SmallSat 2026: NASA's Participation and Program Highlights
NASA will be a prominent participant at the SmallSat 2026 conference, engaging attendees in the Exhibit Hall at Booths #635, #835, #641, and #940. Experts from the agency will share insights through a comprehensive agenda of presentations and panel discussions spanning three days.
Monday, August 24
9:00 – 10:00 AM: Opening Sessions and Smallsat Landscape Overview
- Welcome: Jose Nunez
- BryceTech’s Smallsats by the Numbers: 2026: Fletcher Franklin
- Supply Chain Observations: Bruce Yost
- Technology Shortfall: Rudy de Rosee
- SPARCS Camera and Early Science Observations: Kaitlyn Ashcroft
- JPL: Skyfall: Tim Canham
- SWIFT LINK Reboost: Bo Naasz
- Flight Opportunities – Hosted Orbital Ecosystem – Fly Foundational Robos – Space Roboticist Challenge: Anh Nguyen
- From Rideshare to Dedicated Launches: SmallSat Options with NASA LSP: Caley Burke
- You Bring the Mission, We’ll Bring the Lab: Partnering with MSFC: Rush Elkins
- NASA Ames Mission Design Center: Imagining the Next Generation of Spaceflight Missions: Matthew Napoli
- Engineering Challenges and Best Practices from a Stellar Launch Cycle: Brad Williams
- HIAD Payload Return Solution for SmallSats: Joe Del Corso
3:25 – 4:10 PM: NASA Program Updates and Best Practices
- Moderating: Bruce Yost
- RTMD NASA: Greg Stover
- SMD HPD ADF: Asal Naseri
- HSMD CSLI/CLPS/ Commercial Access to Space (CAtS): Pete Wilczynski
- CARA: Conjunction Assessment Best Practices: Lauri Newman
Tuesday, August 25
9:45 – 10:45 AM: Innovation and Funding Opportunities
- Moderating: Cari Reinert
- SMD Panelist 1 – Solicitations: Aly Mendoza-Hill
- STMD Panelist CATALYST – I-Corps: Maggie Yancey
- SBIR / STTR- Launchpad for Innovation: Ryszard Pisarski
- Agency Level Tech Transfer: Jose Nunez
3:15 – 4:15 PM: Science Missions and Exploration
- Moderating: Aly Mendoza-Hill
- SMD – APD Pioneers: Pablo Saz Parkinson
- SMD – Science as a Service: What SmallSat Providers Need to Know: Beth Weinstein
- SMD – HPD: Asal Naseri
- ESCAPADE (HPD) Innovating Methods for Exploration: Skyler Kleinschmidt
Wednesday, August 26
9:45 – 10:45 AM: Partnerships and Launch Services
- Moderator, FO Panelist: Danielle McCulloch
- NASA CSLI, VADR Panelist: Norman Phelps
- CLPS Panelist: Angela Melito
- Rideshare Panelist: Aly Mendoza-hill
- SLS: David Hitt
3:15 – 4:15 PM: Mission Highlights and Future Concepts
- Welcome / Close out Presentor/Moderator: Sam Pedrotty
- JPL Mission INCUS: Benjamin (Benji) Donitz
- SMD – Biological & Physical Sciences Payload Concepts for Future SmallSat Missions: Matthew Lera
- SMD APD – SWIFT Reboost highlight: David Morris
- SMD ESD – Mission Highlight: Sachidananda Babu
- SMD HPD – TRACERS Mission Highlight: Skyler Kleinschmidt
- SunRISE (SMD HPD) – Maximizing Science Uptime Across the Constellation: Carson Schubert
- STMD USTP Overview: Mike Gaunce
- STMD Mission CAPSTONE 02: Sam Phan
- STMD R5 Spacecraft Series: Sam Pedrotty
- STMD GPDM: Nehemiah Williams
- STMD Mission DiskSat: Roger Hunter
English Translation and Paraphrased Content:
SmallSat 2026: NASA's Engagement and Program Showcase
NASA is set to be a significant presence at the SmallSat 2026 conference, extending an invitation to attendees to visit their exhibits in the main hall at Booths #635, #835, #641, and #940. Agency experts will be on hand to share their knowledge through a detailed schedule of presentations and panel discussions scheduled over three days.
Monday, August 24
9:00 – 10:00 AM: Inaugural Sessions and Insights into the Smallsat Market
- Opening Remarks: Jose Nunez
- An Overview of the Small Satellite Industry in 2026, presented by BryceTech: Fletcher Franklin
- Observations on the Supply Chain: Bruce Yost
- Identifying Technology Gaps: Rudy de Rosee
- The SPARCS Camera and Initial Scientific Findings: Kaitlyn Ashcroft
- JPL's Skyfall Project: Tim Canham
- The SWIFT LINK Reboost Initiative: Bo Naasz
- Exploring Flight Opportunities, including the Hosted Orbital Ecosystem, Foundational Robotics, and the Space Roboticist Challenge: Anh Nguyen
- Navigating SmallSat Launch Options, from Rideshare to Dedicated Missions, with NASA's Launch Services Program (LSP): Caley Burke
- Collaborating with MSFC: Your Mission, Our Laboratory: Rush Elkins
- Envisioning Future Spaceflight Missions: NASA Ames Mission Design Center's Perspective: Matthew Napoli
- Lessons Learned and Best Practices from a Successful Launch Cycle: Brad Williams
- A Solution for Returning SmallSat Payloads via HIAD: Joe Del Corso
3:25 – 4:10 PM: NASA Program Updates and Operational Best Practices
- Panel Moderation: Bruce Yost
- Updates from RTMD NASA: Greg Stover
- SMD HPD ADF Program Details: Asal Naseri
- Commercial Access to Space (CAtS), CLPS, and HSMD CSLI Initiatives: Pete Wilczynski
- Best Practices for Conjunction Assessment from CARA: Lauri Newman
Tuesday, August 25
9:45 – 10:45 AM: Fostering Innovation and Funding Avenues
- Panel Moderation: Cari Reinert
- SMD Solicitations and Opportunities: Aly Mendoza-Hill
- CATALYST and I-Corps Programs through STMD: Maggie Yancey
- SBIR/STTR: A Pathway to Innovation: Ryszard Pisarski
- Agency-Wide Technology Transfer Initiatives: Jose Nunez
3:15 – 4:15 PM: Showcasing Science Missions and Advancements in Space Exploration
- Panel Moderation: Aly Mendoza-Hill
- Pioneering Projects within SMD's APD: Pablo Saz Parkinson
- Understanding "Science as a Service" for SmallSat Providers: Beth Weinstein
- Updates from SMD's Heliophysics Division (HPD): Asal Naseri
- ESCAPADE (HPD): Innovative Approaches to Exploration: Skyler Kleinschmidt
Wednesday, August 26
9:45 – 10:45 AM: Collaborative Efforts and Launch Support Services
- Panel Moderator for Flight Opportunities: Danielle McCulloch
- NASA CSLI and VADR Program Updates: Norman Phelps
- The CLPS Initiative: Angela Melito
- Rideshare Program Discussion: Aly Mendoza-hill
- The Space Launch System (SLS): David Hitt
3:15 – 4:15 PM: Mission Showcases and Future SmallSat Concepts
- Welcome and Closing Remarks: Sam Pedrotty
- JPL's INCUS Mission: Benjamin (Benji) Donitz
- SMD's Biological & Physical Sciences: Payload Concepts for Future SmallSat Missions: Matthew Lera
- SMD APD: Highlight on the SWIFT Reboost mission: David Morris
- SMD ESD: Mission Highlight: Sachidananda Babu
- SMD HPD: TRACERS Mission Highlight: Skyler Kleinschmidt
- SunRISE (SMD HPD): Optimizing Science Data Collection Across a Constellation: Carson Schubert
- Overview of STMD's University Small Satellite Program (USTP): Mike Gaunce
- STMD Mission: CAPSTONE 02: Sam Phan
- STMD Spacecraft Series: R5: Sam Pedrotty
- STMD GPDM Program: Nehemiah Williams
- STMD Mission: DiskSat: Roger Hunter
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