Paragon Space Development Corporation — COSMIC¶
Type: Established NASA Life Support Contractor
FO Project: 155245 — Condensate Separator for Microgravity Conditions (COSMIC)
Period: 2023-05-01 – 2026-01-31
TRL: 4 → 5
PI: Joel Thibault; Co-I: Robert Jacobi
Outcome Category: ISS/Artemis ECLSS infusion path — pre-market, strong pipeline
Downstream $: $130M+ tracked ($100M+ HALO ECLSS + $30M+ ISS/SBIR portfolio)
Last updated: Session 71, 2026-04-07
What Was Tested¶
COSMIC is a condensate separator with a rotating seal design for humidity control on human spaceflight missions. It combines condensate capture, removal, and pumping into one compact, low-power unit.
Problem it solves: The current ISS approach to humidity control causes damage to the Water Processing Assembly (WPA) and has diminishing collection efficiency over time. COSMIC supplies separated condensate at pressure directly to the WPA — the ISS water recycling system — with >99:1 air/water volume ratio and >95% separation efficiency.
TX: TX06.1.2 — Water Recovery and Management
Note: COSMIC also received NASA SBIR Phase II funding separately — FO project and SBIR were concurrent development tracks for the same technology.
Company Background¶
Paragon Space Development Corporation (Tucson, AZ) is one of NASA's primary commercial life support contractors. They design, build, and maintain environmental control and life support systems (ECLSS) for human spaceflight.
Current deployed hardware on ISS: - Brine Processor Assembly (BPA) — Paragon manufactures and maintains the BPA, which extracts additional water from the urine processor brine. Multiple active ISS contracts for BPA bladder replacements and maintenance (2022–2027). - Water Processing Assembly sustaining support
Artemis connections: - Lunar Gateway HALO module — Paragon is the ECLSS provider for the HALO module (NASA's lunar orbiting outpost, key Artemis infrastructure). Contract finalized Jan 2022 with Northrop Grumman, valued in excess of $100M. This is Paragon's largest contract ever and makes them the life support system for humanity's first permanent lunar-orbit station. ECLSS scope: atmosphere purification, temperature control, O₂/CO₂/humidity management, trace contaminant removal. CDR targeted Q2 2022; HALO delivery was planned for 2024 (likely delayed along with Gateway timeline). - Dynetics Artemis HLS — Paragon was designing ECLSS for Dynetics' proposed lunar lander (Dynetics did not win final HLS contract, but demonstrates Paragon's position) - CELSIUS — cryogenic launch shroud technology ($1.5M NASA, 2019-2022) - MARVEL — cryogenic Venus aerobot ($760K NASA, 2021-2023) - SCALE — spacesuit cover for lunar abrasion ($850K STTR Phase II, 2024-2026)
Leadership change (Nov 2025): Mark Greeley appointed President & CEO; Nina Grigsby appointed CFO.
How COSMIC Fits Paragon's Portfolio¶
The ISS water recovery chain: 1. Humidity in cabin → COSMIC captures condensate → WPA purifies → potable water 2. WPA waste brine → BPA (existing Paragon hardware) extracts remaining water
COSMIC is the upstream complement to Paragon's existing BPA downstream. If COSMIC deploys on ISS, Paragon would be operating both the inlet (condensate separation) and outlet (brine processing) of the water recovery subsystem.
This is a natural product extension for Paragon — building on their existing ECLSS relationships and hardware presence on ISS.
Downstream Contracts (Paragon portfolio — selected)¶
| Award | Amount | Agency | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| NNH16CL01C | $13.98M | NASA | Recovery of Potable Water from Wastewater (2016–2022) |
| 80JSC025F7037 | $1.11M | NASA JSC | Detrusor update for ISS (replaces BPA component, 2025–2026) |
| W5170124C0253 | $1.70M | US Army | SBIR Phase II (2024–2026) |
| 80JSC020P0026 | $1.58M | NASA JSC | XEMU boot prototype development |
| 80LARC20C0010 | $1.53M | NASA LaRC | Thermal Control System (with Boeing/Texas A&M) |
| 80MSFC19C0021 | $1.50M | NASA MSFC | CELSIUS cryogenic launch shroud |
| 80HQTR19C0018 | $1.50M | NASA HQ | IHOP water purification for ISRU |
| 80JSC025F7050 | $917K | NASA JSC | 60 BPA bladders (2025–2027) |
| 80NSSC24CA023 | $850K | NASA | STTR — SCALE spacesuit cover |
| 80NSSC24CA061 | $850K | NASA | SBIR Phase II — inflatable strain sensor |
| 80NSSC21C0480 | $760K | NASA | MARVEL Venus aerobot |
| 80JSC022F0068 | $884K | NASA JSC | 28 BPA bladders (2022) |
| N6833519C0306 | $1.47M | DoD Navy | R&D (2019) |
| N0002414C4061 | $1.00M | DoD Navy | Base contract |
| N6833525C0333 | $979K | DoD Navy | R&D (2025–2026) |
| N0017817C0016 | $974K | DoD Navy | SBIR Phase II |
New contracts found Session 71 (2025+):
| Award | Amount | Agency | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80JSC025F7050 | $1.38M | NASA JSC | 60 BPA bladders (May 2025–Mar 2027) |
| 80JSC025F7037 | $1.11M | NASA JSC | BPA detrusor design update (Apr 2025–May 2026) |
| N6833525C0333 | $979K | DoD Navy | R&D (Jul 2025–Dec 2026) |
| 80JSC025F7068 | $201K | NASA JSC | FY2026 authorization (Oct 2025–Apr 2026) |
| 80JSC025F7019 | $200K | NASA JSC | BPA bladder purchase (Jan 2025) |
| 80NSSC25C0295 | $150K | NASA | Phase I SBIR: MUD (Multistage Umbilical Disconnect System) |
| 80NSSC25C0294 | $149K | NASA | STTR Phase I: DASHARA (Deep-Space Anomaly Solution for Habitat Assistance and Resolution Aid) |
| N6833525C0353 | $140K | DoD Navy | R&D (May–Nov 2025) |
| 80JSC025F7033 | $86K | NASA JSC | BPA operations maintenance through Dec 2030 |
Estimated Paragon portfolio total (USASpending, partial): ~$35M+ (excluding $100M+ HALO ECLSS which flows through Northrop Grumman, not directly to Paragon in USASpending)
Including HALO ECLSS: ~$130M+
COSMIC Specific Outlook¶
TRL4→5 is modest. FO parabolic tests validated the rotating seal design concept. Next steps (per SBIR Phase II track): 1. Component-level testing in controlled microgravity (FO parabolic) ✓ 2. Subsystem integration and thermal/vacuum testing 3. ISS flight demonstration (potential ISS National Lab payload) 4. ISS operational deployment (replaces legacy condensate separator)
Artemis Infusion Path: The same COSMIC technology applies to the Gateway HALO module. If Paragon is the Gateway life support team, COSMIC would be a natural component.
Timeline: FO project ended Jan 2026. ISS deployment timeline not confirmed, but Paragon's pipeline suggests 2027–2029 is realistic given their ECLSS development track record.
Surprise Check¶
Expected: Well-known life support company; likely Artemis/ISS ECLSS infusion path.
Found: Confirmed — Paragon is more deeply embedded in ISS than expected. They're not just developing COSMIC, they're currently maintaining ISS water systems (BPA bladder contracts active 2025-2027). COSMIC is a direct upgrade to the systems they already operate. The HALO Gateway ECLSS connection is a strong Artemis vector.
Unexpected: The modesty of TRL gain (+1 only) suggests this is early in the development pipeline — not a near-term deployment.
Session 71 update: The $100M+ HALO ECLSS contract was a MAJOR omission from the original page. This transforms Paragon from "well-known ISS contractor with $30M portfolio" to "the company building life support for humanity's first permanent cislunar habitat, with $130M+ tracked." The COSMIC FO project is a small upstream component within a much larger institutional relationship. New contracts show Paragon maintaining ISS BPA through Dec 2030 (end of ISS life), while simultaneously building the HALO replacement system. Two new Phase I SBIRs (MUD umbilical disconnect, DASHARA anomaly resolution) suggest Paragon is expanding into EVA systems and autonomous habitat management.
Confidence¶
- Paragon is ISS BPA/WPA contractor: confirmed (multiple JSC contracts, 2022–2030)
- Paragon is Gateway HALO ECLSS provider: confirmed ($100M+ contract finalized Jan 2022 with Northrop Grumman)
- COSMIC connects to WPA: confirmed (project description explicit)
- COSMIC will deploy on ISS: suggestive (strong institutional path, but no flight manifest found)
- COSMIC feeds Gateway HALO: suggestive (upgraded from speculative — same company, confirmed as HALO ECLSS provider; humidity control is within HALO ECLSS scope)
Links¶
- set-armas.md — another life support/safety system deployed on Moon
- creare-lad.md — cryogenic life support systems; similar "program-level infusion" archetype
- eigen-strategies.md — ECLSS-adjacent on-orbit propellant transfer