Modify the planned release date for this BAA to February 7, 2019, and provide notification of an Industry Forum on February 14, 2019.

NASA intendsamendment is to release a solicitation under the second Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP-2) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) on February 7, 2019, to seek proposals from industry in support of design analysis, technology maturation, system development and integration, and space flight demonstrations for human lunar landers. The primary objective of this Appendix to the NextSTEP-2 BAA is to enable rapid development and flight demonstrations of human lunar landers by supporting critical studies and risk reduction activities to mature requirements, tailor applicable standards, and create technology maturation plans.

NASA will host a Human Landing System Industry Forum on February 14, 2019, 1:30-4:30 pm EST in Washington, DC at the NASA Headquarters James E. Webb Auditorium. NASA Administrator James Bridenstine and senior NASA managers will summarize the agency's plans to partner with industry to develop a human lunar landing system. NASA will provide a status of the current lunar architecture and an overview of the NextSTEP-2 Appendix E BAA. The event will include open Question & Answer sessions for industry and the media. Details and updates about the Industry Forum will be posted on www.nasa.gov/nextstep/humanlander.

An important objective of this BAA is to stimulate the commercial space Industry through public-private partnerships. NASA uses the NextSTEP BAA to establish public-private partnerships where NASA shares development cost and risk with industry, while industry builds a viable commercial capability. A key component of the NextSTEP Partnership model is to provide an opportunity for NASA and Industry to collaborate in developing capabilities that meet NASA's space exploration objectives while also supporting industry's commercialization plans. The NextSTEP-2 BAA contract vehicle requires corporate resource contributions for R&D-type activities, including maturing unique technologies.

This BAA Appendix addresses the development of human lunar landing capabilities. NASA is planning three demonstration missions to the lunar surface, with the first crewed human lunar landing targeted for the third mission.

This NextSTEP-2 Appendix E will include a NASA reference human lander architecture configuration. The full architecture will include a Descent Element, Ascent Element, Transfer Vehicle, Refueling Element, and Surface Suit. This BAA Appendix will request proposals for study and risk reduction efforts focused on the Descent Element, Transfer Vehicle Element, and Refueling Element.

NASA plans to launch the first demonstration mission in 2024. The minimum objective of this mission is to demonstrate a lunar surface landing with one or more Descent Elements capable of supporting a future human lander that includes both Descent Element and Ascent Element. Contracts awarded under Appendix E may have multiple phases. The first will be for brief studies to mature requirements, tailor applicable standards, procure long-lead parts and implement technology maturation plans for early risk reduction. Following the study, NASA intends to execute future phases that may result in multiple awards, for the Design, Development, Test, and Evaluation (DDT&E) and flight demonstrations of Descent Elements. NASA is still considering acquisition options for other human lunar lander system Elements. The detailed study requirements and additional information on the overall acquisition strategy will be contained in the forthcoming Appendix E solicitation.

NASA will use the information gained through these initial studies to inform the performance requirements for the human lander system and will work with industry to continue to mature the approach for future missions.

The Point of Contact for technical and programmatic questions on this synopsis is Dr. Greg Chavers, NASA HQ Advanced Exploration Systems Division at HQ-NextSTEP-BAA@mail.nasa.gov.

Submission information, participant eligibility, additional topic information and specific evaluation criteria for the solicitation will be identified in Appendix E when it is released.