This topic area focuses on the ground segment and how to reduce costs while improving operability. This includes advanced and/or low-cost range concepts. Abstracts are encouraged but not limited to include:

• Data collection technologies
• Air & launch traffic control
• Sensors for vehicle tracking and characterization
• Clean pad concepts
• Vertical versus horizontal integration
• Innovative ground test methods
• Technologies that will reduce cost per launch (or re-entry), turn-around time, and overall life cycle cost
• FAA commercial launch license and (experimental) permit process issues
• Range utilization of autonomy/automation and/or artificial intelligence to streamline and reduce ground operation costs or timelines
• Developments/initiatives to minimize impact of launch (orbital and sub-orbital) and re-entry on other National Airspace (NAS) users

This topic area addresses emerging materials innovations at lower TRL level (1-3), encompassing both materials science and process development. Topic areas include next generation materials with improved properties, novel materials processing, and integrated computational materials engineering.

Next Generation Materials – This area focuses on the development of new materials that provide unique combinations of properties and/or demonstrate property retention in extreme environments. This includes multifunctional materials, ceramics, UHTCs, metal alloys, shape memory alloys, composites, high temperature fiber development, power transmission, thermoelectrics, innovative thermal protection materials (ablative and non-ablative), sensor & nanomaterials.

Novel Materials Processing – This area focuses on novel materials processing methods to improve material properties. Special focus areas include electronic, optical, and structural metamaterials, flash sintering, microwave sintering, and spark plasma sintering (SPS).

Integrated Computational Materials Engineering – This area focuses on novel approaches to computationally driven materials design, verification of predicted structure/property relationships models to accelerate materials development and lower materials development costs. Tools that support digital engineering and digital twin sustainment concepts are encouraged.

This topic covers emerging concepts to permit safe, low cost, efficient recovery of on-orbit payloads. The emphasis will be on mission need, system description, uniqueness, and roadmap towards developing the capability. Abstracts are encouraged but not limited to include:

• Reusable upper stages
• Fairing recovery
• Lunar
• Planetary
• Comet & asteroid
• Decelerators
• Unique CONOPS approaches
• Emerging methods for disposal of on-orbit assets
• Recent or near-term flight test activities

This topic area addresses industry and government propulsion development programs that can support future responsive space access needs. Recommended technology roadmaps and demonstrations are also encouraged. Abstracts are encouraged but not limited to include:

• Traditional rocket engines and emerging technologies to develop lower cost propulsion solutions for small (<1k lb), medium (1k - 10k lb), and large (10k+ lb) orbital payloads,
• Rocket engines and propulsion technologies that can be used in support of next generation National Security Space Launch (NSSL),
• Reusable boost system architectures,
• Low-cost expendable engines (experimental demonstrators and emerging operational systems),
• Inter-planetary propulsion,
• Novel propellant interactions,
• Electric propulsion,
• Nuclear Propulsion, and
• Exotic Detonation (Pulse or rotating)

This topic area focuses on the development and utilization of ground and flight test capabilities to support material, component, and system development. The renewed interest in hypersonics, as well as space access has resulted in the identification of gaps in the available test and evaluation infrastructure, as well as work force attrition. The Aerospace Community has recognized these gaps and invested funding to improve the test capability and capacity supporting flight and space system development. These investments are focused on risk reduction to ensure that technology maturation can be adequately accomplished prior to operational fielding. System component T&E capabilities of interest include seekers, nose tips, leading edges, thermal protection systems, control surfaces, and propulsion systems. Topics covered in this session include test and evaluation capability with respect to:

• Test and evaluation infrastructure modernization and work force development within DoD, Industry, and Academia,
• Simulation of environments to address aerodynamics, aerothermodynamics, combined thermostructural, electromagnetic and radiation effects, boundary layer transition, space environments, environmental extremes, and weather encounter, and
• Ground and flight test and evaluation methodologies including digital engineering, modeling and simulation, test plan development, test fixture design, instrumentation, test diagnostics, and modeling and simulation validation.

This topic area addresses lessons learned and information gathered from recent flight test experiments on high-altitude balloons, sub-orbital rockets, and other relevant platforms. Abstracts are encouraged but not limited to include:

• Commercial and government high altitude/sub-orbital platforms
• Lessons learned on test methodology, safety, and mission performance
• Capabilities for future test and upgrades
• Material research and test results

This session addresses hypersonic systems and requirements, component testing; leading edges and nose tips; acreage TPS and hot structures; control surfaces and windows/apertures. Talks will cover these areas including design, analysis, materials, processing, manufacturing & (re)producibility, non-destructive investigation & quality; and test.

This topic covers innovative test methodologies and platforms to mature small-sat and vehicle technologies in flight. Emphasis will be on the test and demonstration capabilities of test platforms to improve technology readiness levels (TRLs) of systems and components that may be useful to future satellites, launch vehicles, and upper stages such as guidance, communication, and propulsion in relevant environment. Abstracts are encouraged but not limited to include:

• Test platform descriptions
• Hypersonic testing techniques
• Payloads preparation and integration methods
• Results from previous flight tests
• Payload recovery methods
• Approaches to increase flight cadence

This workshop will address current use and perspectives of IVHM/ISHM as an integral part of space systems. Applications will include, but are not limited to, electric, hypersonic, liquid rocket, nuclear, and solid motor propulsion. Abstracts are encouraged, but not limited, to include:

• Additive manufacturing technologies for enabling IVHM/ISHM
• Business cases for IVHM/ISHM
• Challenges during the IVHM/ISHM process, including requirements definition, design, integration, and test activities
• Digital twin
• Recent IVHM/ISHM application success stories
• Sensor suite optimization for enabling IVHM/ISHM including fiber optic and wireless options
• Solutions for closing IVHM/ISHM requirement gaps in affordability, performance, reliability, reusability, and safety
• Technology advancement needs to enable future IVHM/ISHM capabilities.

The Missiles and Missile Defense session is focused on addressing material technology development and transition for tactical, strategic, and missile defense applications (to address both ballistic and hypersonic threats). Specific topics of interest include:

• Program and system overviews describing dependence on material technologies
• Ground and flight test material evaluations
• Innovative manufacturing and producibility advancements
• Strategic reentry system material technology development
• Modeling and simulation validation
• Emerging material technologies applicable to:
  • Seeker windows (IR/RF)
  • Thermal Protection Systems
  • Propulsion technology
  • Composites
• Metals such as Be alloys, metal matrix composites and refractory metals

This topic area addresses key materials technologies, requirements, novel designs, or materials innovations for current and future space payloads, instruments, and mission operations including:

• Lunar and Martian Mission Development (Commercial Payload Services, Human Landing Systems): Technology developments in robotics missions, landing and redeployment, space suits, in-situ resource development, environmental qualification
• Development of novel Smallsat and Cubesat material applications, instruments, upcoming and completed MISSE-FF payloads and payloads for cost-efficient commercial missions
• In-space assembly and servicing of telescopes and satellites, and mission extension
• New Flight Material applications: nanomaterials, additively manufactured hardware and satellite materials
• Development of structural and thermal applications, contamination and radiation effects, material degradation in the space environment.
• Laser applications, LIDAR, and associated materials testing

This topic includes existing and emerging platforms for delivering small payloads and experiments into their desired location (high altitude, sub-orbital or orbital environments). Abstracts are encouraged but not limited to include:

• Near term capabilities in development for delivering payloads up to 1000 lbs into the desired environment for less than $5M per launch,
• Responsive launch
• Pico/nano systems
• Requirements and understanding of projected payloads, orbits, and capabilities of emerging systems including associated technical challenges and timelines, and
• Government practices, programs, and technologies which potentially benefit the emerging sub-orbital and small launch industry.

This topic area will cover concepts and/or progress in developing low cost (or lower cost) subsystems, systems or architectures that will help increase safety and/or flight rate of launch (orbital and sub-orbital), and future “commercial aircraft like” re-entry. Abstracts are encouraged but not limited to include:

• Non-toxic propellants/monopropellants
• Minimization of launch and re-entry noise
• Improved noise modeling of launch and re-entry operations
• Subsystem and vehicle integrated health management systems
• Associated sensors for severe environments
• Increased reliability and public safety
• Safety of crew and other occupants for manned vehicles

This topic area addresses launch, satellite, and propulsion systems that improve space access. Areas that emphasize system level advancement, critical materials, and processing technologies are desired including single-use/reusable crewed or robotic launch/orbital systems. Of particular interest this year are commercial space development efforts applied to government requirements with a focus on modularity and agility. Additional topics of interest include innovative vehicle concepts and designs, structures and designs, materials and processes, and manufacturing fabrication concepts for:

• Launch vehicle and in-space propulsion system structures
• Engine systems
• Solid and liquid rocket boosters
• Nuclear thermal/electric propulsion
• Propellant tanks
• Thermal management/protection systems
• Pressure gain propulsion