NASA has begun seeking industry feedback on a draft announcement for partnership proposals, or AFPP, for the second phase of its strategy to support industry’s design and demonstration of commercial space stations through multiple funded Space Act Agreements, or SSA.
The space agency said Friday it will hold an industry day on Monday, Sept. 8, and receive feedback on the draft AFPP for the Commercial Destinations—Development and Demonstration Objectives, or C3DO, program through Sept. 12.
“NASA has led in low Earth orbit for 25 years and counting. Now, as we prepare for deorbiting the International Space Station in 2030, we’re calling on our commercial space partners to maintain this historic human presence,” said Sean Duffy, acting NASA administrator. “The American space industry is booming. Insight from these innovative companies will be invaluable as we work to chart the next phase of commercial space stations.”
According to a cover letter for the draft AFPP, NASA expects to release the final AFPP no later than Oct. 3, and plans to make an award by April 2026.
Objective of NASA’s C3DO Program
According to the draft AFPP for the C3DO program, NASA seeks to enable the development of multiple commercial space station destinations and advance them to the stage of an orbit LEO crewed demonstration flight targeted for no later than 2030.
“NASA is committed to continuing our partnership with industry to ensure a continuity in low Earth orbit,” said Angela Hart, manager of the Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
“The work done under our Phase 1 contracts and agreements have put us in a prime position to be successful for this next funded Space Act Agreement phase. By leveraging these agreements, we provide additional flexibility to our commercial partners to define the best path forward to provide NASA a safe and affordable crewed demonstration,” Hart added.
The agency said it expects the Phase 2 agreements to have a five-year performance period and include funded milestones leading to critical design review readiness and an in-space manned demonstration of four crew members for a 30-day minimum period.
According to the draft AFPP, NASA expects $1 billion to $1.5 billion in funding to be available from fiscal years 2026 to 2031 for the C3DO SSAs. The amount is expected to support a minimum of two SSAs.
Phase 3 Certification & Services Contract
The agency expects the phased approach to lead to a follow-on Phase 3 contract using Federal Acquisition Regulation-based contracts to procure station services through a full and open competition. Phase 3 will also provide design acceptance and certification to ensure that commercial space stations meet NASA’s safety requirements.
