As NASA focuses on exploring the Moon, Mars, and the photo voltaic system for the good thing about humanity, the company’s Area Know-how Mission Directorate (STMD) is shifting the way it prioritizes expertise improvement. As a part of this refinement effort, NASA is asking the American aerospace group for suggestions on almost 190 nationwide house expertise wants – or shortfalls – it has recognized for future house exploration and science endeavors.
“Our formidable future missions pose many distinctive challenges, and STMD is positioned – because the nation’s tech base for civil house – to innovate and advance options for these issues,” stated Dr. Kurt Vogel, affiliate administrator for Area Know-how at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “STMD is growing many vital applied sciences, however shifting to a extra open and collaborative strategy permits us to raised prioritize our efforts and align with key stakeholder wants whereas guaranteeing all of us get probably the most bang out of our investments.”
NASA goals to gather broad aerospace group suggestions on vital expertise shortfalls – like additive manufacturing, cryogenic fluid administration, in-situ useful resource utilization, and others – forward of future operations on the Moon and Mars. Understanding and prioritizing crucial and impactful efforts permits STMD to appropriately direct obtainable assets to greatest assist mission wants for NASA and the nation.
Over the subsequent month, NASA’s key expertise stakeholders, together with U.S. trade, academia, and different authorities companies, will take part in digital conferences, present suggestions, and submit their shortfall priorities to the company. NASA will course of the info and combination a last listing so as of precedence, and it plans to make the ultimate listing obtainable to stakeholders and the general public.
As soon as the shortfalls are prioritized, NASA will consider its ongoing expertise improvement efforts towards these priorities to establish any required changes inside its present portfolio. NASA expects the shortfall prioritization to pinpoint new investments inside STMD or in partnership with its stakeholders. This effort may additionally open future alternatives to develop new industrial markets and foster the burgeoning U.S. house financial system.
NASA plans to ask for group suggestions and conduct workshops yearly to reassess its investments and guarantee it’s productively participating stakeholders and incorporating end-user suggestions in its future planning. The company will repeatedly refine the method to ensure it stays priceless to all concerned events.
“Our prioritization course of have to be rigorous, detailed, and constant year-over-year,” stated Vogel. “We intend to be open and clear, construct belief, and supply a priceless device for STMD and our stakeholders to information funding methods throughout the civil house group.”
To overview the listing of expertise shortfalls and add enter to STMD’s prioritization effort, go to:
www.spacetechpriorities.org
Jimi Russell
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
james.j.russell@nasa.gov
