Parabolic Flight Services
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) is conducting market research through a Sources Sought notice for Parabolic Flight Services. This initiative aims to identify industry capabilities to deliver reduced gravity environments, including microgravity, lunar, and Martian profiles, for NASA's Flight Opportunities Program. The goal is to enable the testing of new technologies and research experiments. Responses are due March 2, 2026.
Scope of Work
Based on the draft Performance Work Statement (PWS), NASA seeks comprehensive flight and payload integration services using "Qualified Vehicles." This includes offering single or multiple payload slots, supporting flights with pre-planned parabolic trajectories to achieve various reduced gravity conditions (0.00 to 0.5g), and accommodating diverse payload types, including those with hazardous materials or requiring human tending. Contractors must also provide pre/post-flight payload support facilities. Performance standards emphasize high parabola accuracy and stability (preferably within +/-0.02g) and minimal gravitational deviations.
Information Sought
NASA is specifically requesting capability statements that address:
- Programmatic Information: Business model, prior parabolic flight experience, and U.S. ownership/operation status.
- Aircraft: Available aircraft brands and models for parabolic flight services.
- Aircraft Airworthiness: Airworthiness standards, certifications, special permits, and ability to provide services on a fully commercial basis.
- Parabolic Operations: Ability to accurately achieve Martian, lunar, and microgravity profiles, and methods for verifying and maintaining reduced gravity accuracy.
- Payload Safety and Integration: Processes to ensure payload integrity, safety under off-nominal loads, and prevention of hazards to aircraft or personnel.
Innovative approaches, including the use of non-traditional aircraft (e.g., business jets, experimental aircraft, supersonics, autonomous systems), are encouraged.
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Sources Sought (Market Research)
- Agency: NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC)
- Product Service Code: V121 (Air Charter For Things)
- Response Due: March 2, 2026, 2:00 PM Pacific
- Published: January 27, 2026
- Set-Aside: None specified; responses will inform NASA's determination of appropriate competition levels and potential small business set-asides (e.g., Small, 8(a), WOSB, SD-VOSB, EDWOSB, HUBZone).
Submission Instructions
Interested parties should submit capability statements electronically to afrc-flight-opportunities-procurement@mail.nasa.gov. All responses must reference 80AFRC26SS007 Parabolic Flight Services.
Additional Notes
This notice is for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a commitment by the Government. No solicitation exists at this time, and the Government will not pay for information submitted. Respondents will not be notified of evaluation results.