Advancing Lunar Technologies Through Suborbital Flight Tests – DRAFT

On September 2, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET, the Flight Opportunities Community of Practice hosted a webinar titled "Advancing Lunar Technologies Through Suborbital Flight Tests." The event featured Gary Lai, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Interlune, and Malay Shah, an expert in Aerospace Technology, Gas, and Fluid Systems from NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

In this presentation, the researchers shared their experiences with leveraging suborbital flights to develop and test technologies for future missions to the Moon. They presented two such technologies: OSCAR, a system designed to convert waste materials into useful gases, and Prospect Moon, a tool for prospecting lunar resources.

The NASA and Interlune researchers highlighted the advantages of the Flight Opportunities program, which utilises the "fly-fix-fly" approach to conduct flight tests, apply lessons learned, and prepare for lunar missions. Attendees of the webinar were provided with insights into the process of designing a flight test plan, as well as guidance on accessing suborbital flight testing facilities to support their own lunar technology development projects.