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NextSTEP-3 A: Lunar Enabling Technology

Page: NASA solicitation page by Loura Hall, dated 29 June 2026, last updated 25 September 2026. https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/stmd/nextstep-3-a-lunar-enabling-technology/. Fetched 2026-10-02T04:02:29Z. File: sources/moon-base/nasa-gov-directorates-stmd-nextstep-3-a-lunar-enabling-technology.md.

Summary. The page for NextSTEP-3 Appendix A, the Lunar Enabling Infrastructure Accelerator (LEIA), a Broad Agency Announcement to bring five lunar surface technologies to TRL 5–6 by ground testing for the Moon Base. Not to be confused with NextSTEP-2 Appendix A (habitation), which NASA's architecture industry page lists (RT-2). Its companion, NextSTEP-3 Appendix B, takes the later, integrated demonstrations (NextSTEP-3 B page). The solicitation and its attachments are on SAM.gov and are not among the sources.

Key points

  • Solicitation number 80GRC026R0008 (the "GRC" prefix, and the page's Glenn tag, point to Glenn Research Center; the wiki's reading). Dates: synopsis 19 May 2026; draft 29 June 2026; "Relationship to other NASA NextSTEP-3 Solicitations (Scope Boundary)" and "Responses to Industry Feedback" 20 August 2026; final solicitation 8 September 2026, with the September release.
  • Purpose: "to advance concepts that accelerate the technological readiness of critical systems for lunar surface and cislunar architecture". It "seeks to close key technology gaps and mature capabilities in vertical solar arrays, ISRU oxygen production systems, Stirling radioisotope generators, in‑space manufacturing, and advanced nanomaterials production."
  • Maturity: "risk reduction and ground‑based testing to mature competing solutions to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5–6". "Funded efforts will advance the technology objectives of NASA's Moon Base by demonstrating critical systems and accelerating the development of transformative capabilities needed for near‑term mission success."
  • Scope boundary with Appendix B (also printed on the Appendix B page): "Appendix A (Technology Development) focuses on early research and component-to-system-level development (typically achieving up to TRL 5 or 6)", for technologies "that still require fundamental engineering maturation in laboratory or controlled analog environments". "Appendix B (Concept Demonstrations) is reserved for system-level integration and lunar demonstrations (TRL 6 and beyond)", "culminating in flight or lunar surface demonstrations".

What it doesn't say

Which "key technology gaps" it means. The draft-input article of the same day says the five topics address gaps "as identified in NASA's Civil Space Shortfalls" (draft-input article), not the ADD's technology gaps. Following SCHEMA (questions 85, 87), the wiki doesn't match the five topics to the ADD gaps by title. No funding figure or award count.

Surface technology · RT-2 Industry Collaboration · NextSTEP-3 B page · Moon Base Solicitations page