earth-like exoplanets is perfectly aligned with NASA priorities and sure to excite public interest.  

2026 Selections

Pablo Sobron Sanchez
SETI Institute

This proposal explores a new class of reconnaissance spacecraft that map minerals from orbit using Raman spectroscopy during high-speed flybys–without landing, sample return, or extended dwell. If feasible, this concept would enable NASA to evaluate ice and ilmenite at the Moon, ore content at asteroids, and volatile-bearing minerals at Mars’ moons–all with a single 300-kg spacecraft. The capability addresses NASA’s long-term goals in sustainable lunar presence, asteroid resource evaluation, and Mars logistics by answering a key operational question: what exactly is this material?  

The central objective is to determine whether Raman spectroscopy–a technique that identifies minerals by their molecular fingerprints–can operate from tens of kilometers away during flyby or orbital arcs. To date, planetary Raman has only been used from meters away on rovers. Performing Raman from 30–50 km standoff would open a new regime for planetary science and space resource mapping, delivering the compositional specificity that passive reflectance or neutron methods cannot.  

The reference mission concept uses a single solar electric propulsion spacecraft to conduct three reconnaissance legs: (1) 50 km polar orbit of the Moon to map ice and ilmenite; (2) a 30 km flyby of a near-Earth asteroid to identify silicates, metals, and organics; (3) a 30—50 km orbit of Phobos or Deimos to detect volatile-rich phases that inform Mars mission logistics.  

At each leg, a high-energy pulsed laser, time-gated photon-counting detector, and rad-class beam steering system isolate Raman signals from the planetary surface. No existing sensor or mission class can perform this function.  

To determine feasibility, this NIAC Phase I study answers three core questions: (1) Can key mineral Raman lines be detected with adequate signal-to-noise from 50 km? (2) Can beam pointing and smear be stabilized during fast flybys to allow integration over dwell time? (3) Can a 300-kg spacecraft with realistic propulsion, power, and attitude control systems close the mission architecture across all three destinations?  

Methods include first-principles photon modeling based on known Raman cross-sections, spacecraft jitter analysis, and trajectory design using NASA’s standard mission planning tools. The study is divided into three technical work packages plus synthesis and reporting. Sensitivity analyses and decision gates are built in to determine how changes in photon return or pointing control would affect overall mission viability. Alternative architectures are explored for each leg, including lower flyby altitudes and different propulsion schemes.

The study team combines deep expertise in Raman instrumentation, spaceborne lidar, and mission design. PI Sobron led field 120-meter-range Raman systems and contributed to SuperCam and SHERLOC on Mars. Co-I Lee and Collaborator Yu from NASA Goddard bring direct heritage from ICESat-2 and other orbital laser systems. Co-I Casell at NASA Ames leads early mission design and brings prior NIAC experience. The team is supported by SETI and OffWorld, a commercial partner.  

If successful, the work will define the first architecture for orbital Raman mineral detection and demonstrate that high-resolution molecular mapping is possible without landing. Even partial success would establish new boundaries for remote sensing physics, provide validated models, and support future NASA decisions in Artemis siting, asteroid mining, and Mars ISRU planning. The architecture enables a cost-effective Discovery-class template that could eventually scale to a fleet of inner Solar System scouts–bringing Landsat-style mineral intelligence to planetary exploration.

2026 Selections

David Smith
Duke University 

The increasing population of spacefaring vehicles and satellites motivates increasingly powerful technologies for space situational awareness (SSA). While the US space surveillance network (SSN) is able to monitor objects down to about four inches in size using, for example, the latest upgrade to the space fence, the associated requirements limit implementation to ground-based tracking of low earth orbit (LEO) objects using kilometer-scale radar arrays. Beyond LEO, the prospect of cislunar traffic and the extreme distances involved render ground-based arrays impractical. This limitation is fundamental to coherent radar systems: for a given detection performance, the required array size grows in direct proportion to the target distance. As a result, it can in fact become simpler to decrease the sensing distance rather than extend array sizes, and this can only be achieved by shifting to a space-based SSA platform.  

Although space-deployed radar systems offer distinct advantages in terms of sensing capabilities, the large distances associated with cislunar surveillance still require extremely large apertures for adequate performance. This poses significant practical challenges based on limitations to modern deployable structures which, to date, cannot consistently achieve dimensions greater than 100 meters. This limitation arises because state-of-the-art deployable antennas, including membrane, mesh, and inflatable architectures, require the entire structure to be housed inside a single launch fairing. In contrast, the prospect of in-space assembly suggests the potential for scalable structures that are not limited by launch constraints and so can meet the challenging requirements of long-range SSA.  

We propose a spaceborne radar system that pairs the demonstrated performance of robotically assembled mechanically stable structures with reconfigurable, volumetric electromagnetic metamaterials. The former technology enables modular and precise construction of arbitrary volumetric structures, while the latter offers a sophisticated and readily compatible design platform for achieving the challenging requirements of long-range SSA. Both approaches exploit a unit cell-driven, modular design procedure that enables nearly arbitrary scaling for mechanically and electromagnetically robust antenna platforms. The ability to reliably assemble and control volumetric antenna structures in this way provides access to new and powerful capabilities including steering over wide fields of view (FOV) without the need for slow, mechanical slewing of the antenna.  

The proposed work will demonstrate the feasibility and scalability of a reconfigurable, volumetric S-band metamaterial for achieving various beam steering capabilities. This effort will include advancement of metamaterial design strategies for omnidirectional electromagnetic beam forming and initial assessment/design of a reconfigurable unit cell compatible with robotic assembly. The development of the metamaterial design procedure will exploit a numerically efficient dipole model that has been previously validated at smaller scales, while the metamaterial element design will proceed by established full-wave numerical methods. System design concepts will incorporate practical constraints according to successful demonstrations of robot assembly by the Automated Reconfigurable Mission Adaptive Digital Assembly Systems (ARMADAS) project.  

While the project will target SSA applications, the design considerations involved are equally applicable to missions requiring large physical apertures such as low-frequency radiometry for earth observation and deep-space communications. Since the performance (resolution, sensitivity) of all beam steering, radar, and observation missions improves with increased aperture sizes, the realization of alternative electromagnetic strategies that offer reduced CSWaP can provide advantages across a wide range of NASA programs. 

2026 Selections

Benjamin Schafer
Rarified Technologies, Inc.

We propose a new approach to atmospheric sensing at 30-100 km altitudes using photophoretically levitating tracers. These lightweight structures harness sunlight to remain suspended for up to months at controlled altitudes and can be remotely tracked by satellite-based lidar or radar. Unlike natural aerosols, these tracers are designed to provide strong and tunable backscatter at standard remote sensing wavelengths, enabling passive, persistent, and altitude-selective measurements of wind, temperature, and pressure in a region that is critically under-measured by existing systems.  

This concept addresses a major gap in current sensing capabilities. The mesosphere and upper stratosphere play a key role in atmospheric dynamics, space-domain awareness, space weather, and high-altitude platform navigation. Despite the importance of this region, data collection remains a challenge. Near-space is too high for sustained balloon flight and too low for satellites to orbit. Concentrations of extant atmospheric species are also too low for remote sensing techniques such as lidar and radar. Photophoretic tracers offer a new solution: a persistent, stratified sensor layer of non-toxic, inert backscattering points that require no onboard power, propulsion, or control. These tracers can be deployed via high-altitude balloons or rockets and autonomously reach their target altitudes based on their geometry and coatings.  

In a representative mission, thousands of tracers are released from a lightweight balloon at around 30 km. The tracers rise to their target altitude of 90-100 km, the lower ionosphere. Satellite-based lidar tracks their motion over their month-long lifetimes. Tracer trajectories enable continuous mapping of wind shear, thermal gradients, and pressure profiles at sub-kilometer resolution and hourly cadence. The collected real-time data are used to calibrate boundary conditions of ionospheric space weather models. As more data is collected, the predictive capabilities of these models improve, leading to enhanced situational awareness and communications resilience in near-space and LEO. Other early deployments could, for example, support weather model improvements in the tropics and monitor atmospheric conditions over spaceports.  

This work builds on emerging experimental results in photophoretic flight, with laboratory validation of levitation in near-space conditions and initial simulations of tracer dispersion and visibility. Backscatter models confirm feasibility for orbital detection using commercially available lidar systems. The tracers are designed to safely disintegrate at end-of-life and are compatible with scalable fabrication techniques. By engineering the scattering medium itself, this concept inverts traditional atmospheric remote sensing. It enables lower-SWaP-C satellite sensing systems and a fundamentally new class of persistent measurement tools for national security, meteorology, heliophysics, and planetary exploration.  

2026 Selections

Michael Rubenstein
Northwestern University, Chicago

We propose a mission to use ~10,000 actively steerable femtosats to map the ring composition, atmospheric composition and density, and the magnetic field distribution of Saturn. Conducting in-situ surveys of Saturn’s rings with a single flagship mission, such as Cassini, would carry an unacceptably high risk of mission failure due to particle collisions. However, the distributed nature of the proposed mission means it can accept a risk that could destroy many of femtosats in the constellation, making in-situ survey of the ring possible.  

2026 Selections

Marco Quadrelli
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Humanity has never touched the particles of a planetary ring, but if we were able to get close enough and sample them, it will transform understanding of ring structure and origins for Saturn (dense), Uranus and Neptune (tenuous), rings of other objects such as Centaurs Chariklo and Chiron, and even early protoplanetary and circumstellar disks. Despite Cassini’s groundbreaking discoveries, fundamental questions about the formation, dynamics, and evolution of planetary rings remain unanswered. After Cassini, there is a very strong scientific case to learn more about the microphysical interactions of Saturn’s rings, and this necessitates sampling them. Many ring structures and features such as self-gravity wakes, “propellers”, density waves and gap edges remain to be explored at high resolution. Saturn’s rings are micron-size grains to house-size boulders, always in motion. They are made mostly of water ice, piles of rubble coming together and breaking apart. PRAXIS addresses a key Decadal priority by delivering the first direct observations of mm- to cm-scale ring particles, a capability Cassini lacked. Planetary rings are highly dynamic environments where constant particle motion demands advanced robotic autonomy for collision avoidance, precision sampling, and in situ analysis. Our system adapts innovations from sport casting to capture free-floating particles, and instrument miniaturization for real-time analysis. AI integration enables the first-ever autonomous collection of ring particles, directly measuring science priorities like particle size, porosity, and composition. PRAXIS develops and tests a novel AI-driven, bio-inspired robotic explorer to perform in situ ring sampling, a capability never before attempted. This effort directly supports Decadal Survey priorities in planetary ring science while spearheading the next generation of planetary robotic exploration and delivering transformative insights into the origins and evolution of ring systems. Feasibility of PRAXIS is already on firm ground because it leverages key element of the Saturn Ring Observer Mission Study, which considered an orbit grazing the rings and hovering above them to directly image the ring particles in motion. After an initial imaging and characterization phase to select the ring particle, the spacecraft conducts a touch-and-go sampling event of the particle surface with a long and soft deployable boom. Since the particles are always in motion within the ring, there is a compelling case for the spacecraft staying away to avoid collision, hence the agile sampling with the long boom is justified. Once the sample is retrieved, the PRAXIS exploration system moves to another section (or gap) of the rings, thus sampling many diverse regions. Feasibility of PRAXIS will be demonstrated Phase I with simulation and sound system design, motivating solid system design and development of a physical prototype in Phase II. The system’s versatility makes it valuable across planetary formation missions, positioning it for infusion into the upcoming Uranus Probe mission. 

2026 Selections

Austin Phoenix

Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State

A disaggregated lunar infrastructure requires novel thermal management methods to enable future lunar operations. While thermal management solutions exist for large infrastructure, the smaller mobile systems that operate independently require improved temperature regulation devices that can survive without heaters or substantial power requirements, while limiting stress-inducing temperature fluctuations. New material solutions can passively regulate the flow of thermal energy to enable small devices to survive the extremes of the lunar environment without relying on external infrastructure. The Variable Thermal Conductivity Metamaterial (VTCM) outperforms other VTCMs and can be designed to act as an advanced mechanical thermal switch. Variable internal contact is used to regulate the flow of energy to the radiator passively. The design of the metamaterial’s internal geometry, material selection, and the passive shape memory alloy actuation system can achieve an arbitrary thermal conductivity as a function of temperature using internal mechanical contact. The metamaterial concept begins in a low temperature state with no initial contact and a corresponding low conductivity state. As the temperature of the metamaterial increases, partial SMA actuation induces partial contact internal to the metamaterial, resulting in an increase in conductivity. As the temperature continues to increase, the contact area increases until full contact is achieved. This metamaterial enables the design of an arbitrary thermal conductivity as a function of temperature by designing the thermal pathways’ cross-sectional area and length. The proposed work will use the variable thermal conductivity metamaterial, capable of passive thermal control, to enable mobile autonomous surveyors that can perform extended lunar operations while minimizing Size, Weight, Power, and Cost (SWaP-C).

2026 Selections

Keunhan Park
University of Utah

This proposal seeks to develop a transformative energy system — the plasmon-enhanced radioisotope Thermophotovoltaic (PRTPV) generator — that significantly surpasses the performance of current radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) in both specific power and efficiency. Designed to achieve a specific power of 17 W/kg and a thermal-to-electric conversion efficiency greater than 40%, the PRTPV offers a sevenfold improvement in efficiency and nearly an order-of-magnitude increase in specific power compared to state-of-the-art RTGs. The system combines two novel innovations: the use of a high-refractive-index, low infrared loss, low-thermal-conductivity, and high-melting point material (e.g., Al2O3) to replace the traditional vacuum gap between the heat source and photovoltaic (PV) cell, enhancing thermal radiation power density proportional to the square of the refractive index, and the integration of a multilayered photonic crystal plasmon coupler to spectrally tune the thermal radiation by exciting surface plasmons at the coupler-PV cell interface matching with the PV cell’s bandgap, further improving conversion efficiency. Together, these advances overcome the low power density that limits current TPV systems. The resulting technology is compact, efficient, and scalable, opening the door to new classes of NASA missions, including long-duration surface operations in permanently shadowed lunar regions and interstellar missions where solar power is impractical. The proposed work directly supports NASA’s long-term goals in space exploration and energy innovation.

2026 Selections

An aircraft powered by a megawatt-class hybrid-electric engine developed in collaboration with NASA and built by GE Aerospace, demonstrated flight of an innovation that can inform new generations of fuel-saving aircraft power systems.

Mounted to a Saab 340B aircraft, the engine flew at Farnborough International Air Show in the United Kingdom. It was the public debut of a system that has in recent months made historic test flights, becoming the first hybrid electric-powered aircraft to fly above 30,000 feet.

“This achievement reflects what NASA does best in aeronautics: we explore bold possibilities, validate them through rigorous research and testing, and work with industry to turn breakthrough ideas into technologies that bring real value for the American people,” said Laurie Grindle, director of the Aeronautics Division within the agency’s Research and Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

The testing leveraged work done through NASA’s former Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration project and the agency’s ongoing Subsonic Vehicle Technologies and Tools project – years of collaborative research that included key testing at NASA test facilities. 

The engine integrates electric motors, a gas turbine, and energy storage capabilities. It was designed to demonstrate the capacity to power an aircraft around the size of a regional-class jet, reducing fuel burn and costs without sacrificing performance. The unit’s technology and designs are expected to be used to help develop future hybrid systems that could lower airline operating costs. 

The demonstration flight came after years of rapid development for the technology. For NASA, it also validates work that stretches back to a time when hybrid aviation propulsion seemed almost beyond the horizon of possibility.

“This is the culmination of more than 15 years of work, and we did that because it’s going to have an impact for aircraft that will help reduce energy use and help U.S. companies and the public,” said Ralph Jansen, aerospace engineer at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. “It’s about having a vision that no one believes can happen and then doing the work to define and execute the research and development needed to make it happen.”  

This accomplishment was possible because of the collaborative effort of hundreds of people working on Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration and Subsonic Vehicle Technologies and Tools projects across NASA centers, in conjunction with GE Aerospace and its partner companies.

Hybird-Electric Evolves

In recent years, aviation has seen a boom in small aircraft and drones powered by electrical systems drawing from batteries. But large passenger and cargo planes require complex engines capable of supplying massive amounts of power. So more than a decade ago when NASA began contemplating hybrid systems, just the possibility of using electric motors to supplement some energy was a daunting engineering challenge. 

NASA spent about seven years performing preliminary research, working with small businesses and other partners to consider technological obstacles and the potential commercial viability of hybrid systems. During that time, the agency addressed several barriers to implementation including the power, thermal, and battery technology, and the integration of the power system, engine, and aircraft.

Through the agency’s Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration award, GE Aerospace and NASA worked with researchers to develop lighter and more efficient power systems and shrink key components – sometimes dramatically. 

NASA and GE Aerospace also leveraged agency facilities and resources to further their research. In 2022, GE Aerospace tested an integrated version of its propulsion system at NASA’s Electric Aircraft Testbed at the agency’s Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio. Testing allowed the system to operate in conditions simulating 45,000 feet in altitude, the range in which commercial single-aisle aircraft fly. 

The team added components, including electric motors, power converters, propellers, and a GE Aerospace commercial engine, followed by more ground tests and eventual flight tests. For the researchers who’d spent years on the concept, seeing the engine powering an aircraft in flight was a major step in a long journey.

“I’ve got to say, I was pretty touched seeing it fly. It was just awesome,” Jansen said.  “It’s just like a regular plane, which is probably the best thing of all.”

NASA’s current support for this research is through the Aeronautics Division of its Research and Technology Mission Directorate.