Venture Technology Accelerator

Program Manager – Sachidananda Babu

Demonstrating and Delivering Next Generation Technologies

The Venture Technology Accelerator (VTA) program is a new ESTO initiative designed to test, validate, and rapidly transition next-generation Earth observation technologies to science operations. Building upon the In-Space Validation of Earth Science Technology (InVEST) program, VTA accelerates the path from innovation to impact by demonstrating emerging space-based capabilities on orbit and facilitating their adoption by commercial and not-for-profit organizations as well as federal agencies. 

VTA focuses on maturing high-potential Earth observation technologies — such as advanced sensors, instruments and components as well as data processing systems — through targeted flight demonstrations and on-orbit validation. By creating praxis around streamlined access to spaceflight opportunities, technical integration support, and demonstration pathways, the program reduces the technical, financial, and schedule risks that can delay commercialization and deployment. 

Following in-space validation, VTA will enable rapid transition of proven technologies to science operations. The program will partner with commercial firms, federal agencies, and other stakeholders to integrate demonstrated capabilities. This will ensure that innovations move beyond demonstration and into sustained use. 

VTA serves as a bridge between research, industry, and government, strengthening the domestic space industrial base, expanding commercial opportunities, and enhancing national Earth observation capabilities. By compressing development timelines and aligning technology development with user needs, VTA enables faster delivery of actionable data for applications such as disaster response, resource management, agriculture, infrastructure resilience, and national security.

Through agile program management, milestone-based funding, and close collaboration with industry and end users, the Venture Technology Accelerator transforms promising space technologies into capabilities that deliver measurable public and economic value. 

The first planned VTA project is the Fire Environment Next-generation Instrument X-celerator (FENIX). FENIX aims to deliver unprecedented fire detection and characterization as a pathfinder for a future fire‑monitoring satellite constellation that could transition to commercial operations.

In-Space Validation of Earth Science Technologies (InVEST)

Projects previously selected under the In-Space Validation of Earth Science Technologies (InVEST) legacy program continue to validate new technologies, measurement concepts, and observation techniques. Demonstrating these ideas in the space environment, particularly those with attributes that cannot be fully tested on the ground or in airborne systems, helps to reduce the risk of future Earth science missions.

Selected Current and Completed InVEST Projects:

InVEST-23

• GRITSS: Geodetic Reference Instrument Transponder for Small Satellites
• GRATTIS: Gravitational Reference Advanced Technology Test In Space
• ODIN: Optomechanical-Distributed instrument for Inertial sensing and Navigation

InVEST-20

• ACMES: Active Cooling for Multi-spectral Earth Sensors
• ARGOS: Aerosol Radiometer for Global Observation
• ARCSTONE: Calibration of Lunar Spectral Radiance from Space
• MURI: Multiband Uncooled Radiometer Instrument

InVEST-17

• NACHOS: Nanosat Atmospheric Chemistry Hyperspectral Observation System
• HyTI: Hyperspectral Thermal Imager
• SNOOPI: Signals of Opportunity P-band Investigation
• CTIM: Compact Thermal Irradiance Monitor

Getting To Space

There are a number of commercial launch providers entering this field to provide access to space. Several government efforts also provide opportunities for small satellite payloads, including:

• NASA Launch Services’ CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) Program, also known as Educational Launch of Nano-Satellites (ELaNa)
• The Space Evaluation Research Board (SERB) within the DoD Space Test Program (STP)
• US Government Rideshare Working Group (USGRWG)

Solicitations

VTA and InVEST use NASA Research Announcements as a primary investment vehicle. Links to full solicitations and awards are listed below.
Open RFI: A new Request for Information (RFI) asks industry, academia, and other organizations for insight into how VTA can best address technology gaps and market-driven application needs, such as freshwater management and infrastructure resilience. Responses are due April 23, 2026, and must be submitted through NASA’s NSPIRES system under announcement number NNH26ZDA006L.

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VTA and InVEST Solicitations