NASA Seeks Industry Partners for Ka-Band Relay System Under Project NEXUS

The new system aims to preserve continuity for on-orbit missions that cannot transition to non-compatible commercial services.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 8:06am

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An abstract, highly structured painting in muted earth tones, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the technical complexity and interconnected components of a next-generation satellite communications system.NASA's NEXUS project aims to develop a cutting-edge Ka-band satellite relay system that preserves compatibility with legacy communications networks while enabling new commercial opportunities.Colorado Springs Today

NASA plans to release a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Project NEXUS, a Ka-band backward-compatible relay system. The solicitation seeks industry partners to develop and demonstrate an end-to-end Ka-band relay service, including space, ground, launch, integration, and operations elements, that will maintain compatibility with legacy Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRS) users for at least 15 years.

Why it matters

NASA's objective is to preserve continuity for on-orbit missions that cannot modify flight hardware or transition to non-compatible commercial services, addressing growing continuity risks in the 2029–2031 timeframe. The new NEXUS system aims to support broader commercial markets beyond NASA's own missions.

The details

The NEXUS demonstration will validate key objectives, including preserving backward compatibility with TDRS Ka-band spectral ranges, delivering operationally viable bidirectional relay services, verifying coverage and performance, and generating data to inform a follow-on competitive service acquisition. The full-service architecture will eventually support eight concurrently operational paired links across defined regional coverage zones, with continuous global service.

  • NASA plans to release a draft solicitation on April 10, 2026.
  • An industry day is scheduled for April 14, 2026 in Colorado Springs.
  • The final BAA solicitation is expected on May 11, 2026, with proposals due June 2, 2026.
  • Phase 1 (6 months) will mature proposed concepts and development plans, with awards anticipated by September 2026.
  • Phase 2 (15 months) will develop and integrate the space and ground segments, with downselects expected by February 2027.

The players

NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the U.S. government agency responsible for the civilian space program, aeronautics, and space research.

Jennifer George

The primary point of contact for the NEXUS project at NASA, who can be reached via email.

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What they’re saying

“NASA's objective is to preserve continuity for on-orbit missions that cannot modify flight hardware or transition to non-compatible commercial services, addressing growing continuity risks in the 2029–2031 timeframe.”

— NASA

What’s next

Phase 3 (6 months) will conduct on-orbit demonstration and end-to-end verification, with demonstration no later than June 2028. Phase 4 will transition demonstrated capabilities into commercial services, while Phase 5 will involve competitive long-term operational service acquisitions.

The takeaway

This project highlights NASA's efforts to ensure continuity of critical satellite communications services for on-orbit missions, while also exploring opportunities to support broader commercial markets beyond its own needs.