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NASA Invites Media to Moon Landing Simulation Experience in California

26 October 2026 at 13:13

2 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

Members of the media are invited to tour a new lunar landing simulation at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley on Thursday, Oct. 29, and Friday, Oct. 30.

Using a combination of in-house and partner motion-based simulators, NASA is giving astronauts and engineering support teams simulated experiences before crew members pilot commercial human landing systems to the surface of the Moon. Through the Artemis program, NASA is targeting the next lunar landing in 2028.

During the tour, media will have an opportunity to participate in a Vertical Motion Simulator ride-along and interview subject matter experts.

Media interested in participating should RSVP by Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 5:00 pm PT to the NASA Ames newsroom at: arc-dl-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov. Space is limited, and media must register in advance for consideration. NASA’s media accreditation policy is online. In your RSVP, please note your preference for Oct. 29 or Oct. 30.

The landing simulation at Ames was developed by NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and integrated into the recently upgraded simulator flight deck.

As part of a Golden Age of innovation and exploration, NASA will send Artemis astronauts on increasingly difficult missions near the lunar South Pole to explore more of the Moon than ever before. In addition to providing economic benefits and advancing scientific discovery through its Moon missions, NASA will establish an enduring human presence on the lunar surface and build on the agency’s foundation for the first crewed mission to Mars.

For more information about NASA’s Artemis program, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/artemis

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Jeanne Neal
Ames Research Center, Calif.
650-604-4789
jeanne.c.neal@nasa.gov

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Last Updated
Oct 26, 2026

NASA Experimental Mars Helicopter Blade Designs Target Longer Flights 

20 October 2026 at 12:02
Ingenuity
roamx-0201
A close-up view of a cross-section of the Ingenuity rotor blade, also called an airfoil. The blade is shaped like an arched teardrop with holes drilled into the side.
A close-up view of a cross section of a rotor blade, also called an airfoil. The thin, gray material is slightly arched and sits atop a black stand against a ruler.
A close-up view of a cross-section of the Ingenuity rotor blade, also called an airfoil. The blade is shaped like an arched teardrop with holes drilled into the side.
A close-up view of a cross section of a rotor blade, also called an airfoil. The thin, gray material is slightly arched and sits atop a black stand against a ruler.
Ingenuity
roamx-0201
Rotor blade cross-sections highlight the thinner profile of the roamx-0201 design (right) compared to the more traditional, rounded shape used by NASA’s Ingenuity Mars helicopter, which accomplished the first powered flight on Mars.

NASA researchers are developing the future of flight on Mars, laying the groundwork for helicopters with the ability to fly higher and farther while conducting science on the Red Planet. Using high-fidelity computer simulations and wind tunnel tests, engineers are reimagining the rotorcraft blades that could carry the next generation of Mars flyers.
 
NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter made history as the first powered aircraft to fly on another planet. The SkyFall mission, scheduled for launch in 2028, builds on that legacy with a trio of helicopters destined for Mars exploration. Both missions utilize a blade designed to operate in Mars’ thin atmosphere, with a curved edge reminiscent of but distinct from blades used on Earth.
 
Researchers are exploring unconventional blade designs that are thinner and sharper, aiming to enable future missions after Skyfall to expand their single-flight range across Mars. One team at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley is working with Imperial College London, United Kingdom, and Nagoya University, Japan, to test a new blade cross-section, or airfoil, that promises to significantly boost aerodynamic performance on Mars.
 
Researchers designed the new airfoil, called roamx-0201, using advanced simulations and algorithms tuned to Mars conditions, pointing researchers toward a thinner, asymmetrical shape. Subsequent wind tunnel tests showed that the optimized design boosted performance and was better able to recover in risky flight conditions.
 
Researchers used high-fidelity simulation tools to analyze the performance of the roamx-0201 airfoil and compare it to Ingenuity’s capacity. They found that the redesigned blades could enable future Mars helicopters to expand the distances that can be covered in one uninterrupted flight from Ingenuity’s 0.7 kilometers to as much as 18.7 kilometers while carrying scientific instruments. The findings were announced in a paper published Sept. 22 in the journal of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
 
The roamx‑0201 blades performed well in part because they were able to operate longer at higher speeds before experiencing a phenomenon known as “drag divergence”, where performance drops suddenly when the rotors approach the speed of sound, which is lower on Mars than on Earth.
 
The new blade also differs from earlier designs in how it uses turbulence to create lift. As air flows over a rotorcraft blade, it forms a thin region called the “boundary layer.” The new airfoil intentionally disrupts the flow of that boundary layer at the front of the airfoil directly at the leading edge to create a disturbance that, counterintuitively, pulls the blade upward to help lift the rotorcraft more effectively than with earlier designs.
 
Another challenge for rotorcraft is “stall,” an aerodynamic condition in which performance drops sharply and flight becomes unstable following a change in the angle of airflow. Ingenuity’s blades experienced steep performance degradation at stall, but under the conditions studied, the roamx-0201 design showed significantly improved stall behavior. That means future helicopters could operate safely at a wider range of flight angles.
 
While the technology is not yet ready for Mars, tests are helping engineers understand and resolve discrepancies between computational predictions and real-world performance. Ongoing research across NASA aims to enable more efficient Mars helicopters that can fly farther, carry more payload, and unlock new science and discovery missions.

NASA Provides Progress Update on Moon Base Rovers

20 October 2026 at 11:00

6 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

An illustration of two astronauts are working on the lunar surface next to a lunar rover. The astronauts are wearing white spacesuits with red stripes shown on the back of the suit. One astronaut is standing up and appears to be grabbing something off of the lunar rover and the other astronaut is kneeling down working on something.
Artist’s rendering of astronauts working next to a lunar terrain vehicle on the lunar surface.
NASA

As NASA works to build the Moon Base, crewed and robotic lunar rovers will play a crucial role during early development through technology demonstrations, astronaut transport, terrain mapping, scientific investigations, and resource prospecting. Data from these early missions will inform future mobility systems and infrastructure needed for astronauts to live and work on the Moon.

On Tuesday, NASA released a Moon Base video update offering a closer look at the progress being made on the commercial lunar terrain vehicles and robotic rovers that will enable the surface mobility needed to build humanity’s first lunar outpost.

“Lunar rovers are central to our surface mobility strategy,” said Robert Pickle, director of the Surface Mobility Office within the agency’s Moon Base Program. “Their performance will lay the groundwork for the mobility systems that will define the next era of exploration and ultimately determine how effectively we can build, operate, and expand the infrastructure required for long‑duration exploration.”

Learn more about NASA’s VIPER

An artist’s concept of NASA’s VIPER lunar rover on the surface of the Moon.
NASA/Daniel Rutter

NASA’s VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) will embark on a mission to the lunar South Pole region in 2027 to venture into permanently shadowed craters looking for water and other valuable resources essential for sustainable exploration. 

After delivery to the lunar surface by a Blue Moon Mark 1 lander, VIPER will travel more than 18 miles (30 kilometers), collecting information about the thermal, lighting, and terrain environment in the Moon’s South Pole region. This data could provide information about the origin and distribution of water on the Moon, help determine how lunar resources could be used for the Moon Base, as well as better understand the history of the Moon, Earth, and the processes that helped shape conditions for life.

Mission operations for VIPER will be run out of NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley where teams are simulating possible scenarios for when the rover begins its mission on the Moon.

The VIPER rover is currently at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston where it is fully built and undergoing final testing before traveling to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launch to the Moon. 

Lunar terrain vehicles

To advance surface mobility on the Moon, NASA awarded Astrolab and Lunar Outpost task orders to build the first phase of Moon Base rovers capable of carrying crew, called lunar terrain vehicles (LTVs), that will be delivered to the Moon ahead of crewed Artemis missions. NASA awarded Blue Origin a task order to deliver the LTVs to the lunar South Pole region by 2028 through the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative.


The LTVs will be remotely operated from Earth, traversing up to 3.7 miles (6 kilometers) a day, mapping the lunar surface to help scientists produce high-resolution maps of the region, prior to crew arriving on future missions. The rovers also will collect information to help NASA and its partners learn about operating in this extreme environment, such as data on lighting, navigation, and how well the LTVs preserve energy and function when driving in and out of permanently shadowed regions that can reach minus 334°F (minus 203°C). This will help inform Moon Base development and improve on design and capability for future mobility systems, hardware, and infrastructure. 

During missions on the lunar surface, Artemis astronauts will drive the LTVs as they explore geologically diverse areas of the lunar South Pole region, gathering geology samples to bring back to Earth for scientists to study. The LTVs will be able to support up to three moonwalks per Artemis mission, transport up to 176 pounds (80 kilograms) of lunar samples and tools, and travel up to six miles (10 kilometers) on a single battery charge.

Astrolab

An artist's concept of two astronauts in white spacesuits sitting inside a white unpressurized lunar terrain vehicle developed by Astrolab. A large display is centered between them and the headlights of the rover are on.
An artist’s concept of Astrolab’s Crewed Lunar Vehicle, or CLV-1, on the surface of the Moon.
Astrolab

Astrolab’s Crewed Lunar Vehicle 1, or CLV-1, is a rover adapted from the company’s FLEX (Flexible Logistics and Exploration Vehicle) LTV architecture. Astrolab recently delivered a mockup of CLV-1 to Axiom Space, where NASA astronauts wore mock-ups of the Artemis lunar spacesuit and evaluated the lunar rover’s design, crew cabin, and display interfaces.

Prior to CLV-1 arriving to the Moon, Astrolab will send its first robotic rover, FLIP (FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform), to the lunar surface as a payload on Voyager Technologies’ Griffin Mission One scheduled to launch in late 2026. FLIP will study the environment of the South Pole and serve as a testbed for critical subsystems on CLV-1, which will include similar tires, batteries, radios, and cameras.

In the next few weeks, Astrolab engineers will head to NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland where they will use the center’s Simulated Lunar Operations laboratory to evaluate the how CLV-1’s flexible, airless wheels perform while driving on a simulated lunar surface.

Lunar Outpost

A photo of a full-scale prototype of Lunar Outpost's Pegasus lunar terrain vehicle. The rover can seat two astronauts, is fabricated out of metal, has mesh tires, has two solar arrays deployed, and is lit up by blue lights.
A full-scale prototype of Lunar Outpost’s Pegasus lunar terrain vehicle.
Lunar Outpost

Lunar Outpost’s Pegasus crewed LTV is a lighter, mission-ready evolution of the company’s Eagle LTV. Prior to the award, Lunar Outpost built two mockups of Pegasus and recently delivered a third static mockup to NASA’s Johnson Space Center for crewed testing. During the test, NASA astronauts wore pressurized spacesuits and evaluated the rover’s design, usability, and crew comfort. 

In 2025, Lunar Outpost’s robotic exploration rover MAPP (Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform) operated at the Moon’s South Pole. During the mission, MAPP acted as a testbed and collected data, achieving flight-proven readiness for key hardware and software subsystems, like its automatic thermal control system, navigation cameras, and mission control software that will be used to remotely operate Pegasus. With a second MAPP rover scheduled to launch in early 2027, Lunar Outpost is advancing many of the key technologies that are directly transferable to Pegasus.

In the next few weeks, Lunar Outpost teams also will head to NASA Glenn to test and evaluate the soil mechanics, traction, and mobility of Pegasus’ spring mesh tires.

In the coming months, both Astrolab and Lunar Outpost will test drivable LTV mockups with NASA crew to evaluate how the rovers drive and operate in a simulated lunar environment. Lunar Outpost is scheduled to complete the preliminary design review of their LTV in October, and Astrolab is scheduled to complete their preliminary design review by the end of December. Both companies are on schedule to deliver the flight-ready hardware to NASA at the end of 2027.

As part of a Golden Age of innovation and exploration, NASA will send Artemis astronauts on increasingly difficult missions near the lunar South Pole to explore more of the Moon than ever before. In addition to providing economic benefits and advancing scientific discovery through its Moon missions, NASA will establish an enduring human presence on the lunar surface and build on the agency’s foundation for the first crewed mission to Mars.

To learn more about the Moon Base, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/moonbase

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There's a lot of ground to cover when you're building a Moon Base. From robotic rovers exploring the rugged lunar landscape to lunar terrain vehicles carryin...

NASA to Conduct Low-Altitude Flights Over Texas Farmland

20 October 2026 at 16:21

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on Oct. 15, 2026, and has been updated to correct the location of the flights.

A NASA Dynamic Aviation A200 aircraft will conduct low-flying research flights over farmland near Amarillo, Texas, from Thursday, Oct. 22, through Monday, Nov. 9. These flights will measure gaseous and particulate emissions from animal feeding operations.

A two engine aircraft sitting in front of a hangar.
A photo of the Dynamic Aviation A200 aircraft, which will conduct low-flying research flights over farmland near Amarillo, Texas, to measure emissions in October and November 2026.
Dynamic Aviation

Agricultural emissions represent an important and understudied part of Earth’s land and atmosphere systems. The FarmFlux mission will deploy more than a dozen sensors to measure ozone, methane, ammonia, particulates, and other pollutants rising from crop lands and livestock farms and their interaction with the Earth’s atmosphere. The mission is jointly led by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland; Colorado State University; and Boston University.

Additional low-altitude research flights with a NASA P-3 Orion aircraft are scheduled for the March to July 2027 growing season in the Midwest and California’s Central Valley with a focus on cropland.

For more information about the FarmFlux mission, visit:

https://science.nasa.gov/mission/evs-4/farm-flux/

By Sharon Teitelbaum

NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley

Rigorous Analysis Confirms NASA’s Artemis II Heat Shield Performance 

15 October 2026 at 10:57
A post‑mission comparison of the Orion spacecraft heat shields from Artemis I (left) and Artemis II (right) are shown after removal from their crew modules. Both heat shields are seen rotated for inspection inside the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NASA

NASA’s Artemis II mission sent four astronauts around the Moon and brought them safely back to Earth, laying a foundation for crewed flights to the Moon’s surface.

Additional engineering data analysis of the Orion spacecraft’s heat shield confirmed initial data showing the heat shield performed as expected.  

In particular, NASA measured whether the thermal protection system effectively safeguarded the crew and Orion systems as the spacecraft reentered Earth’s atmosphere. This test flight was the first time astronauts flew aboard Orion. 

Orion reached a maximum velocity of 39 times the speed of sound and experienced external temperatures exceeding 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit at its peak, all while the four astronauts inside Orion stayed relatively cool with a cabin temperature in the mid-70 degree Fahrenheit range during their return to Earth from the Moon.  

After NASA’s thorough analysis of Artemis I heat shield findings, informed by extensive arc jet material testing at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, the agency modified Orion’s reentry trajectory for Artemis II by shortening the maximum downrange distance the spacecraft could fly between when it entered Earth’s atmosphere and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean. Analysis prior to the mission showed that limiting downrange distance would limit how long the spacecraft’s heat shield spent in the temperature range at which the Artemis I heat shield phenomenon occurred.  

Shortly after Artemis II splashdown on April 10, 2026, U.S. Navy divers captured underwater imagery of the Orion spacecraft’s heat shield.
US Navy

The spacecraft reentered with precision, entering within only 192 feet of its targeted entry interface, and successfully splashed down only 0.59 miles from the predicted landing site off the coast of San Diego. Initial inspections of the thermal protection system, including diver imagery of the spacecraft’s heat shield taken just after splashdown and further inspections on the recovery ship, found it performed as expected, with a significant reduction in the amount of cracks and char loss as compared to Artemis I.  

Upon the spacecraft’s return to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida after the Moon mission, thermal protection system experts began additional examination of the heat shield, made of 186 unique blocks of an ablative material called Avcoat. The heat shield was then transported to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where work on sample extraction and internal x-ray scans began in August to provide further engineering insight into the system and behavior of the material.

The Artemis II Orion crew module after being offloaded from the well deck of USS John P. Murtha at Naval Base San Diego and lifted from the Orion Recovery Cradle Assembly on April 18, 2026. The gray area, as seen on the edge where the spacecraft’s heat shield and the backshell meet, is from recovery operations.
NASA/Kevin Davis

A thorough post-flight assessment review found that Orion’s aerodynamic and aerothermal performance, including the heat shield and backshell thermal protection system, was in line with engineering predictions based on pre-flight analyses and ground testing. The shorter allowable down range during entry reduced the cracking and char loss experienced on the Artemis II heat shield relative to the Artemis I heat shield by a factor of ten, proving the effectiveness of the trajectory modification. Engineers found only nine spots of char loss of varying sizes on the Artemis II heat shield dish, compared to 103 during Artemis I. 

The analysis also showed that Orion’s robust heat shield design showed consistency from Artemis I to Artemis II, evident by the performance of system features such as the seams between the heat shield Avcoat blocks and the Avcoat surrounding the heat shield compression pad separation bolts. 

Post-flight inspection of Orion’s backshell, the protective cover on the sloped sides of the crew module made up of 1,300 ceramic tiles, showed expected performance across the crew module surface. Visual inspections indicated backshell features designed to seal and protect penetrations such as windows, vents, thrusters, and the side hatch also met expectations, with no signs of overheating observed. 

The team also performed post-flight laser scans of the heat shield surface and is comparing this data to pre-flight measurements to determine material recession, which will then be compared to analysis predictions. Engineers are continuing with heat shield sample extraction at NASA Marshall and subsequent material test and assessment and thermal analysis, to support long-term heat shield development, manufacturing efforts, and data capture. 

The Artemis II Orion crew module is lifted from its recovery fixture for inspection and engineering imagery after being offloaded from the USS John P. Murtha at Naval Base San Diego on April 18, 2026. The recessed areas, or smaller concentric circles, seen on the heat shield are associated with the separation bolts that connect the crew module with the service module. The larger circular patterns are formed due to compression pad material used within this location of the spacecraft, creating flow disturbances caused by extreme aerodynamic and thermal airflow during reentry. This causes increased heating locally and therefore Avcoat ablator thickness is increased in these areas by design.
NASA/Kevin Davis

Orion’s performance and the team’s analysis on Artemis II reflect system robustness, capability to support crew, and critical insights gathered that will enhance the Artemis III mission and beyond. Following the extensive Artemis I heat shield investigation, upgrades were made to the heat shield design for Artemis III to achieve uniformity and consistent permeability of the Avcoat blocks. Technicians attached the heat shield for the Artemis III Orion crew module at NASA Kennedy in early July, and the Orion crew and service modules were joined at the end of July. The spacecraft has since been successfully powered up for the first time, enabling engineers to check all connection lines between the two modules are working as planned.

A person lies on the floor of a workshop, holding a flashlight to inspect the underside of a large, circular heat-shield-like structure suspended above them. The individual is positioned on their side beneath the hardware, with tools and equipment visible in the background.
An engineer from NASA’s Ames Research Center inspects the Artemis II Orion heat shield at NASA Kennedy’s Multi-Purpose Payload Facility on April 30, 2026, prior to its removal from the crew module. The orange tint seen between Avcoat tiles is an expected effect of the silicone used to fill the gaps between the blocks. The silicone gap filler contains iron oxide, which gives it a red appearance after enduring reentry. 
NASA/Kevin Davis

NASA continues to advance toward Artemis III as teams ready the Orion spacecraft for next year’s mission in low Earth orbit. NASA will launch the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft with NASA astronauts Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio, Andre Douglas, and ESA (European Space Agency) Luca Parmitano, to rendezvous with human lander test articles from Blue Origin and SpaceX to demonstrate critical systems and operations needed for future lunar landings, beginning with Artemis IV in 2028.

NASA Demonstrates Next-Generation Heat Shield Technologies

9 October 2026 at 12:59

4 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

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A KREPE-3 capsule floats inside the Northrup Grumman Cygnus XL 24 cargo spacecraft on October 7. Inside the capsule is a 3-D printed heat shield designed by researchers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
NASA

NASA is testing heat shields that can keep astronauts safe as they return from missions to the Moon and Mars in an unusual way: by taking out the trash.

When Northrop Grumman 24th cargo resupply mission for NASA undocked from the International Space Station, it carried a fleet of 12 small, experimental capsules designed to test the next generation of thermal protection materials that could serve as the foundation for future heat shields.

The experiment, called the Kentucky Reentry Probe Experiment (KREPE-3), is the third in a series of low-cost, high-impact missions that use the final moments of the cargo spacecraft’s lifespan to gather valuable data.

The experiment is a collaboration among the University of Kentucky, the state of Kentucky, NASA’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), several NASA centers, and other federal and commercial partners.

“KREPE-3 is a great example of the goals of NASA’s EPSCoR program,” said David Berger, EPSCoR program manager at NASA’s Headquarters in Washington. “We are supporting the next generation of scientists and engineers as they develop unique projects that benefit their education and NASA’s mission goals.”

Trash to treasure

Before the mission’s Cygnus XL spacecraft departed the station, astronauts packed it with waste and activated the 12 small capsules carried inside. Designed by University of Kentucky students, the capsules include sensors that will measure temperature, pressure, motion, magnetic field, and light during re-entry. 

As the vehicle harmlessly breaks apart in Earth’s atmosphere on its planned route, the capsules will eject and begin collecting data on how each set of experimental heat shield materials performs. Satellite signals will transfer live data to researchers, offering insights into how larger heat shields could protect future cargo or crew.

“It’s a smart way to get flight data on materials that are still in development,” said Keith Peterson, a materials engineer at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. “We’re essentially hitching a ride on a vehicle that’s already coming back to Earth.”

Close up of an Ames-produced thermal protection system (TPS) (heat shield) for the Kentucky Re-Entry Probe Experiment (KREPE) in the Sensors & TPS Advanced Research Laboratories (STAR Labs) N242.
NASA/Brandon Torres-Navarrete

Heating up innovation

The capsules will carry a variety of thermal protective components, including proven technology such as the ceramic tile material used on the space shuttle. Others will test new options, such as a 3D-printed heat shield from the Additive Manufacturing of Thermal Protective Systems project developed at NASA Johnson and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Researchers at NASA Ames are contributing several materials to KREPE-3, including two capsules that will fly a next-generation family of protective coverings known as Materials Engineered for Re-entry using Innovative Needling Operations (MERINO). Made from layers of carbon and phenolic fibers stitched together like felt, the materials are more flexible, faster to produce, and less expensive than traditional protective substances – making them promising candidates for Mars missions. Thanks to Mars’ thinner atmosphere, missions to land on the Red Planet involve lower heat loads and allow for lighter protection.

A third capsule will combine those protective coverings with other elements. The Kentucky Instrumented Conical Hypersonic Experiment will utilize a dual-cone shape. It combines a tungsten tip attached to a cone layered with carbon and hear-resistant plastic fibers, and an aft cone wrapped in MERINO. This unique design will validate computer models against real-world data.

Another capsule is shaped like the protective aeroshell that will protect NASA’s upcoming mission, Dragonfly, as it arrives at Saturn’s moon, Titan, and will test the dynamic stability of the design. It is covered in Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator, a material developed at NASA Ames that has applications for commercial vehicles and flew on NASA’s Stardust, Mars Science Laboratory, and Mars 2020 missions.

One capsule will test a deployable heat shield called Adaptable Deployable Entry and Placement Technology, which is shaped like an umbrella to increase surface area and slow descent. At full scale, Adaptable Deployable Entry design could be folded, making it ideal for deploying payloads that are larger than the rockets that launch them into flight.

While some capsules are testing new materials to carry missions to Mars, others are testing new shapes and designs that will further research and understanding of computer modeling and sensor design — technologies that could open doors to another generation of re-entry design innovation.

Additional capsules developed by domestic and international partners will test a variety of known and new materials, including a heat flux sensor developed at the University of Stuttgart in Germany, that will help researchers measure how heat moves across a surface during re-entry.

“We’re pushing the boundaries of what heat shields can do,” said Peterson. “And we’re testing them in a way that’s fast, affordable, and incredibly effective.”

NASA’s SSPICY Mission to Demonstrate In-Space Inspection Technologies

8 October 2026 at 14:56

2 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

Four people in white suits with teal gloves hold the underside of the SSPICY spacecraft's white frame with
Technicians at Starfish Space prepare the Otter spacecraft ahead of NASA’s SSPICY technology demonstration mission. The spacecraft will demonstrate technologies that could reduce orbital debris.
Starfish Space

A new NASA-supported spacecraft will get up close to satellites that are no longer in service, demonstrating technologies that could support future in-space repairs and reduce orbital debris.

The Small Spacecraft Propulsion and Inspection Capability (SSPICY) mission launched Oct. 1 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The mission is a technology demonstration where an Otter spacecraft will approach up to four inoperable space objects of U.S. origin in low Earth orbit, such as satellites and rocket bodies.

In early 2027, the Otter spacecraft, built by Starfish Space, will begin to navigate within hundreds of yards of each object to perform inspections, using autonomous guidance and control software with minimal input from ground controllers. Computer vision and sensors enable software to make real-time navigation decisions as the spacecraft approaches each target.

During inspection, the Otter spacecraft will gather critical information about each object, such as spin rate, orientation, and surface condition. An electric propulsion system will enable SSPICY to travel between objects, and an articulating robotic boom will test pointing the spacecraft’s thrusters for precise maneuvering between different orbits.

This mission is the first time these technologies will be tested together as an integrated system, paving the way for future autonomous servicing and orbital debris inspection.

Four individuals stand in a large room with an American flag and equipment in the background. Above them, the SSPICY spacecraft is held by a ceiling mount.
Technicians prepare the Otter spacecraft for NASA’s SSPICY mission at Starfish Space facilities in Seattle. The spacecraft, which is about the size of a washing machine, will autonomously navigate to inoperable space objects of U.S. origin to inspect them, testing technologies to one day make in-space repair possible.

During the SSPICY mission, the Otter spacecraft won’t touch or dock with any satellites, but will test the technologies needed to one day enable missions to service or repair objects in orbit, or to safely remove them by pulling them into Earth’s atmosphere for disposal.

Space objects like rocket bodies and satellites that are experiencing issues or no longer in service can break apart or collide with one another, creating varying forms of orbital debris from large fragments to small particles. With thousands of satellites launched each year to provide communications, weather forecasting, navigation, and other services that people rely on daily, keeping the space near Earth safe for operations is increasingly critical.

Starfish Space developed and operates the Otter 24C spacecraft, which is performing the SSPICY mission. NASA’s Small Spacecraft and Distributed Systems program within the agency’s Research and Technology Mission Directorate funds and manages the technology demonstration.

NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer program funded awards to Starfish Space to support early development of the spacecraft’s key technologies and capabilities.  

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