National Aeronautics and Space Administration 2020 NASA Technology Taxonomy The page intentionally left blank. i CONTENTS Letter from the Chief Technologist . iii Introduction . v TX01: Propulsion Systems . 1 TX02: Flight Computing and Avionics . 15 TX03: Aerospace Power and Energy Storage . 27 TX04: Robotic Systems . 35 TX05: Communications, Navigation, and Orbital Debris Tracking and Characterization Systems . 51 TX06: Human Health, Life Support, and Habitation Systems . 65 TX07: Exploration Destination Systems . 83 TX08: Sensors and Instruments . 95 TX09: Entry, Descent, and Landing . 105 TX10: Autonomous Systems . 115 TX11: Software, Modeling, Simulation, and Information Processing . 127 TX12: Materials, Structures, Mechanical Systems, and Manufacturing . 145 TX13: Ground, Test, and Surface Systems . 157 TX14: Thermal Management Systems . 173 TX15: Flight Vehicle Systems . 185 TX16: Air Traffic Management and Range Tracking Systems . 195 TX17: Guidance, Navigation, and Control . 201 Acronyms . 222 Acknowledgements . 225 ii Letter from the Chief Technologist “And as we renew our commitment to lead in space, let’s go with confidence and let’s go with faith. Faith in the vision and the goal that’s articulated today: that we can achieve it; that Americans can achieve anything that we put our minds to. Faith in the extraordinary ingenuity and capability of the men and women of NASA and America’s space enterprise, and their ability to meet those challenges if given the resources and the support to do it. And especially faith in the courage of the men and women who are now, and those who will join, the storied ranks of American astronauts—that next generation of restless pioneers that will carry American leadership into space. It’s extraordinary to think of the heroes that will be forged in our renewed commitment to space.” – Vice President Michael Pence As NASA embarks on its renewed commitment to lead in space, we must overcome significant technical challenges to achieve the goal of a sustainable return to the surface of the Moon . We will build on six decades of leadership in space and our work in low-Earth orbit to pave the way to the Moon and on to Mars. The Artemis program will carry the first woman and next man to the Moon, and establish sustainable exploration with our commercial and international partners . NASA is pursuing an ambitious program to explore our solar system and beyond . Key priorities include a Mars Sample Return mission, launch of the James Webb Space Telescope and a robust program of Earth observation . In addition, our transformative aeronautics technology research is making air travel safer and more efficient, and pioneering the next generation of aircraft. American ingenuity and innovation will be critical to the development of new technologies necessary to achieve NASA’s important missions. As NASA undertakes an integrated technology research and development effort, a common technology taxonomy is more important than ever . For this reason, the 2020 NASA Technology Taxonomy was created as an important update to the Technology Area Breakdown Structure (TABS) from the roadmaps of previous years . The 2020 Taxonomy is an update to the 2015 TABS . This new edition builds on previous releases and the insight from subject matter experts from across the Agency . The 2020 Taxonomy has expanded the total number of technology areas to 17 and consolidated other areas. The update reflects a shift to a structure that aligns technology areas based on technical disciplines . The updates also include new technologies relevant to NASA, such as cybersecurity and advancements in artificial intelligence. iii The technology Taxonomy is key to NASA’s ability to manage and communicate its technology portfolio by providing a structure for articulating the diverse technologies relevant to NASA’s mission. Together, NASA and its partners in other government agencies, international space agencies, academia, and industry, will pave the way to new frontiers in space and aeronautics . Douglas Terrier Chief Technologist iv Introduction The 2020 NASA Technology Taxonomy provides a NASA engages in a multitude of technology structure for articulating the technology development development activities to enable NASA missions by disciplines needed to enable future space missions and broadening knowledge of and capabilities in aeronautics, support commercial air travel. The taxonomy identifies, science, and space . To manage and communicate categorizes, and communicates the technology areas this extensive and diverse technology portfolio, NASA relevant to advancing the Agency’s mission. The uses a technology taxonomy. This taxonomy identifies, 2020 revision is comprised of 17 distinct technical organizes, and communicates the technology areas discipline based Taxonomies (TXs) that provide a that NASA advances in order to achieve future space breakdown structure for each technology area . The missions and aeronautics activities . taxonomy uses a three-level hierarchy for grouping and organizing technology types . Level 1 represents The 2020 NASA Technology Taxonomy is an update the technology area, which is the title of that area (e .g . to the Technology Area Breakdown Structure (TABS) TX01: Propulsion Systems) . Level 2 is a list of the of the 2015 NASA Technology Roadmaps . The TABS, subareas (e .g . TX01 .1 Chemical Space Propulsion) . now referred to as the taxonomy, is deeply ingrained Level 3 categorizes the types of technologies within within NASA documentation, TechPort, solicitations, the subareas (e .g . TX1 .1 .1 Integrated Systems and websites, and many other places domestically and Ancillary Technologies) . Also included is an example internationally . In particular, the taxonomy provides a technologies section that provides a non-exhaustive structure for articulating NASA’s technology portfolio, sample of relevant technologies . which is key to NASA’s ability to manage and communicate its technology development efforts . The taxonomy is a foundational element of NASA’s technology management process. NASA’s Mission The 2020 NASA Technology Directorates (MDs) reference the taxonomy to solicit technology proposals and to inform decisions on Taxonomy NASA’s technology policy, prioritization, and strategic NASA continues to push the boundaries of investments . These investments are tracked in TechPort, space missions and aeronautics activities, a publically available web-based software system that pursuing challenging goals that require advanced serves as NASA’s integrated Agency technology data technological capabilities . Progressively ambitious source and decision support tool . TechPort uses the space exploration presents challenges such as taxonomy in organizing the numerous, varied technology sustaining a human presence in space, efficiently projects that NASA supports . navigating to previously inaccessible locations, and communicating over unprecedented distances . History For aeronautics, increasing air traffic presents the need for next generation air traffic control; high The 2020 NASA Technology Taxonomy is part of an fidelity, integrated, distributed simulation systems; evolution that began with the original roadmaps and and next generation vehicles that reduce noise and TABS drafted in 2010, followed by updates in 2012 carbon output . Solutions to these and many other and 2015 . technical challenges require innovative technology development across many areas, building on proven The effort to develop the roadmaps began in 2010 capabilities as well as developing new ones . when NASA identified 14 Space Technology Areas, including top technical challenges and relevant v spaceflight missions. NASA publicly distributed a set 2015 Roadmaps were being used . Based on the of draft roadmaps that included the original TABS assessment, it was decided that the 2020 revision in December 2010 . The National Research Council would decouple the TABS from the roadmaps and (NRC) conducted a review and released a final report, incorporate a technical discipline based taxonomy NASA Space Technology Roadmaps and Priorities: approach to align like technologies under a Restoring NASA’s Technological Edge and Paving technology area . the Way for a New Era in Space, early in 2012 . The final versions of the roadmaps and related TABS were The other major change in this revision is the shift released to the public in April 2012 . from emphasis on generic roadmaps to MD-owned technology development strategies . This change The 2015 Technology Roadmaps enhanced and focused on MD-identified strategic capabilities needs expanded the TABS of the 2012 Roadmaps, and their corresponding plans to mature the enabling responding to NASA’s changing needs, advances in technologies required . The new approach, the Strategic technology, and recommended improvements from the Technology Integration Framework (STIF), captures NRC and other stakeholders . NASA began the effort the capability needs of each MD and its associated to update the Technology Roadmaps by determining technology investment strategies . The STIF provides how the development process, roadmap scope, and traceability of actual technology investments, offering roadmap content could be improved . NASA gathered the technology development community insight into the input from the NASA Technology Executive Council strategic needs and technology plans of the Agency . (NTEC), a 2013 Technical Interchange Meeting, and the NASA Center Technology Council (CTC) . Using the decisions from the NTEC,