Space Projects
Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, supports NASA’s Human Exploration and Space Technology missions by exploring space beyond low-Earth orbit and developing and demonstrating revolutionary, high-payoff technologies.
Branch Chief
Tony Ginn
Deputy Branch Chief
John Kelly
Flight Opportunities Program Manager
Danielle Mcculloch
Flight Opportunities
Rapidly demonstrating technologies for space exploration, discovery, and expansion of space commerce.
Learn More About the Program about Flight Opportunities
Research Focus Areas
In addition to the Flight Opportunities program, Armstrong plays a pivotal role in NASA's space exploration and technology mission activities.
NASA TechRise Student Challenge Tests Experiments in Stratosphere
On July 24, students from 30 middle and high schools selected for NASA’s TechRise Student Challenge watched their experiments launch…
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Space Projects News
Stay up-to-date with the latest news from Armstrong's as we break down barriers and accelerate change for the benefit of humanity.
Listen to this audio excerpt from Jen Madsen and Trey Perryman, leads of the Orion Mission Evaluation Room for the…
For most, getting into a car is a task that can be done without assistance. Yet for those whose destination…
NASA’s launch and mission teams, along with the Artemis II crew, completed a key test Dec. 20, a countdown demonstration…
Listen to this audio excerpt from Grace Lauderdale, exploration project manager for the Training Systems Office at NASA Johnson: In preparation for…
Teams at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida spent 2025 preparing the launch vehicle and its powerhouse SLS (Space Launch…
NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston closed 2025 with major progress across human spaceflight, research, and exploration. From Artemis II…
Lander Simulation Testing Helps Advance NASA Navigation Technology
How do you test lunar lander technology on Earth before going to the Moon? NASA uses commercial flight providers like Masten Space Systems vertical takeoff vertical landing rocket, Xodiac, to validate it during a recent flight in Mojave, California.
The flight test simulates some of the maneuvers of a lunar lander. Designed for precision landing in a very tightly defined area, the Navigation Doppler Lidar technology transmits laser beams to the ground that bounce back to a sensor, providing information about the lander’s velocity and distance to the ground. Unlike Earth where GPS satellites are used to navigate, NASA needs new technology to explore the Moon and other planets so a precision landing technology could open possibilities to land anywhere even near a crater.
