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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
Eliminate or mitigate the Create seamless user-friendly Create self-sustaining and
Provide economical, reliable
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
physical and behavioral health, time, remote interactive permanent colonization of
and frequent space research,
optimize human performance in participation in space research space and other planetary
exploration and
space and expand the scope of and exploration. surfaces.
commercialization.
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
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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
.
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