NASA's ISAM State of Play Sets Out the Field of In-Orbit Servicing

First reported 29 Oct, 15:06 UTCSource: NASA News ReleasesLast editorial activity 29 Oct, 15:06 UTCWrite a comment ↓

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NASA's Langley Research Center has published the 2026 edition of its In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM) State of Play, a 368-page report cataloguing current capabilities in 11 functional areas. The document is increasingly used by industry as a guide to what already exists in orbit and what remains conceptual.

What the 2026 edition covers

The report documents current ISAM capabilities across 11 functional areas, from robotic manipulation to refueling and structural assembly. Published since 2021, the 2026 edition has grown to 368 pages.

Entry follows strict rules: hardware must physically exist, either as a ground prototype or as an in-flight demonstration. Concepts that do not yet meet this standard wait until a later annual review. Contributions come from NASA centers including Ames, Glenn, Marshall, Kennedy and Johnson, alongside international developers whose hardware qualifies.

From internal reference to industry resource

The State of Play began as a way to give NASA centers a common reference point. It has since become a resource that companies turn to when judging what is possible and what is still on paper. According to NASA, companies began asking to be included, seeking access to the competitive intelligence the document offers.

Each year brings more interviews with industry partners to check accuracy and completeness.

Why the document matters

The report functions as both an encyclopedia and a roadmap for technologies that would let spacecraft be serviced, assembled and manufactured in orbit rather than launched as integrated systems. NASA points to needs in future missions, including telescopes larger than any launch vehicle fairing and commercial systems that can upgrade on orbit.

NASA also presents the document as impartial, favouring no particular company or program, a quality it sees as central to its usefulness to an industry seeking an objective view of a fast-growing field.

Open questions

Which of the hardware items described in the 2026 edition will reach orbit first?

Key facts

The ISAM State of Play is a NASA document on in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing.

The 2026 edition runs to 368 pages and covers 11 functional areas.

Hardware must physically exist, as a ground prototype or in-flight demonstration, to be included.

Companies approached NASA's Langley Research Center to be included in the document.