Commercial LEO Destination Certification & Safety Testing

NASA Johnson Space Center is seeking an independent contractor to perform verification, validation, and certification of a commercial low Earth orbit destination to ensure compliance with NASA’s human-rating standards for safety and reliability. The work requires rigorous technical review and testing of the space station’s design, systems, and operational protocols to confirm readiness for human occupancy and mission-critical functions in space. The contractor must demonstrate expertise in aerospace safety analysis, systems engineering, and certification processes aligned with NASA’s stringent requirements for crewed spaceflight. The contract is classified as a subcontract with a NAICS code of 541340, indicating it falls under engineering services. The solicitation was posted on July 6, 2026, with proposals due by July 24, 2026, and performance is expected to be based in Houston, Texas. This effort supports NASA’s strategy to partner with commercial entities for future crewed space stations while maintaining absolute assurance of astronaut safety through third-party validation. The selected party will be responsible for delivering objective assessments, test results, and certification documentation that meet or exceed the benchmarks established by NASA’s human spaceflight programs.