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NextSTEP-3 B: Moon Base Demonstrations

Page: NASA page by Danny Baird, NASA Communications Specialist, dated 30 June 2026, with an update of 7 August 2026. https://www.nasa.gov/general/nextstep-3-b-moon-base-demonstrations/. Fetched 2026-10-02T04:02:29Z. File: sources/moon-base/nasa-gov-general-nextstep-3-b-moon-base-demonstrations.md.

Summary. NextSTEP-3 Appendix B, issued by the Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate, asks industry for "concept demonstrations, risk reduction opportunities, and studies that address Moon Base architecture gaps", beyond component development. Its first directed topic call is surface power; nine topic areas are listed. It is the only source to say "Moon Base architecture gaps", and it names no ADD gap, no ADD and no architecture office. The solicitation documents are on SAM.gov and are not among the sources.

Key points

  • Notice ID M2M-MSFC-0001 ("M2M" and "MSFC" read as Moon to Mars and Marshall is the wiki's reading). Synopsis "July, 2026". Announced by Administrator Isaacman and Moon Base Program Manager Carlos García-Galán "during a discussion with media on Tuesday, June 30".
  • Issuer and aim: "NASA's Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate is seeking innovative ideas from industry partners through a new solicitation appendix under the NextSTEP-3 Omnibus Broad Agency Announcement. Appendix B: Moon Base Demonstrations calls for industry-led demonstrations, risk reduction, and special topic activities that enable an enduring human presence on the lunar surface."
  • The Moon Base: "located in the lunar South Pole region, will serve as the premier proving ground for deep space exploration". "To accelerate phased implementation of the Moon Base, NASA is working with its partners to bridge the gap between technology development and mission operations."
  • What is sought: "concept demonstrations, risk reduction opportunities, and studies that address Moon Base architecture gaps. Awards will focus on the integration, demonstration, and maturation of concepts beyond component technology development."
  • Directed topic calls: "The solicitation's first directed topic call will be on surface power. Follow-on directed topic calls will solicit innovations in other topic areas".
  • Solicitation topics: Infrastructure; Power Systems; Communications & Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (C&PNT); Transportation; Mobility; Habitation; Autonomy & Robotics; Lunar Science; Concepts of Operations.
  • Update, 7 August 2026: answers to questions on "the Appendix B solicitation and Direct-Topic Call 1" released "in batches" because of "the significant level of industry engagement"; the white paper deadline moved from 17 to 24 August 2026.
  • Scope boundary with NextSTEP-3 Appendix A, LEIA (TRL up to 5–6) against Appendix B (TRL 6 and beyond, "culminating in flight or lunar surface demonstrations"): see the NextSTEP-3 A page.

The nine topics against the ADD's sub-architectures (the wiki's comparison)

Seven topics carry the name, or nearly the name, of an ADD sub-architecture: Infrastructure (Infrastructure Support), Power Systems, C&PNT (the ADD's "Communications and Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Systems"), Transportation, Mobility, Habitation, and Autonomy & Robotics (Autonomous Systems and Robotics). Two are not sub-architectures: Lunar Science and Concepts of Operations. Five sub-architectures have no topic: Data Systems and Management, Human Systems, ISRU, Logistics and Utilization (Sub-architectures). The page doesn't refer to the sub-architectures; the comparison is by name only, and it is not a match to the technology gaps.

Against the January 2026 workshop deck

The deck's "What's Out of Bounds?" slide announced a separate "NextSTEP Appendix B Industry Day" and linked https://www.nasa.gov/general/nextstep-3-b-moon-to-mars-architecture-studies/ (2026 industry and academia workshop, slide 18). This page is at …/nextstep-3-b-moon-base-demonstrations/, under another title. Whether Appendix B was retitled from "Moon to Mars Architecture Studies" to "Moon Base Demonstrations" is the wiki's reading of the two addresses; neither source says so.

RT-2 Industry Collaboration · Architecture definition process · Surface technology · Moon Base hub · NextSTEP-3 A page