TB 26-01 Evaluation of Adhesive and Solvent Alternatives for Polymeric Bonding Applications

The NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) conducted a technical assessment to evaluate alternatives to dichloromethane, traditionally used for bonding transparent polymeric materials. This effort was initiated in response to potential regulatory restrictions under the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which could impact critical bonding processes used in spaceflight hardware and experimental systems.

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Meagan Chappell

ARMD Research Solicitations (Updated Feb. 4)

THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED ON FEBRUARY 4, 2026

This Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) solicitations page compiles the opportunities to collaborate with NASA’s aeronautical innovators and/or contribute to their research to enable new and improved air transportation systems.

Most opportunities to participate in research are officially announced through the Web-based NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System, better known as NSPIRES. You are encouraged to visit the NSPIRES web site, create an account, and sign up for automated email announcements.

Other types of collaborative opportunities, such as those involving Requests for Information or academic research contests, also are included on this page.

This ARMD Solicitations page has four major sections:

• Quick list of open solicitations with key dates listed.
• Current open solicitations with more details and helpful links.
• Closed solicitations in case it is helpful to see other examples of the kind of research opportunities NASA Aeronautics makes available.
• Summary of NASA’s Research Opportunities in Aeronautics (ROA) NASA Research Announcement (NRA) selection process.

Upcoming Key Dates

March 20, 2026
NASA Aerospace Skilled Technical Workforce Hubs Proposal deadline.

Currently Open Solicitations

FY26 NASA Aerospace Skilled Technical Workforce Hubs (NAS_Hub)

This opportunity seeks proposals to establish state or regionally focused Skilled Technical Workforce Hubs (NAS_Hubs) that will serve as strategic centers for developing and sustaining a skilled technical workforce aligned with aerospace industry and NASA mission needs. The NAS_Hub Notice of Funding Opportunity has been released and may be found in NASA’s Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) on the NAS_Hub landing page.

Key Dates

• Pre-Proposal Webinar: February 18, 2026, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. ET
• Office Hours Session: March 3, 2026, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. ET
• Proposal Deadline: March 20, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET
• Anticipated Award Notification: June 2026

About the Opportunity

The rapid expansion of the space economy and renewed national priorities in human space exploration have created an urgent demand for a robust skilled technical workforce—individuals in critical science- and engineering-based roles who do not require a bachelor’s degree. To address nationwide shortages and ensure U.S. competitiveness in aerospace and defense, NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement is launching the NASA Aerospace Skilled Technical Workforce Hubs (NAS_Hub) initiative.

Through this notice NASA seeks lead organizations to establish hubs that:

• Collaborate with aerospace employers to align education and training with industry-defined workforce needs.
• Partner with community colleges and high school Career and Technical Education programs to deliver hands-on, industry-aligned learning experiences.
• Coordinate with state or regional workforce development system.
• Build clear and sustainable employment pathways into high-demand aerospace technical careers.

NAS_Hubs will serve as focal points for aligning education, workforce, industry, and government partners to accelerate workforce readiness over a three-year period of performance.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include:

• State, county, city, township, special district, and tribal governments
• Public and private institutions of higher education
• Nonprofit organizations
• For-profit organizations and small businesses

Proposals must include partnerships with, at a minimum:

• Three aerospace industry collaborators supporting NASA’s work
• Community college career and technical education program
• High school career and technical education program
• State or regional workforce development system
• NASA Center or other NASA facility

Award Information

• Maximum Annual Award: $500,000
• Maximum Total Award: $1,500,000 over three years
• Cost Sharing: Not required

How to Apply

Proposals must be submitted electronically via NSPIRES. Registration in NSPIRES and an active SAM.gov registration are required.

Pre-Proposal Webinar and Technical Assistance

NASA will host an interactive pre-proposal webinar for the NAS_Hub opportunity on Feb. 18, 2026, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. ET. This session will provide an in-depth overview of this funding opportunity, including program goals, eligibility requirements, proposal preparation guidance, and submission tips. Proposers will also have the opportunity to receive technical assistance and clarification from NASA staff. Prior to attending a webinar, proposers are strongly encouraged to review the full NAS_Hub notice and to check the NAS_Hub landing page in NSPIRES regularly for updates and additional guidance.

Please note that registration is required for the webinar. Connection details will be provided upon completion of registration. Webinar dates, times, registration links, and connection information will be posted on the NAS_Hub landing page in NSPIRES, which also will feature recordings and presentation materials from the webinar after the event for those unable to attend.

Office Hours Session

March 3, 2026, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. ET

Last opportunity for questions prior to the proposal deadline. Join the office hours session here.

Contact Information

For technical assistance with NSPIRES
NSPIRES Help Desk available Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–6:00 PM ET
(202) 479-9376
nspires-help@nasaprs.com 

Program Contact

Maria Arredondo
Next Gen STEM Program Manager
NASA Office of STEM Engagement
Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters

Email: NAS_Hub@nasaprs.com

Aeronautics Innovation Challenges – OPEN

NASA’s nationwide team of aeronautical innovators are committed to giving students of all ages opportunities to solve some of the biggest technical challenges facing the aviation community today. Through NASA-sponsored challenges and competitions, students representing multiple disciplines will put their skills to work by designing and building solutions to real-world problems.

Currently Closed Solicitations

Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations RFI – CLOSED

View the full ACERO RFI announcement here.

NASA’s Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations (ACERO) project used this request for information to identify technologies that addressed current challenges facing the wildland firefighting community. NASA was seeking information on data collection, airborne connectivity and communications solutions, unmanned aircraft systems traffic management, aircraft operations and autonomy, and more. This would support development of a partnership strategy for future collaborative demonstrations.

Interested parties were requested to respond to this notice with an information package submitted via https://nari.arc.nasa.gov/acero-rfi no later than 4 pm ET, October 15, 2023. Submissions were accepted only from U.S. companies.

Advanced Air Mobility Mission RFI – CLOSED

View the full AAM RFI announcement here.

This request for information is being used to gather market research for NASA to make informed decisions regarding potential partnership strategies and future research to enable Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). NASA is seeking information from public, private, and academic organizations to determine technical needs and community interests that may lead to future solicitations regarding AAM research and development.

This particular RFI is just one avenue of multiple planned opportunities for formal feedback on or participation in NASA’s AAM Mission-related efforts to develop these requirements and help enable AAM. 

The respond by date for this RFI closed on Feb. 1, 2025, at 6 p.m. EST.

ROA-2025 NRA Amendment 1 – CLOSED

Advanced Air Vehicles Program Fellowship Opportunities

(View the full ROA-2025 NRA Amendment 1 text here.)

This announcement solicits proposals from accredited U.S. institutions for research training grants to begin the academic year. This Notice of Funding Opportunity is designed to support independently conceived research projects by highly qualified graduate students in disciplines needed to help advance NASA’s mission, thus affording these students the opportunity to directly contribute to advancements in STEM-related areas of study. These opportunities are focused on innovation and the generation of measurable research results that contribute to NASA’s current and future science and technology goals.

Research proposals are sought to address the key challenges summarized in the Elements section at the end of the Amendment 1 document, and which reference NASA’s Hypersonic Technology project.

Reflecting the Fiscal Year 2026 budget changes, the Transformational Tools & Technologies project opportunities originally described in this announcement were cancelled. Proposals citing this project will not be evaluated.

Notices of Intent are not required.

A budget breakdown for each proposal is required, detailing the allocation of the award funds by year. The budget document may adhere to any format or template provided by the applicant’s institution. Two pre-proposal teleconferences for potential proposers will be held and meeting links will be posted on NSPIRES.

Proposals were due by 5 p.m. EDT on June 11, 2025.

NASA Research Opportunities in Aeronautics

Competition for NRA awards is open to both academia and industry.

The current open solicitations for ARMD Research Opportunities are ROA-2024 and ROA-2025.

Here is some general information to know about the NRA process.

• NRA solicitations are released by NASA Headquarters through the Web-based NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES).
• All NRA technical work is defined and managed by project teams within these four programs: Advanced Air Vehicles Program, Airspace Operations and Safety Program, Integrated Aviation Systems Program, and Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program.
• NRA awards originate from NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia, Ames Research Center in California, Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, and Armstrong Flight Research Center in California.
• Competition for NRA awards is full and open.
• Participation is open to all categories of organizations, including educational institutions, industry, and nonprofits.
• Any updates or amendments to an NRA is posted on the appropriate NSPIRES web pages as noted in the Amendments detailed below.
• ARMD sends notifications of NRA updates through the NSPIRES email system. In order to receive these email notifications, you must be a Registered User of NSPIRES. However, note that NASA is not responsible for inadvertently failing to provide notification of a future NRA. Parties are responsible for regularly checking the NSPIRES website for updated NRAs.

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Jim Banke

NASA Armstrong Contributions Propel Artemis, Deep Space Innovation

NASA is leveraging expertise, capabilities, and partnerships across its centers to make Artemis campaign and deep space exploration safer, more reliable, and efficient. At NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, contributions include technical leadership, unique flight-testing capabilities, and management of a key technology program that advances critical exploration concepts.

Artemis II is an upcoming challenging test flight, and the lessons learned will directly prepare NASA to return humans to the surface of the Moon on Artemis III and beyond, as well as send the first astronauts – Americans – to Mars.

Gulfstream G-III aircraft collects heat shield data

As preparations continue for the Artemis II launch, NASA Armstrong technicians modified a Gulfstream G-III to collect heat shield data during Orion’s reentry. As part of NASA’s Scientifically Calibrated In-Flight Imagery, the G-III will join other aircraft to capture Orion’s thermal protection data.

“Before the Artemis II mission begins, the aircraft will complete a dress rehearsal over the Pacific Ocean to verify the airborne system performance,” said Robert Navarro, NASA Armstrong support aircraft fleet project manager.

Technicians at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston installed sensors and special windows for the imagery mission with assistance from NASA Armstrong technicians.

Measuring Orion’s reentry heat

NASA Armstrong also assists with the Orion heat shield spectrometer system for Artemis II. The system is designed to collect shock layer radiation data from the heat shield during atmospheric entry, data that will be used to enhance astronaut safety.

NASA Armstrong’s expertise in integrating technologies, high reliability flight test instrumentation, and flight operations are a match for some Artemis and deep space projects.

“There is nothing that can go to space or come back without going through the atmosphere, so our mission of atmospheric flight research and test is very relevant,” said Brad Flick, NASA Armstrong center director. “We specialize in testing technologies and working through the challenges of flight.”

Testing Orion’s launch abort system

NASA Armstrong demonstrated that approach when it tested a system to enable Artemis astronauts to escape harm in the event of an emergency on the ground, or in the boost phase of the Orion spacecraft.

“We proved the system could get the astronauts to safety,” said Cathy Bahm, project manager for NASA’s Low Boom Flight Demonstrator. Earlier in her career, she played key roles in engineering, integration, and management for Pad Abort-1 and Ascent Abort-2 that validated the Orion spacecraft’s launch abort system.

Armstrong integrated and tested the capsule and abort system and operations at the launch abort pad at White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico for the Pad Abort-1 test.

“Hopefully we’ll never need it, but knowing I contributed to the safety of future astronauts is a highlight of my career,” Bahm said. “Looking back on it, it was a tremendous accomplishment for the center, the team, and a contribution to the future of space travel.”

Flight Opportunities program advances space tech

Another contributor to future space travel is the Flight Opportunities program, which matures capabilities needed for NASA missions and commercial applications while strategically investing in the growth of the U.S. commercial spaceflight industry. NASA Armstrong manages the program, which supports flight testing of promising technologies, instruments, and experiments aboard commercial vehicles. Part of the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, the program identifies the best ideas – from industry, academia, and NASA researchers – for flight testing.

Flight Opportunities advanced precision landing and optical communications technologies for future lunar missions.

“Landing safely in shadowed lunar regions is critical,” said Greg Peters, Flight Opportunities program manager.

Another deep space technology Flight Opportunities supported was a vibration isolation platform that helped provide extremely precise pointing for the Deep Space Optical Communications technology demonstration. That instrument used lasers to transmit data between Earth and the Psyche spacecraft from more than 215 million miles away, which could benefit future missions to Mars.

NASA Armstrong tested Doppler Lidar system navigation on an F/A-18 to prepare for Moon and Mars missions.

Contributions to Artemis, deep space exploration

NASA Armstrong’s work supporting Artemis and future deep space exploration missions also includes:

• A NASA F/A-18 based at NASA Armstrong tested an autopilot for the SLS (Space Launch System) that proved sensors would work at the trajectory needed for landing on Mars.

• NASA Armstrong researchers advanced a Fiber Optic Sensing System that flew in space for the first time on the Low Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator mission.

• NASA Armstrong researchers developed a cryogenic FOSS, called CryoFOSS, to support future deep space missions. CryoFOSS was used during testing of a system designed to liquefy oxygen – as it would on the Moon or Mars – for use as return-trip fuel. By producing fuel on-site, missions could avoid carrying return fuel from Earth, significantly reducing launch weight and overall mission cost.

• NASA Armstrong staff were in the control rooms when the Orion spacecraft launch abort system was demonstrated.

• Before the Ascent Abort-2 tests could advance, NASA Armstrong assisted with component testing and integration work.

• NASA Armstrong photographers and videographers documented the Orion parachute tests in Yuma, Arizona.

Under the Artemis campaign, NASA is returning humans to the Moon for economic benefits, scientific discovery, and to prepare for crewed missions to Mars.

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Dede Dinius

NASA Heat Shield Tech Contributes to America’s Space Industry

This Jan. 29, 2026, photo captures the streak the Varda Space Industries W-5 capsule made while returning to Earth. The capsule uses a protective heat shield Varda produced made of cutting-edge material it licensed from NASA. The material, known as C-PICA (Conformal Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator), provides a stronger, less expensive, and more efficient thermal protection coating to capsules, allowing them – and their valuable contents – to return to Earth safely.

Developed at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, C-PICA sets the standard for heat shields, reflecting the decades of expertise that NASA brings to designing, developing, and testing innovative thermal protection materials. This flight test of Varda-produced C-PICA was supported by NASA’s Flight Opportunities program.

Image credit: Varda Space Industries/William Godward

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Monika Luabeya

NASA’s SPHEREx Examines Comet 3I/ATLAS’s Coma

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NASA’s SPHEREx Examines Comet 3I/ATLAS’s Coma

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These observations by NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) show the infrared light emitted by the dust, water, organic molecules, and carbon dioxide contained within comet 3I/ATLAS’s coma. The comet brightened significantly during the December 2025 period when SPHEREx made the observations — about two months after the icy body had passed its closest distance to the Sun in late October.

The space telescope has the singular capability of seeing the sky in 102 colors, each representing a wavelength of infrared light that provides unique information about galaxies, stars, planet-forming regions, or other cosmic features, including the various gases and dust seen in the coma of 3I/ATLAS. The information gathered by SPHEREx helps scientists better understand what materials 3I/ATLAS contains and how the interstellar object’s pristine ices react to the Sun’s heating as the comet journeys through the solar system.

The mission is managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California for the agency’s Astrophysics Division within the Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The telescope and the spacecraft bus were built by BAE Systems. The science analysis of the SPHEREx data is being conducted by a team of scientists at 13 institutions across the U.S., and in South Korea and Taiwan, led by Principal Investigator Jamie Bock, based at Caltech with a joint JPL appointment, and by JPL Project Scientist Olivier Dore. Data is processed and archived at IPAC at Caltech in Pasadena, which manages JPL for NASA. The SPHEREx dataset is freely available to scientists and the public.

For more information about the SPHEREx mission visit: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/spherex/

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