Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships -2 (NextSTEP-2) BAA Synopsis

NASA intends to issue a Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships -2 (NextSTEP-2) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) in the near future. NASA has increasingly embraced public-private partnerships for achieving its strategic goals and objectives for expanding the frontiers of knowledge, capability, and opportunities in space. The next step for human spaceflight is the development of deep space exploration capabilities to support more extensive human space flight missions in the proving ground around and beyond cislunar space. An important part of NASA's strategy is to stimulate the commercial space industry while leveraging those same commercial capabilities through partnerships and future contracts to deliver mission capabilities. NASA will be seeking proposals in research areas to include, but not limited to: studies to support mission architecture definition, new approaches to rapidly develop prototype systems, demonstration of key capabilities, validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond low-Earth orbit, and end-to-end design, development, test, and in-space evaluation of future flight systems. This BAA is intended to enable a robust exploration of public-private partnership opportunities with NASA that will complement other NASA activities. The Advanced Exploration Systems Division within the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate has identified key long term potential capability areas that could benefit human space exploration. An omnibus BAA will be released with an Appendix soliciting the first of these key capabilities. Subsequent Appendices will be released soliciting proposals in other key areas as needed. NASA anticipates initially releasing the omnibus BAA in the April 2016 timeframe with the first Appendix focused on developing deep space habitation concepts, engineering design and development, and risk reduction efforts leading to a habitation capability in cislunar space that can support more extensive human space flight missions in the proving ground around and beyond cislunar space while encouraging application to commercial LEO habitation capabilities. Ultimately this cislunar habitation capability will support development of the human rated deep space habitation and transportation spacecraft by validating the human systems, elements and operations in cislunar space thus enabling human exploration beyond the Earth/Moon system. Under a prior solicitation (NextSTEP BAA NNH15ZCQ001K), NASA is exercising Phase 1 awarded efforts on habitation systems with the plan for continuing some or all of the studies into Phase 2. Appendix A of the omnibus NextSTEP-2 BAA will provide a new opportunity for additional other commercial partners to be added to the Phase 2 efforts. The duration of contracts will vary depending upon the complexity of the studies or development effort. NASA anticipates phased approaches that may extend up to 5 years. Pending final approval, NASA intends to require minimum cost sharing thresholds and/or matching for the proposed efforts, which may include prior industry investment. Submission information, participant eligibility, additional topic information and specific evaluation criteria for the solicitation will be identified in the BAA and Appendices.