NextSTEP Overview
NextSTEP is a public-private partnership model that seeks commercial development of deep space exploration capabilities to support more extensive human spaceflight missions in and beyond cislunar space—the space near Earth that extends just beyond the Moon. NextSTEP is managed by NASA’s Advanced Exploration Systems Division.
An important part of NASA’s strategy is to stimulate the commercial space industry to help the agency achieve its strategic goals and objectives for expanding the frontiers of knowledge, capability, and opportunities in space. A key component of the NextSTEP partnership model is that it provides an opportunity for NASA and industry to partner to develop capabilities that meet NASA human space exploration objectives while also supporting industry commercialization plans.
NASA issued the original NextSTEP Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) to U.S. industry in late 2014, and issued the second NextSTEP BAA in April 2016. The second NextSTEP BAA is an omnibus announcement with appendices that will solicit proposals in specific research areas.
The two NextSTEP BAAs are outlined below. NextSTEP is open to all categories of U.S. and non-U.S. institutions (NASA Centers and other FFRDC and Government agencies, companies, universities, nonprofit organizations). Eligibility for participation is tailored for each research area.
NextSTEP-2 Omnibus – NNH16ZCQ001K
The Omnibus BAA will be amended with each new appendix release. The current version is available below:
NextSTEP-2 Appendices:
- Appendix A – Habitation Systems
- Appendix B – FabLab
- Appendix C – Power and Propulsion Element Studies
- Appendix D – In-situ Resource Utilization
- Appendix E – Human Landing System Studies, Risk Reduction, Development, and Demonstration
- Appendix F – Trash Compaction and Processing
- Appendix G – Space Relay Partnership and Services Study
- Appendix H – Human Landing System
- Appendix I – Commercial Destination Development in Low Earth Orbit using the International Space Station
- Appendix J – Opportunities to Stimulate Demand in Low Earth Orbit through Applied Research
- Appendix K – Commercial Destination Development in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) Free Flyer
