SAM #80JSC026MoonBase_RFI

NASA Johnson Space Center is seeking industry and academic input to support the development of a permanent lunar outpost. - Request for Information (RFI) targets technologies and hardware solutions for Moon Base development - Focus areas include: - Capability demonstrations for lunar surface operations - Supply chain challenges such as: - Propellant tank dome manufacturing - Isolation/control valves and actuators - High thrust hypergolic engines - Large-scale bespoke welding - Heat pipes - Radiation-hardened electronics - Test facility challenges: - Hypergolic test stands - Commercial test house DPAS priority - NASA test facility prioritization - Limited facilities for full acceptance test campaigns - Technologies should be compatible with CLPS-class landers, LTV-class rovers, and orbiting platforms - Respondents should provide: - Technical capabilities - Partnership arrangements - Cost estimates - Integration potential - Business size and teaming arrangements - No specific OEMs, products, or part numbers are listed - Opportunity is open to industry, academia, and partner stakeholders

Request for Information (RFI)

Title: Capability Demonstrations & Supply Chain Challenges for NASA Moon Base Development

1. Purpose

In support of the President’s Space Superiority Executive Order, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is committed to establishing a permanent lunar outpost by 2030. NASA’s Moon Base will serve as a hub for lunar exploration, scientific research, and technology demonstration, paving the way for future missions to Mars and beyond.  NASA will accomplish this bold vision by taking a phased development approach to build-out a human-tended Moon Base. 

2. Scope

NASA is seeking information from industry, academia, and partner stakeholders to inform near term capability maturation for Moon Base. This Request for Information (RFI) invites responses addressing the identification of technologies and hardware solutions that can be rapidly repurposed or quickly and efficiently developed for NASA to launch, integrate, and perform demonstration testing on the lunar surface within the next 2–4 years to aid in capability validation, accelerate the timeline for initial lunar surface operations, and inform future capability development. 

Respondents should consider science, technology demonstrations and infrastructure that can be easily integrated into CLPS‑class landers and LTV‑class rovers, as well as orbiting communications‑relay or observation platforms, where such demonstrations can provide immediate Moon Base capabilities.

Submissions can reference NASA’s Architecture‑Driven Technology Gaps and Architecture‑Driven Data (Science) Gaps website {https://www.nasa.gov/moontomarsarchitecture-architecturedefinitiondocuments}, to highlight alignment with NASA‑identified capability shortfalls and architectural need statements. Respondents are encouraged to clearly identify which specific science, technology gaps or infrastructure that their concepts address and describe the anticipated impact on lunar surface operations, risk reduction, and future capability development pathways.

NASA encourages ideas for potential public/private partnerships where NASA could facilitate the launch and landing of partner provided science and technology payloads/instruments that bring valuable capabilities to NASA’s Moon Base. 

Respondents are also requested to provide ideas and proposed mitigation approaches to improve supply chain and test facility challenge areas:

Supply Chain Challenges

Propellant Tank Dome Manufacturing Isolation/Control Valves/Actuators  High Thrust Hypergolic Engines (not ACS/RCS) Large-Scale, Bespoke Welding Heat Pipes Radiation Hardened Electronics Any other areas self-identified

Test Facility Challenges 

Hypergolic test stands capable of altitude testing Commercial test house DPAS priority demand over NASA programs  NASA Test Facilities schedule prioritization of higher Agency-priority programs Limited Test Facilities capable of running full acceptance test campaigns Any other areas self-identified

3. Requested Information

Respondents are requested to provide detailed information on the following:

Technical Capabilities: Description of the technology, solution or idea, its functionality, its readiness, and how it addresses the specific area proposed Public/Private Partnerships:  Describe proposed partnership arrangement, contributions, etc.   Cost Estimates: Rough order of magnitude (ROM) costs for proposed efforts Integration Potential: Compatibility with existing NASA systems and infrastructure Business Size:  Indicate whether your organization qualifies as a small business, small disadvantaged business, or other socioeconomic category under FAR Part 19 Teaming Arrangements:  Describe any teaming arrangements, partnerships, or subcontracting plans that would be utilized to deliver the proposed solutions.  Include any proposed partnership for Government Resources (people, hardware, facilities, capabilities, etc.)

4. Submission Instructions

Submissions should adhere to the following guidelines:

Responses must be submitted electronically in PDF format to HQ-Moon-Base-RFI@nasa.gov no later than April 23, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST. File Format: PDF only File Naming Convention: "OrganizationName_MoonBaseRFI.pdf" Provide Organization name, address, and point of contact information No Page Limits Respondents will receive a confirmation email upon successful submission Export controlled information should not be included in RFI responses Responses to this RFI will not be shared publicly and will be used solely for internal NASA planning purposes If proprietary data is included, NASA may use it for internal planning purposes which may result in future competitive acquisitions

5. Disclaimer

This is a request for information for planning and information purposes only. This is not a request for proposal or quotation, nor is this a solicitation for a contract or grant award. This RFI does not obligate the Government in any way. The Government will not reimburse the respondents for any costs associated with the information submitted in response to this request. 

No corresponding solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation following this is released, it will be posted on www.sam.gov (https://www.sam.gov/). It is the interested party’s responsibility to monitor this site for the release of any solicitation or synopsis. 

6. Points of Contact

For questions regarding this RFI, please email HQ-Moon-Base-RFI@nasa.gov.