NASA Tipping Point

NASA Tipping Point sits under the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate and funds technology demonstrations that can move commercial space hardware closer to mission use. It is a funded Space Act Agreement route, with industry cost-share built into the model and the goal of maturing technologies for both government and commercial applications. Industry must contribute at least 25 percent of total project resources, or 10 percent for companies with 500 or fewer employees. The route is U.S.-based, requires a for-profit company, and expects a prototype-level effort; the source material does not publish a standard award range. Past cycles ran from 2015 through the February 2022 solicitation, with selections announced in July 2023. This is a demonstration program rather than a broad research call, so the fit is strongest when a company can show that a specific technology is ready for flight-relevant maturation and commercial infusion. The latest STMD page in the source material says there are no open opportunities at this time, so applicants need to watch for a new cycle rather than assume a standing window. Cost-share strength and a clear demonstration plan matter more here than breadth of concept.

No upcoming rounds verified. Cadence: Annual.