Closed Brayton Cycle Development

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Glenn Research Center is forecasting the award of two contracts to industry partners for the maturation of Closed Brayton Cycle technology as part of the Fission Surface Power project. Each contract will support an approximately 18-month effort to design, build, test, and deliver a fully functional Closed Brayton Cycle system, aimed at advancing high-efficiency power generation for potential use in lunar or Martian surface missions. The work will focus on transitioning the technology from concept to a demonstrated prototype capable of operating reliably under spaceflight conditions, leveraging the system’s suitability for compact, high-temperature, and low-maintenance applications. The North American Industry Classification System code for this effort is 541330, indicating it falls under engineering services, suggesting the work is primarily technical and R&D-driven. The solicitation is currently in forecast status with a posted date of May 25, 2026, indicating this is a preview of future procurement activity rather than an active request for proposals. The contracting office is located at NASA’s Glenn Research Center, and while no specific place of performance or point of contact details are provided, the nature of the work implies that development and testing will likely occur at facilities aligned with space power technology expertise, potentially across multiple contractor and government sites. The goal is to establish a proven, flight-ready Closed Brayton Cycle capable of supporting future fission-based surface power systems for sustained human exploration beyond Earth.