Flight Opportunities rapidly demonstrates space technologies using commercial flight platforms, including rocket-powered suborbital vehicles, high-altitude balloons, platforms hosting payloads in orbit, and aircraft flying parabolic trajectories. The program engages with commercial flight providers either by contracting with them directly to provide flight services or by funding researchers to purchase flight services directly.
Commercial flight providers that have a contract with NASA are noted below with an asterisk (*). The list below also includes some of the flight providers that have flown or are slated to fly Flight Opportunities-supported payloads. For more information about flight provider eligibility, please contact the program.
Rocket-powered vehicles include both suborbital reusable launch vehicles (sRLVs) that reach high altitudes and may include periods of microgravity as well as lander vehicles that specialize in entry, descent, and landing (EDL) technologies. Both of these classes of vehicles are typically recoverable and reusable after launch.
* Indicates companies that have a contract with NASA to provide flight services for government-supported research.
Astrobotic*
Astrobotic has a contract with NASA to conduct flight testing aboard its Xodiac rocket lander. Click the arrow to view Astrobotic's payload user guide (PUG).
Blue Origin*
Blue Origin has a contract with NASA to conduct flight testing aboard its New Shepard suborbital rocket system. Read about a past flight test with Blue Origin.
EXOS Aerospace
Click the arrow to read about a past flight test with EXOS Aerospace.
Rocket Lab USA Inc.*
Rocket Lab has a contract with NASA to conduct flight testing aboard its Electron launch vehicle with Photon and HASTE. Click the arrow to view Rocket Lab's payload user guide (PUG).
UP Aerospace
Click the arrow to read about a past flight test with UP Aerospace.
Virgin Galactic*
Virgin Galactic has a contract with NASA to conduct flight testing aboard its Virgin Spaceship (VSS). Click the arrow to view Virgin Galactic's payload user guide (PUG).
High-Altitude Balloons
Large balloon systems reach a nominal altitude of 30 km and can also typically sustain the longest duration of the suborbital vehicles — hours, days, or even weeks at a time. This makes them ideal for payloads that benefit from extended periods of data collection.
* Indicates companies that have a contract with NASA to provide flight services for government-supported research.
Aerostar International LLC*
Aerostar has a contract with NASA to conduct flight testing aboard its Aerostar Lightning Balloon Systems, Aerostar Cyclone Balloon Systems, and Thunderhead Balloon Systems. Click the arrow to view Aerostar's payload user guide (PUG).
Angstrom Designs*
Angstrom Designs has a contract with NASA to conduct flight testing aboard its Featherlight Balloon. Click the arrow to request a copy of the Angstrom Designs payload user guide (PUG).
World View Enterprises*
World View has a contract with NASA to conduct flight testing aboard its Gryphon Stratollite and Tycho Stratollite balloons. Click the arrow to view World View's payload user guide (PUG).
Hosted Orbital Platforms
Flight Opportunities also offers opportunities on orbital platforms that can host payloads. These platforms include small spacecraft, satellites, launch vehicle stages, or orbital spacecraft that can host payloads and perform at least one orbit around the Earth. Platforms provide power and communications to their hosted payloads.
* Indicates companies that have a contract with NASA to provide flight services for government-supported research.
Astro Digital*
Astro Digital has a contract with NASA to conduct flight testing aboard its Corvus-6U, Corvus-16U, Corvus-Micro, and Corvus-XL platforms. Click the arrow to view Astro Digital's payload user guides (PUGs).
ispace-U.S.
Click the arrow to read about the payload that will be flight tested with ispace-U.S.
Loft Federal*
Loft Federal has a contract with NASA to conduct flight testing aboard its Longbow Bus Platform. Click the arrow to view Loft Orbital's payload user guide (PUG).
Momentus Space*
Momentus Space has a contract with NASA to conduct flight testing aboard its Vigoride orbital vehicle. Click the arrow to view Momentus Space's payload user guide (PUG).
Rocket Lab USA Inc.*
Rocket Lab has a contract with NASA to conduct flight testing aboard its Electron launch vehicle with Photon and HASTE. Click the arrow to view Rocket Lab's payload user guide (PUG).
SpaceX*
Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) has a contract with NASA to conduct flight testing aboard its Falcon launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft. Click the arrow to view SpaceX's payload user guide (PUG).
Spire Global*
Spire Global has a contract with NASA to conduct flight testing aboard its LEMUR satellite. Click the arrow to view Spire Global's payload user guide (PUG).
Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems*
Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems has a contract with NASA to conduct flight testing aboard its Triumph and Renegade platforms. Click the arrow to view Tyvak's payload user guides (PUGs).
Varda Space Industries*
Varda Space Industries has a contract with NASA to conduct flight testing aboard its W-Series platform. Click the arrow to view Varda's payload user guide (PUG).
Parabolic Flights
These flights achieve brief periods of reduced gravity through a series of maneuvers called parabolas. Parabolic flights can be used for testing technologies that need to operate in the absence of gravity.
* Indicates companies that have a contract with NASA to provide flight services for government-supported research.
Zero Gravity Corporation*
Zero Gravity Corporation has a contract with NASA to conduct flight testing aboard its G-Force One aircraft. Click the arrow to contact Zero-G and request a payload user guide (PUG).
Learn More and Get Involved
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Flight Opportunities offers several avenues for accessing flights on commercial vehicles in order to test and demonstrate promising space-based technologies.
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