Aerospace company tapped for mission for new spacewalk, moonwalk system

in the works

NASA has issued another grant to Collins Aerospace to design the future of spacewalks and moonwalks. Image via NASA

Charlotte, North Carolina-based Collins Aerospace has been selected by NASA to develop a spacewalking system for the astronauts aboard the International Space Station.

The award, which is the second under NASA’s Exploration EVA Services contract, has a base value of $97.2 million, per a Dec. 8 news release from NASA. The company has until January 2024 "to complete a critical design review and demonstrate use of the suit on Earth in a simulated space environment," according to NASA, which will then decide the option to extend the contract for testing to be conducted by April 2026.

NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston manages the spacesuit contract. Collins Aerospace has had a presence in Houston for 40 years, and recently cut the ribbon on a $30 million facility near the JSC.

“We look forward to obtaining another much-needed service under our contract,” says Lara Kearney, manager of the Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program at JSC, in the release. “By working with industry, NASA is able to continue its over 22-year legacy of maintaining a presence in low-Earth orbit.”

The current system was designed decades ago and has been used during previous space shuttle and space station missions. Collins Aerospace will work with Houston-based Axiom Space on this project, which was initially announced this summer.

"Both vendors will continue to compete for future task orders which include recurring services for station spacewalks and moonwalks beyond Artemis III," the news release reads.

Axiom Space will outfit our astronauts. Photo courtesy of NASA

Houston tech company lands exclusive spacesuit deal for NASA's mission to moon

suit up

When astronauts make a historic return to the surface of the moon, presumably 2025 or 2026, they’ll don Houston-crafted, life-protecting suits.

Houston-based Axiom Space has landed the rights to create spacesuits and supporting systems for NASA’s Artemis III mission, which will see humans back on our satellite for the first time since the legendary Apollo missions more than 50 years ago.

This award is the first for a competitive spacesuits contract, NASA notes in a press release. NASA tapped Axiom Space for a task order boasting a base value of $228.5 million. As previously reported, Axiom Space was one of two companies NASA pegged for spacesuit and supporting system development.

These new suits are pivotal, as plans for NASA’s Artemis lunar program call for not just lunar orbit, but trips to the lunar south pole and even a crewed outpost on the moon.

Axiom Space will be responsible for the design, development, qualification, certification, and production of its spacesuits and support equipment. Spacesuits will be tested for moonwalks and spacewalks.

This spacesuit contract, which will advance spacewalking capabilities in low-Earth orbit and on the Moon, is managed by the Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program (EHP) at Johnson Space Center.

“NASA is proud to partner with commercial industry on this historic mission that will kickstart the United States building a lasting presence on the surface of the Moon,” said Lara Kearney, manager of NASA’s Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility program. “What we learn on Artemis III and future missions on and around the Moon will pave the way for missions to Mars. Spacesuits enable us to literally take that next step.”

The first lunar mission since 1972, Artemis will be historic in myriad ways, none of least for seeing the first woman and the first person of color on the moon, as well as a testing ground for eventual Mars missions.

Artemis I is set to launch on September 19, barring any delays.

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This article originally ran on CultureMap.

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What you're reading: 5 top Houston innovation stories from this week

trending news

Editor's note:Let's roundup the most-read Houston innovation news from the week. Trending Houston tech and startup articles from InnovationMap and its daily newsletter included the last innovation events roundup of the year, TMC wins a prestigious award, a startup's acquisition, and more.

10+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events for December

Here are over 10 can't-miss events for Houston innovators in December. Photo courtesy of Rice University

From networking meetups to pitch competitions, December is filled with opportunities for Houston innovators. Here's a roundup of events you won't want to miss out on so mark your calendars and register accordingly. Continue reading.


Houston's Texas Medical Center wins prestigious global award recognizing leaders in life science innovation

Texas Medical Center Innovation won a Prix Galien Award, which has been described as being comparable to the Nobel Prize for the life science community. Photo by Natalie Harms/InnovationMap

Last month, a global organization honored innovation leaders in life sciences, and the Texas Medical Center was among the recipients of the prestigious awards program.

The 18th annual Prix Galien Awards Gala awarded TMC Innovation with the win in the "Incubators, Accelerators and Equity" category. The Galien Foundation created the awards program in 1970 in honor of Galien, the father of medical science and modern pharmacology. Alongside TMC, the other winners represented biotech, digital health, startups, and more. Continue reading.

Houston startup acquired, plans to expand global medical device software solutions

Houston-based Galen Data, a provider of cloud-based connectivity software for medical devices, has been acquired. Photo via Getty Images

Houston-based Galen Data, a provider of cloud-based connectivity software for medical devices, has been acquired by health care-focused asset manager Lauxera Capital Partners. Financial terms weren’t disclosed.

Lauxera, based in France, says the Galen Data acquisition complements its 2022 purchase of Germany-based Matrix Requirements, a provider of software for medical device R&D and quality control teams.

“The Galen team has built an exceptional product providing medical device companies a cost-effective, compliant, and secure solution for medical device cloud connectivity,” Samuel Levy, founding partner of Lauxera. Continue reading.

Houston female-focused health tech accelerator names top companies at annual event

Sarah Lee, CEO and co-founder of Relavo, won first place at the 2024 Ignite Health Fire Pitch Competition. Photo via Ignite/LinkedIn

A Houston organization that accelerates and supports female founders leading innovative health tech startups has concluded its 2024 program with the announcement of this year's top companies.

Ignite Health, an accelerator founded in 2017 by longtime Houston health care professional Ayse McCracken, named its 2024 winners at its annual Fire Pitch Competition in Houston last month. The companies pitched health tech solutions across lung health, renal therapy, breastfeeding tech, and more.

"This year’s competition was a culmination of passion, innovation, and hard work from the top startups in our 2024 Accelerator Program," reads a LinkedIn post from Ignite. "These trailblazing founders earned their spot on the stage by demonstrating exceptional leadership and the potential to revolutionize the healthcare industry with their solutions and devices." Continue reading.

Houston urban agricultural nonprofit gears up for opening of new farm in Second Ward

Brothers Mark, Daniel, and Thomas Garcia-Prats are the co-founders of Small Places, a Houston-based urban agricultural nonprofit growing fresh produce for families in the East End. Photo courtesy Small Places

Small Places, a Houston-based urban agricultural nonprofit, is looking forward to putting down roots beyond the fresh vegetables they grow in the East End.

After securing a 40-year land agreement with Harris County, the organization, which provides produce to families facing food insecurity in the Second Ward, is expecting to open their new farm in February 2025. Small Places’ founders hope the 1.5 acres of land named Finca Tres Robles, located at 5715 Canal Street, will be the beginning of Houston’s urban farming movement.

Founded in 2014 by brothers Daniel, Mark, and Thomas Garcia-Prats, Small Places was born out of the latter brother’s desire to work on an organic farm in his hometown of Houston. After farming in Maine, Iowa, and Nicaragua, Thomas had hoped to manage an urban farm but was unable to find a place. He then roped his brothers, who had no agricultural background at the time, into creating one. Continue reading.

Autonomous cab company launches Houston pilot program for wheelchair-accessible rides

new to hou

A California company with autonomous cabs has announced a new pilot program in partnership with a provider of wheelchairs and mobility solutions.

Cruise has teamed up with Numotion for a six-month wheelchair-accessible vehicle (WAV) pilot program in Houston, offering free transportation for qualifying Numotion customers, according to the companies. The program will operate in over 90 Houston-area ZIP codes.

“Numotion is excited to partner with Cruise to offer a seamless and convenient solution for wheelchair users in the Houston area. By providing transportation to and from repair appointments, we're alleviating a significant stressor and providing a way for our customers to receive their service and repair faster,” says Mike Swinford, CEO of Numotion, in a news release. “We're constantly striving to innovate and improve the lives of our customers, and this collaboration demonstrates our ongoing commitment to providing beneficial customer experiences."

Cruise entered the Texas market last year, with Houston services launching in October 2023 before the company put all operations on pause following a California crash. This is the first Texas announcement for Cruise since the pause.

"Accessibility is core to our mission at Cruise. This pilot program with Numotion is doing more than providing accessible rides – it’s about empowering people in the community with greater mobility and independence, while also building learnings to better our service in the future," says Craig Glidden, president and chief administrative officer at Cruise about the new pilot.

Looking back: Top 5 most-read Houston sports tech stories of 2024

year in review

Editor's note: As the year comes to a close, InnovationMap is looking back at the year's top stories in Houston innovation. Houston is a city primed for sports tech innovation — with its collection of major sports teams, vibrant population, and tech workforce. Here are five sports tech news stories that stood out to readers this year — be sure to click through to read the full story.

10 sports tech startups named to Houston-based hybrid accelerator

Introducing the 10 startups participating in the Spring 2024 cohort of the DivInc Sports Tech Accelerator, a hybrid program based in the Ion. Photo via DivInc.com

DivInc has named its latest sports tech-focused cohort of its hybrid accelerator that is housed out of the Ion.

The Sports Tech Accelerator has selected the 10 companies — with technology across human performance, fan experience, and more — for its 13th cohort to participate in the 12-week hybrid program this month and through July.

The program receives support from underdog venture team, Women In Sports Tech, The Collectiv, and HTX Sports Tech, with partners Bank of America, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., Gunderson Dettmer, Brown Advisory, Ion, and Mercury. Continue reading.

High-tech virtual racing experience to rev up in Houston

Houston is getting 16 racing simulators, each equipped with full motion systems and immersive, 180-degree panoramic displays. Photo by Dylan McEwan

Come next year, some high-speed and high-tech race simulators will be added to one of Houston's growing districts.

Velocity - Sim Racing Lounge, described in press materials as Houston’s first premium simulation racing experience, is slated to open in early 2025 at 2110 Edwards St.Velocity will bring sim racing to Houston through 16 racing simulators, each equipped with full motion systems and immersive, 180-degree panoramic displays. The goal is provide customers with a truly authentic, virtual driving experience.

Customers will have the ability to virtually drive sports cars from iconic brands like Porsche and Lamborghini and race on world famous tracks, including the Circuit of the Americas, Laguna Seca, and the Silverstone Circuit. Classic roads, such as California’s Pacific Coast Highway, provide a more leisurely alternative to driving flat out. Continue reading.

Rice University announces partnership with Houston sports tech startup to enhance student athletics

Rice University's athletic programs will be supported by Houston startup BeOne Sports' technology. Photo courtesy of Rice University

Rice University — in an effort to enhance athletics and research-driven innovation — has formed a partnership with a startup founded by its alumni.

BeOne Sports, a sports performance technology company developed a platform for mobile motion-capture AI and advanced data analytics, will integrate its technology within Rice's sports medicine and rehabilitation programs.

“This partnership aligns perfectly with Rice University’s mission to harness innovation for the betterment of our community,” Rice President Reginald DesRoches says in a news release. “By integrating cutting-edge technology from BeOne Sports with our already world-class athletic and academic programs, we are providing our student athletes with the tools they need to excel both on the field and in life. This collaboration is a testament to Rice’s commitment to leading through innovation and offering unparalleled opportunities for our students.” Continue reading.

Diversity-focused sports tech accelerator opens applications to Houston innovators for the first time

Calling all sports tech startups founded by Black or Hispanic innovators. Photo via Getty Images

A global organization has announced it's opening applications to its equity-focused sports tech accelerator to Houston founders for the first time.

Thanks to a collaboration with Impact Hub and Black Ambition, the adidas Community Lab has expanded its footprint and is now accepting applicants from new markets, including Houston, Toronto, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and New York, for its 2024-2025 cohort.

The initiative, which has been running for three years, has a goal of supporting Black and Latino/a/e founders with mentorship, pitch training, event programming, and networking. The eight-month program also has $75,000 in grant funding to dole out to participants as well. Continue reading.

Houston sports tech startup aims to optimize unsold resale ticket market with new platform

Looking to score the best deal on your next game ticket? A new Houston-founded app promises to revolutionize the resale market. Photo via Getty Images

Online platforms have long simplified the process of buying, selling, and trading event tickets. But what happens when your tickets don’t sell or when you’re stuck with costly season tickets you can’t use? You might end up giving them away or leaving them unused, leading to a financial loss either way.

This is the challenge that Houstonian Jerin Varkey is willing to address with Offer Approved, a new platform that empowers sellers and buyers, guaranteeing that no seat goes unused.

The idea took root around two years ago when Varkey, a passionate sports fan and season ticket holder, faced a new challenge. After becoming a parent, he found himself unable to attend every game. Frustrated with traditional resale platforms, he quickly realized that high fees and limited time made it difficult to sell all his tickets, causing him to lose money each time. Continue reading.

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