What happened: NASA is advancing NextSTEP-3 Appendix B - Moon Base Demonstrations, which seeks industry-led demonstrations of mature technologies needed for sustained lunar operations. The first directed topic focuses on lunar surface power, with white papers due August 24. NASA posted the remaining industry Q&A responses on August 14, while keeping the white-paper deadline at August 24.

Why it matters: NASA is moving from early technology development toward integrated lunar systems and demonstrations. That could create opportunities across power, electronics, structures, communications, mobility, robotics, thermal management, materials, and integration as industry teams build the infrastructure needed for longer-duration lunar operations.

Key details:

·   Buyer/agency: NASA

·   Program: NextSTEP-3 Appendix B - Moon Base Demonstrations

·   Initial focus: Lunar surface power

·   Current phase: White-paper solicitation

·   Deadline: August 24, 2026

Source: NASA - NextSTEP-3 Appendix B: Moon Base Demonstrations

Selected by: NASA

Recipient: American Felt & Filter Company Inc.

Value: $224,996

Selected project: NASA selected the New Windsor, New York company for Phase I work on a dedicated manufacturing line for high-carbon and phenolic fiber materials used in aerospace thermal-protection applications. The project targets a domestic source of customizable carbon/phenolic felt products for entry, descent, and landing systems.

Supplier takeaway: This is a direct supply-chain capacity story. If the technology progresses, it could strengthen domestic availability of specialized thermal-protection materials used by spacecraft and reentry-vehicle manufacturers.

Source: NASA 2026 SBIR Appendix B Phase I Selections

Selected by: NASA

Recipient: Triton Systems Inc.

Value: Not stated in the NASA selection material reviewed

Selected project: NASA selected Triton Systems for Phase I development of a cold-spray additive-manufacturing process for Hall-effect-thruster magnetic circuits. The project is intended to reduce production lead times and machining requirements for specialized electric-propulsion components.

Supplier takeaway: The project targets a manufacturing bottleneck in electric propulsion. A successful process could create opportunities for metal-powder suppliers, specialty alloy providers, machining firms, and propulsion-component manufacturers.

Source: NASA 2026 SBIR Appendix B Phase I Selections

Buyer: NASA Glenn Research Center

Opportunity: Lunar Enabling Infrastructure Accelerator (LEIA) - NextSTEP-3 Appendix A

Estimated value: $20.1 million-$50 million, per NASA Acquisition Forecast

Current status: Draft BAA; final solicitation not yet confirmed

Set-aside/competition: To be determined

Response deadline: Final proposal deadline not yet confirmed

Who should care: Lunar power, ISRU, radioisotope power, in-space manufacturing, advanced-materials, component, and engineering companies.

What to know: LEIA - NextSTEP-3 Appendix A - is still at the draft BAA stage. NASA is targeting technologies including vertical solar arrays, lunar oxygen production, Stirling radioisotope power, in-space manufacturing, and advanced nanomaterials.

Supplier takeaway: Companies interested in the program can use the draft period to identify teaming partners and capability gaps before the final BAA is released.

Source: NASA NextSTEP-3 Appendix A / SAM.gov Solicitation 80GRC026R0008

Buyer: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Opportunity: Landsat 10 Spacecraft - Solicitation 80GSFC26R0015

Estimated value: Not stated in the verified material reviewed

Current status: Active RFP

Set-aside/competition: Use current SAM.gov solicitation for official competition terms

Response deadline: August 31, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. EDT

Who should care: Spacecraft manufacturers and suppliers of structures, avionics, power, thermal control, communications, flight hardware, integration, testing, and engineering services.

What to know: NASA Goddard has released the formal Landsat 10 spacecraft RFP. The current proposal deadline is August 31, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. EDT.

Supplier takeaway: Even companies not competing as the spacecraft prime should watch for teaming and downstream supply-chain opportunities as bidder teams form.

Source: SAM.gov - Solicitation 80GSFC26R0015

What happened: Redwire announced a 164,000-square-foot expansion of its Huntsville, Alabama operation, expected to add about 150 engineering, manufacturing, integration, and technical jobs. The company also reported $542.1 million in contracted backlog at the end of June.

Why suppliers should care: More production capacity could increase demand for components, materials, machining, electronics, integration support, and other subcontracted capabilities as Redwire scales its space and defense programs.

Source: Redwire official newsroom and Q2 2026 financial results

What happened: Cambium announced a new 60,000-square-foot SHD Composites facility in Mooresville, North Carolina. The company says the expansion will quadruple SHD's domestic production capacity and vertically integrate resin mixing, film, prepreg, testing, and development.

Why suppliers should care: This is an upstream capacity expansion in advanced composite materials. Greater domestic prepreg and materials capacity could benefit aerospace manufacturers seeking shorter lead times, additional U.S. sourcing options, and faster development-to-production cycles.

Source: Cambium / SHD Composites official announcement - July 15, 2026

Provider: SpaceX

Vehicle: Falcon Heavy

Launch site: Launch Complex 39A, NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Florida

Status: NASA currently targets Aug. 30 for launch.

Supplier relevance: Roman is a major NASA astrophysics mission and a high-profile milestone for the spacecraft, launch, ground-support, and mission-integration supply chains.

Source: NASA - Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

Provider: SpaceX

Vehicle: Falcon 9 / Dragon

Launch site: Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida

Status: No earlier than September 12.

Supplier relevance: Crew-13 is NASA's next operational commercial crew-rotation mission to the International Space Station.

Source: NASA - SpaceX Crew-13

Organization: U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Space Commerce and Aerospace Industries Association

Location: Aerospace Industries Association, Arlington, Virginia

Time: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

What it is: A government-industry forum focused on U.S. commercial-space manufacturing capacity, supplier constraints, testing and qualification, investment, and supply-chain dependencies.

Why it matters: Directly relevant to suppliers and manufacturers tracking the constraints and capacity needs shaping the U.S. commercial space industrial base. Advance registration is required.

Source: U.S. Office of Space Commerce - Commercial Space Supply Chain Forum

Organization: NASA Office of Small Business Programs

Location: Virtual

Time: 1:00-2:30 p.m. ET

What it is: A NASA small-business webinar on preparing for agency matchmaking sessions and industry days.

Why it matters: Practical guidance for suppliers and contractors seeking to engage NASA procurement teams and potential teaming partners.

Source: NASA Office of Small Business Programs - Outreach Webinars and Events

·   NASA - NextSTEP-3 Appendix B: Moon Base Demonstrations

·   NASA - NextSTEP-3 Appendix A: Lunar Enabling Infrastructure Accelerator (LEIA)

·   NASA Acquisition Forecast

·   SAM.gov - Landsat 10 Spacecraft, Solicitation 80GSFC26R0015

·   NASA - 2026 SBIR Appendix B Phase I Selections

·   Redwire - Huntsville Expansion Announcement

·   Redwire - Q2 2026 Financial Results

·   Cambium / SHD Composites - U.S. Manufacturing Expansion Announcement

·   NASA - Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Mission / Launch Information

·   NASA - SpaceX Crew-13 Mission Information

·   U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Space Commerce - Commercial Space Supply Chain Forum

·   NASA Office of Small Business Programs - Outreach Webinars and Events