Space Technology Grand Challenges
The Space Technology Grand Challenges are an open call for cutting-edge technological solutions that solve important space-related problems, radically improve existing capabilities or deliver new space capabilities altogether. The challenges are centered on three key themes: (1) Expand human presence in space, (2) Manage in-space resources, and (3) Enable transformational space exploration and scientific discovery. These challenges are designed to initiate thought and discussion among our nation’s innovators about future NASA missions and related national needs. The challenges will be updated to serve as a reflection and long-term measure of our nation’s space technology needs.
Space Technology Grand Challenges Expand Human Presence in Space
Economical Space Access Space Health and Medicine Telepresence in Space Space Colonization
Provide economical, reliable Eliminate or mitigate the Create seamless user-friendly Create self-sustaining and and safe access to space, negative effects of the space virtual telepresence environments reliable human environments opening the door for robust environments on human allowing people to have real- and habitats that enable the and frequent space research, physical and behavioral health, time, remote interactive permanent colonization of exploration and optimize human performance in participation in space research space and other planetary commercialization. space and expand the scope of and exploration. surfaces. space based medical care to match terrestrial care.
Problem: Problem: Problem: Problem: Today it costs about Space is an extreme Today, access to space is limited Currently, the infrastructure $10,000 to get a single environment that is not to robotic spacecraft and to select and integrated technologies pound of mass into low conducive to human life. highly-trained individual needed to enable permanent, earth orbit. A significant Today’s technology can only participants who perform self-sufficient human part of this cost is related to partially mitigate the effects on experiments on behalf of others. settlements away from Earth the design and production of the physical and psychological Scientists develop experiment do not exist. Effective close- the launch system. Nearly well-being of people. In order plans, wait for an astronaut or a loop systems do not exist to 40% of the total mission to live and effectively work in robot to conduct the experiment replenish consumable cost is related to ground and space for an extended period of for them, and download the resources. This makes long- launch processing. The full- time, people require results for analysis. This term stays cost-prohibitive lifecycle cost must be technologies that enable approach decouples the and poses significant risk to lowered by an order of survival in extreme experiment from the principal personnel if resupply magnitude to enable environments; countermeasures investigator, requires missions do not arrive on frequent human and robotic that mitigate the negative considerable pre-planning and time. operations in space. effects of space; coordination and does not allow accommodations that optimize for the flexible learning and human performance; experimentation that can take comprehensive space-based place in a lab. Moreover, this physiological and physical approach limits possible health management and prompt participants and the public from and comprehensive medical fully participating in the care in a limited infrastructure. exploration of space.
Space Technology Grand Challenges Manage In-Space Resources
Affordable Abundant Space Way Station Space Debris Hazard Near-Earth Object Power Mitigation Detection and Mitigation
Provide abundant, reliable Develop pre-stationed and in-situ Significantly reduce the Develop capabilities to detect and and affordable energy resource capabilities, along with threat to spacecraft from mitigate the risk of space objects generation, storage and in-space manufacturing, storage natural and human-made that pose a catastrophic threat to distribution for space and repair to replenish the space debris. Earth. exploration and scientific resources for sustaining life and discovery. mobility in space.
Problem: Problem: Problem: Problem: Mass and lifetime Frequent and long-duration space Given the prevalence of Near earth objects are comets or considerations of today’s travel requires substantial amounts Micrometeoroid and Orbital asteroids that pass within 45 space power systems limit of consumables, which can be Debris (MMOD) in low earth million kilometers of the Earth’s our missions. Current costly to launch. Current orbit, there is a possibility of orbit. Some near earth objects are spacecraft power systems capabilities are insufficient to MMOD collision or potentially large enough to be degrade over time, extract, refine, form stock, and interference with a range of hazardous to the Earth in the event thereby reducing the transport in-situ materials for in- national and international of a direct collision. Although amount of power space manufacturing, servicing, operating assets as well as a impact with large objects is rare, available for use as the fueling and repair. In-space serious threat to in-space the history of Earth indicates that mission progresses. system repair and maintenance is personnel. Mitigation is such events do occur. A better Efficient use of space- cost-prohibitive and difficult, difficult and requires understanding of the likelihood based resources is critical consequently, many spacecraft are solutions that are practical, and consequence of these remote for NASA’s future de-orbited at end-of life. yet technically and events are needed as are missions of science and economically feasible. preparations for the possibility of exploration. having to divert a comet or asteroid on an impact trajectory with Earth.
Space Technology Grand Challenges Enable Transformational Space Exploration and Scientific Discovery
Efficient In-Space High-Mass Planetary All Access Mobility Surviving Extreme New Tools of Transportation Surface Access Space Environments Discovery
Develop systems that Develop entry, descent Create mobility systems Enable robotic Develop novel provide rapid, efficient and landing systems with that allow humans and operations and survival, technologies to and affordable the ability to deliver robots to travel and to conduct science investigate the origin, transportation to, from large-mass, human and explore on, over or research and exploration phenomena, structures and around space robotic systems, to under any destination in the most extreme and processes of all destinations. planetary surfaces. surface. environments of our elements of the solar solar system. system and of the universe. Problem: Problem: Problem: Problem: Problem Once in space, the Entry, descent and Exploration of comets, Space travel can present Even with insatiable ability to travel to a landing is a challenging asteroids, moons and extreme environments curiosity and strong particular destination is operation. A space planetary bodies is that affect machine motivation, we require a function of the laws system must be robust limited by mobility on operations and survival. specialized tools to of orbital mechanics, enough to accommodate a those bodies. Current Like humans, machines learn about the Earth, vehicle mass, and wide range of hazards robotic and human are impacted by gravity, solar system or propulsion system associated with uncertain systems cannot safely propulsive forces, universe. In part, our efficiency. Human and position and velocity traverse a number of radiation, gases, toxins, learning has been robotic exploration knowledge, aerodynamic prevalent surface chemically caustic limited by the lack of requires transportation loading, atmospheric terrains. Current environments, static sophistication of our throughout the solar conditions, heating, systems travel slowly, discharge, dust, extreme technology to observe, system and is limited particulates, and terrain requiring detailed temperatures, frequent probe, collect, by the performance of characteristics to safely oversight and planning temperature variations distribute and analyze today’s propulsion arrive at a desired surface activities. Consequently, and more. To information about the systems. location. these systems are often accomplish the goal of geology, weather, limited to exploring exploring a wide range climate, environment, areas close to their of targets across our and natural and man- original landing site. solar system requires the made phenomena ability to survive affecting the Earth and extreme environments. other elements in the universe.
The Broad Challenge of Space
The challenges of flying in space are such that a truly radical improvement in nearly any system used to design, build, launch, or operate a spacecraft has the potential to be transformative. In our search for technologies that will radically improve our existing capabilities or deliver altogether new space capabilities, it is likely that any great leap in capability will be the result of several, integrated advances. The Space Technology development portfolio extends across all systems critical to space missions and is not limited to the specific Space Technology Grand Challenges listed above. To meet the broad challenge of maintaining a robust and vibrant space program, investments will be considered in any space technology that has the potential to be transformative.
The future demands active curiosity, open minds, and a determination to resolve challenges as they present themselves.