Outcome 3.2: Crosscutting Technologies

3.2 Infuse game-changing and crosscutting technologies throughout the Nation's space enterprise to transform the Nation's space mission capabilities.

Other Information:

NASA requires a faster, more aggressive strategy for acquiring and applying new technologies if we are to create a sustainable set of affordable programs that achieve our longer-term goals. Without a robust effort that matures technologies and establishes their feasibility, the ideas and transformational concepts developed at a low TRL may not materialize into benefits for future NASA missions or our Nation's economy. We will bridge the gap between idea formulation and mission infusion to deliver improvements to our future missions. We will focus on maturing mid-TRL technologies and proving the feasibility of advanced space concepts and technologies that may lead to entirely new approaches to space system design and operations, exploration, and scientific research. Our technology development processes will provide tangible products capable of infusion into our missions, as well as into the commercial sector. Through significant modeling, analysis, ground-based testing, and laboratory experimentation, we will mature technologies in preparation for potential system-level flight demonstrations within NASA or by other government agencies. Executing these challenging laboratory and space flight demonstrations requires: creating technology projects with well-defined milestones and schedules; developing facilities, laboratories, and flight test opportunities; fabricating materials, hardware, and software; developing and integrating technologies; and conducting demonstrations. We will use an approach similar to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the research and development agency for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). DARPA evaluates their technology investments annually for progress against baseline milestones and provides continued development support for promising investments. To ensure a collaborative environment and maximize our resources, we will work with other government agencies and share program management best practices. Recognizing the need to effectively leverage our workforce, we will use an optimized DARPA-like approach, in which we will rely on a combination of in-house and out-of-house workforce.

Stakeholder(s):

• Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)


• U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)

Indicator(s):

Indicator:1

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