Astral Materials TechLeap Orbital Mission

NASA's National Aeronautics and Space Administration Shared Services Center is procuring research and development services for the Astral Materials TechLeap Orbital Mission, which focuses on developing a ground-based prototype of a microgravity-assisted crystal growth furnace to enable on-orbit silicon crystal growth under the CHIPS and Science Act of 2021. The contractor must verify that the specialized crystal-growth furnace design survives re-entry and recovery while protecting sample material integrity, support post-mission evaluation of flight and terrestrial control samples, develop a terrestrial analog unit for ground-based testing, compile results correlating process conditions with material quality, and arrange independent evaluation of pre- and post-flight silicon samples. This procurement is being conducted as a sole-source contract under FAR 12.102(a), and the government intends to evaluate capabilities and qualifications submitted by interested organizations solely to determine whether to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis, with responses due by 3:00 p.m. Central Standard Time on April 20, 2026. Submissions must be made in writing to the primary point of contact, Cody Guidry (Cody.d.guidry@nasa.gov), with oral communications not being acceptable.

This procurement carries no set-aside designation and is intended as a sole-source award to Astral Materials, Inc., located at 319 Bernardo Avenue, Mountain View, California 94043. The performance period extends from contract award through September 2028, with key deliverables including quarterly reports, a Flight-Unit Environmental Testing Report due within 60 days, a Science Requirements Document due within 120 days, a Test Plan due within 180 days, Initial Ground Qualification Samples due within 300 days, and a Final Report with Flight Samples due by December 1, 2027. Performance will be located at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, with all shipping directed to that location. No specific award value or budget range is disclosed in this solicitation notice. The acquisition falls under NAICS Code 541715 (Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences) and PSC Category R425 (Support-Professional: Engineering/Technical).