NASA Announcement of Collaboration Opportunity (ACO)
Runs Unfunded Space Act Agreements giving companies access to NASA facilities expertise through the NASA Announcement of Collaboration Opportunity.
NASA's Announcement of Collaboration Opportunity sits under the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate and gives companies a way to work with NASA without exchanging cash. It is an unfunded Space Act Agreement route that trades access to NASA expertise, facilities, hardware, and software for industry collaboration. No industry cost-share is required. The standing ACO announcement in the source material is valid for five years, with topic-specific appendices released every 6 to 12 months; Appendix A closed on September 24, 2025. Since 2015, NASA has used the route for about 80 projects spanning lunar landers, propellant transfer, navigation software, sensing systems, and lunar vehicle components. ACO is best for companies that need NASA knowledge or test assets more than direct funding. The process is rolling across appendices, so the key is to watch for the right topic and respond with a focused collaboration concept through NSPIRES. The page in the source material says there are no open opportunities at this time, which makes the standing announcement the relevant entry point rather than any active cash award.
Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.