NASA is collaborating with the U.S. space economy, including industry, academia, and other government agencies, to strategically prioritize technology investments. This initiative aims to identify and address critical technology development needs, termed "shortfalls," that are essential for long-duration human missions to the Moon and Mars, as well as for future science and exploration missions.
Initiative Overview
The Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) leads this effort. Greg Stover, acting associate administrator for NASA's STMD, stated that NASA seeks solutions from the nation for its technology requirements to support space exploration. The prioritization aims to ensure efficient and impactful progress for the agency and its stakeholders.
NASA collected feedback from the aerospace community on consolidated technology shortfalls until Friday, February 20. This process involved virtual meetings and the submission of shortfall rankings by technology stakeholders. The identified shortfalls encompass infrastructure development and capabilities for long-term operations in lunar and Martian environments.
Evolution of the Prioritization Process
This current initiative builds upon an initial shortfall ranking exercise conducted by NASA in 2024. That exercise involved participants ranking 187 civil space shortfalls, which led to an integrated list of technology priorities. Based on feedback from the 2024 effort, NASA streamlined the current process by consolidating the shortfalls into 32 broader, integrated categories. Each category includes specific needs to provide further definition and context. This restructuring was implemented to maintain content depth while creating a more efficient feedback mechanism.
Outcomes and Future Engagement
NASA plans to analyze and aggregate the received rankings to produce public priority lists tailored for various stakeholder groups. This prioritization framework is intended to guide NASA's evaluation of current technology development efforts, identifying necessary adjustments within its existing portfolios. The initiative is also designed to inspire new investments within NASA, foster partnerships with external stakeholders, and potentially unlock emerging commercial opportunities, thereby accelerating growth in the U.S. space economy.
To maintain this collaborative approach, STMD intends to conduct recurring feedback sessions and workshops with industry, academia, and other government agencies every three years. This dynamic strategy aims to continuously incorporate stakeholder insights and end-user perspectives, ensuring the framework's maximum value. NASA remains committed to refining this engagement to deliver value to all participants and advance U.S. leadership in space exploration and technology development.