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Lessons Learned Library

Over the years, Flight Opportunities participants have identified dozens of suggestions to help researchers be more successful in their flight testing. The Lessons Learned Library presents these suggestions – many of which were shared in the program’s Community of Practice webinars. (Access more information about these webinars under the Resources menu above.)

Check back often, as Flight Opportunities is always adding to this library.

Quick TIPS

Contact flight providers – either those that have flown with Flight Opportunities in the past or other vendors that meet the requirements – early in the process to strengthen your proposal.

Contact flight providers – either those that have flown with Flight Opportunities in the past or other vendors that meet the requirements – early in the process to strengthen your proposal.

Be realistic about your minimum, nominal, and extended mission requirements.

Be realistic about your minimum, nominal, and extended mission requirements.

Show that you have done any necessary ground-testing to mitigate as much risk as possible, demonstrating that you have a real need to see your technology perform in the flight environment.

Show that you have done any necessary ground-testing to mitigate as much risk as possible, demonstrating that you have a real need to see your technology perform in the flight environment.

Ensure your technology fits within NASA’s and the commercial space industry’s needs and that it fits within the scope of the Flight Opportunities program.

Ensure your technology fits within NASA’s and the commercial space industry’s needs and that it fits within the scope of the Flight Opportunities program.

Explain why your technology is outstanding. Compare it to the state of the art.

Explain why your technology is outstanding. Compare it to the state of the art.

Getting Involved with the Flight Opportunities Program

Researchers interested in testing their payload in a relevant environment are encouraged to follow these best practices to engage with the program and make the most of their experience.

Learn how to get involved with Flight Opportunities
Three researchers peer through the white bands that create a cell-like space containing a floating cube with QR codes on each side. A camera mounted to the top corner of the cell records the experiment.
Researchers from the University of California, Davis test a CubeSat attitude control technology in microgravity during a parabolic flight in November 2022, as part of NASA’s Flight Opportunities program.
Zero Gravity Corporation/Steve Boxall

Learn More and Get Involved

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Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Sign up to receive interesting and relevant news and updates from NASA's Flight Opportunities program delivered to your inbox, including Community of Practice webinar announcements.

Webinars

Community of Practice Webinars

Designed to distill and share the most important lessons learned by suborbital researchers, these webinars are a chance to hear from subject matter experts on best practices for preparing for suborbital flight tests.

World View’s Stratollite high-altitude balloon is inflated on the launch pad.

Access Flight Tests

Flight Opportunities offers several avenues for accessing flights on commercial vehicles in order to test and demonstrate promising space-based technologies.

Heat shield and Earth from space

Commercial Flight Providers

When non-U.S. government researchers compete for funding through the Flight Opportunities program's TechFlights solicitation, they can propose to use any viable U.S.-based commercial provider. For U.S. government research, NASA has IDIQ (Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity) contracts with several flight services vendors.

Hands around floating box.

Other Resources

We offer a wealth of information, including our newsletter archive, Flight Opportunities' Lessons Learned Library, archives of solicitations, and other info about program activities.

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Technology Portfolio

The portfolio of suborbital flight testing payloads includes all payloads selected from the beginning of the program in October 2010.

Keep Exploring

Discover More Topics From NASA

Space Technology Mission Directorate

STMD Solicitations and Opportunities

STMD Flight Opportunities

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