Guardian of the Orbits: Non-Earth Orbit Conjunction Risk Analysis Framework (NEO-CRAF) (NEO-CRAF)

The Non-Earth Orbit Conjunction Risk Assessment Framework (NEO-CRAF) by Vista Techwerx LLC enhances space safety by improving conjunction risk assessment for cislunar and deep-space missions. As NASA’s Artemis program and commercial lunar operations increase space traffic, traditional Earth-based risk models fail to address sparse tracking data, multi-body gravitational effects, and non-Keplerian orbits. This project develops an advanced probabilistic framework integrating machine learning, Bayesian inference, and uncertainty modeling to improve collision risk prediction. Phase I funding will support key innovations, including Delaunay triangulation-based proximity modeling, particle filtering for dynamic state estimation, and Dempster-Shafer theory for probabilistic conflict resolution. These will enhance NASA’s MADCAP tool, refining deep-space trajectory predictions and multi-source data fusion. A Non-Earth Orbit Conjunction Risk Assessment Dashboard (NEO-CRAD) will provide real-time risk visualization and classification, supporting NASA Procedural Requirements (NPR 8079.1) for conjunction assessment. Target markets include NASA, commercial lunar operators, and international space agencies, with applications in autonomous deep-space navigation and on-orbit servicing. Phase I lays the foundation for scalable, AI-driven risk assessment, ensuring safer, more sustainable space operations.

The Non-Earth Orbit Conjunction Risk Assessment Framework (NEO-CRAF) supports NASA’s Artemis program, Gateway, and Mars exploration by improving collision risk assessment for cislunar and deep-space missions. As NASA increases operations beyond Earth orbit, traditional Earth-based models fail to address sparse tracking, multi-body gravitational effects, and non-Keplerian orbits, creating challenges for long-duration crewed and robotic missions. Accurate space traffic management and risk mitigation are critical to mission success, requiring advanced probabilistic approaches to enhance NASA’s capabilities. NEO-CRAF directly benefits NASA’s MADCAP tool by integrating machine learning, Bayesian inference, and uncertainty modeling to refine orbital state estimations, trajectory predictions, and real-time conjunction risk assessments. These enhancements improve situational awareness for mission planners and spacecraft operators, helping to prevent collisions and optimize maneuver planning in environments with limited observational data. Additionally, the Non-Earth Orbit Conjunction Risk Assessment Dashboard (NEO-CRAD) will provide an intuitive, real-time risk triaging system, categorizing threats into low, moderate, and high-risk levels to support operational decision-making. This technology aligns with NASA Procedural Requirements (NPR 8079.1) for conjunction risk management and supports NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), Artemis, Gateway, and planetary missions. It enhances autonomous navigation, trajectory planning, and space traffic coordination for future deep-space missions, enabling safer and more efficient exploration beyond Earth orbit. The Non-Earth Orbit Conjunction Risk Assessment Framework (NEO-CRAF) presents significant commercialization opportunities as space operations expand beyond Earth orbit. With increasing lunar and deep-space activities driven by private space companies, international space agencies, and defense organizations, there is a growing need for advanced conjunction risk assessment tools to ensure safe and sustainable operations. NEO-CRAF provides a scalable, AI-driven solution that enhances collision risk prediction, trajectory optimization, and autonomous space traffic management in cislunar and deep-space environments. Commercial space entities such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman are actively developing lunar landers, space stations, and commercial deep-space missions that require robust situational awareness and conjunction analysis. NEO-CRAF can integrate with commercial flight dynamics systems and mission control software, providing real-time risk assessment dashboards for satellite operators, space logistics companies, and deep-space infrastructure providers. Additionally, international space agencies, defense organizations, and satellite servicing firms can benefit from NEO-CRAF’s probabilistic forecasting and multi-source data fusion capabilities to support on-orbit servicing, debris tracking, and autonomous spacecraft navigation. Beyond the space industry, terrestrial applications include air traffic management, maritime collision avoidance, and autonomous vehicle navigation, where similar probabilistic risk models and AI-driven forecasting can improve safety and efficiency. By offering a scalable, modular, and cloud-based platform, NEO-CRAF has the potential to become a critical enabler of the growing commercial space economy, ensuring safe, efficient, and collision-free operations in Earth-independent orbital environments.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.