NASA Force Applications Open

First applications launched Friday for two-year aerospace engineer positions.

Jack Daleo

Friday, April 17, 2026 at 05:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Zach Vasile

NASA Force gives private sector employees the chance to work on projects tied to the Artemis moon mission campaign. [Credit: NASA]

Key Takeaways:

NASA has launched "NASA Force," a new initiative allowing U.S. private sector employees to apply for one-to-two-year "mission-critical" roles at the space agency.
The program aims to bolster NASA's workforce with external talent and expertise, addressing recent employee departures and budget declines.
Participants will contribute to key projects under the Artemis moon mission campaign, such as the Orion crew capsule and Space Launch System (SLS), vital for establishing a permanent moon base by 2028.
The initiative also includes a reciprocal arrangement for NASA personnel to work in the private sector, with safeguards in place to prevent conflicts of interest.

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U.S. private sector employees can now apply to work on some of NASA’s most complex projects.

NASA on Friday launched the official website and application portal for NASA Force—a workforce initiative that will recruit the best and brightest aerospace employees for one-to-two-year “mission-critical” roles at the space agency. Per the website, selected personnel “for a few days” will have access to projects under NASA’s Artemis moon mission campaign, including the Orion crew capsule, Space Launch System (SLS) rocket propulsion system, and lunar rovers and landers.