Technology Development

NASA’s Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy outlines NASA’s path for technology development through the 2020 NASA Technology Taxonomy. This taxonomy identifies, organizes, and communicates technology areas that are relevant to advancing the agency’s mission. The 2020 NASA Technology Taxonomy articulates the technology development disciplines required for future space missions and commercial air travel. The taxonomy comprises 17 distinct technical disciplines, which are further broken down into more specific subsets. NASA’s mission directorates reference the taxonomy in order to develop and solicit proposals and to support decisions pertaining to NASA’s technology policies, technology priorities, and the agency’s strategic investments.[1]

The 17 technology areas outlined within the taxonomy include: propulsion systems; flight computing and avionics, aerospace power and energy storage; robotic systems; communications, navigation, and orbital debris tracking and characterization systems; human health, life support, and habitation systems; exploration destination systems; sensors and instruments; entry, descent, and landing; autonomous systems; software, modeling, simulation, and information processing; materials, structures, mechanical systems, and manufacturing; ground, test, and surface systems; thermal management systems, flight vehicle systems, air traffic management and range tracking systems, and guidance, navigation, and control.[2]

SPACE TECHNOLOGY MISSION DIRECTORATE (STMD)

The Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) manages the development and demonstration of new and innovative technologies and capabilities required by NASA to achieve the missions of the agency. Space technology research and development takes place at NASA centers, universities, and national laboratories. Partnerships with other government agencies—as well as commercial and international partners—are leveraged.[3] This website outlines programs managed by the Space Technology Mission Directorate.

GAME CHANGING DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

The Game Changing Development Program is part of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. This program advances space technologies with the potential to address national needs and NASA’s needs for future space missions.[4] The program focuses efforts in the mid Technology Readiness Level (TRL) range of (3-5/6), generally taking technologies from initial lab concepts through to a complete engineering development prototype.[5]

Game Changing Development projects include (not an exhaustive list):

  • Go: Rapid, Safe & Efficient Space Transportation
  • Thruster Advancement for Low-Temperature Operation in Space (TALOS)
  • Land: Expanded Access to Diverse Surface Destinations
  • Safe and Precise Landing—Integrated Capabilities Evolution (SPLICE)
  • Explore: Transformative Missions and Discoveries
  • High Performance Spaceflight Computing (HPSC)
  • Live: Sustainable Living and Working Farther from Earth
  • Superlightweight Aerospace Composites (SAC)
  • Space Synthetic Biology (SynBio)
  • Bulk Metallic Glass Gears (BMGG)[6]

LUNAR SURFACE INNOVATION INITIATIVE

NASA’s Artemis program aims to send the first woman and the next man to the South Pole of the Moon by 2024 and establish sustainable exploration with commercial and international partners by 2028. NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate has established the Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative as a technology development portfolio that aims to enable human and robotic exploration on the Moon and Mars. Technology development activities through this program seek to mature the following capabilities: effectively utilizing the Moon’s resources; establishing sustainable power during lunar day/night cycles; building machinery and electronics that work in extreme environments; mitigating lunar dust; carrying out surface excavation, manufacturing, and construction; and extreme access (includes navigating and exploring the surface and subsurface).[7]

NASA INNOVATIVE ADVANCED CONCEPTS (NIAC) PROGRAM

The NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Program supports visionary ideas with the potential to transform future NASA missions—including innovative or dramatically improved aerospace concepts. The program engages innovators and entrepreneurs as partners in this effort. The NIAC Program seeks innovation from diverse and non-traditional sources and the projects study innovative, technically credible, advanced concepts with the potential to “change the possible in aerospace.”[8] Currently funded topics are listed here. To apply for NIAC, please visit this website.

NASA ITECH

The NASA iTech program looks for commercial innovative technologies outside of NASA developed for use here on earth but that can also address challenges in space exploration. NASA iTech is situated within the Space Technology Mission Directorate and it works collaboratively with the National Institute of Aerospace (NIA).[9] There are two NASA iTech cycles per calendar year and each has its own focus areas. Focus areas for 2022 include low-cost photovoltaic arrays for space and recycling for optimum space-age logistics.[10] 

SMALL SPACECRAFT TECHNOLOGY

The Small Spacecraft Technology (SST) program within the Space Technology Mission Directorate focuses on the rapid development and demonstration of capabilities for small spacecraft, as it pertains to exploration, science, and the commercial space sector. The program enables the execution of missions at a lower cost, reduces the time typically required to develop spacecraft, enables new mission architectures through the use of small spacecraft, and expands the reach of small spacecraft to new and challenging environments. Projects funded through this program can be carried out at academic institutions, in the private sector, within NASA centers, as public-private partnerships, or through cooperative agreements.[11] Announcements and solicitations related to the Small Spacecraft Technology program are available here.

SPACE TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH GRANTS

The Space Technology Research Grants (STRG) Program supports a low TRL (technology readiness level) portfolio of research in advanced space technology. This program challenges a range of academic researchers to explore the feasibility of ideas that make space travel and exploration more affordable and sustainable.[12] STRG program activities are funded through topics featured in the Early Career Faculty, Early Stage Innovations, Lunar Surface Technology Research Opportunities, and Space Technology Research Institutes solicitations. More information about this program, including links to solicitations, is available here.

TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION MISSIONS

The Technology Demonstration Missions Directorate Program focuses on technologies that meet the needs of NASA and industry by either enabling new missions or significantly enhancing existing missions. Technologies explored as part of this program are thoroughly ground-tested and flight-tested in relevant operating environments. The Technology Demonstration Missions Program Office at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center is overseeing a portfolio of technology demonstration projects led by NASA centers and industry partners located throughout the US.[13]

Updated by Erin Bennett, October 2022