NASA has opened the request-for-registration process for its 2026 Moon to Mars Architecture workshops, signaling the next round of industry and stakeholder engagement that informs the agency’s integrated exploration blueprint across Artemis and future Mars missions. The agency’s notice, posted Sept. 16, 2025, indicates a form is coming soon, and clarifies that a request to register does not guarantee participation.
What NASA announced
According to NASA’s update, organizations interested in participating will be able to submit a registration request once the form is published. The agency has not yet posted session dates, format, locations, or selection criteria. The workshops are designed to gather technical input that helps align capabilities, interfaces, and standards across lunar and Mars exploration systems.
Source: NASA Architecture Workshop Registration Requests
Why it matters for the space industry
The Moon to Mars Architecture frames how elements such as human landing systems, surface habitats, mobility, power, communications, logistics, and Mars transport stack together. Regular workshops support:
- Interoperability across government, commercial, and international systems
- Risk reduction via shared interfaces and standards
- Identification of gaps where new capabilities or demonstrations are needed
- Road-mapping for flight demonstrations and procurement planning
What to expect (based on prior cycles)
While NASA has not released the 2026 agenda, recent architecture cycles have emphasized cross-program integration and maturing key technologies. Focus areas typically include:
- Lunar surface power, energy storage, and charging interfaces
- Communications, navigation, and timing in cislunar space
- Logistics, cargo delivery, and surface operations
- Habitation, EVA systems, and crew health technologies
- Autonomy, robotics, and in-situ resource utilization
- Science payload integration and data return
How organizations can prepare
With the registration form pending, prospective participants can get ready by organizing concise technical materials that demonstrate value to the architecture:
- Define relevant capabilities and current TRL, with clear performance metrics
- Map products to lunar surface, cislunar, or Mars transit use cases
- Highlight interface compatibility and openness to standards
- Outline path-to-flight, test plans, and demo heritage where applicable
- Identify interoperability, safety, or sustainment benefits
Key points
- The registration request process for the 2026 workshops is announced; the submission form is not yet live
- A request to register will not guarantee acceptance
- Dates, format, and selection criteria have not been published
- Workshops inform updates to NASA’s Moon to Mars Architecture, shaping future mission integration and potential procurements
NASA’s architecture workshops have become a recurring venue for exchanging technical insights that help align government, commercial, and international partners on the path from lunar surface operations to eventual human missions to Mars. Interested stakeholders should monitor NASA’s announcement page and prepare to submit once the form becomes available.
