Date:  Feb. 1, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON -- During thenext five years, NASA technology development efforts should focus on 16high-priority technologies and their associated top technical challenges, saysa new report fromthe National Research Council.  In addition, the report recommendsemphasis on flight demonstrations for technologies that are nearly ready and a10 percent allocation from the existing program budget to advance and refineearly emerging technologies. 

"It has been years since NASA hashad a vigorous, broad-based program in advanced space technologydevelopment," said Raymond Colladay, president of RC Space EnterprisesInc., and chair of the committee that wrote the report.  "Success inexecuting future NASA space missions will depend on advanced developments thatshould already be under way."

The 16 high-priority technologies wereselected with input from the external technical community as part of NASA'sdraft technology roadmaps and include items such as radiation mitigation;guidance, navigation, and control; nuclear systems for both power generationand transportation; and solar power generation (see full table below). These priorities were chosen to align with three main facets of NASA's overallmission: extending and sustaining human activities beyond low Earth orbit;exploring the evolution of the solar system and the potential for lifeelsewhere; and expanding our understanding of Earth and the universe. 

The report sets forth an evaluationframework to prioritize which technologies to emphasize in the next five yearsof the 20- to 30-year window.  NASA's Office of the Chief Technologist(OCT) should establish a rigorous process to select among competingtechnologies at appropriate milestones in order to ensure that the mostpromising ones receive sufficient attention and resources.  The reportalso recommends that OCT pursue cooperative development of high-prioritytechnologies with other government agencies and the U.S. commercial space industry toleverage resources.

For technologies deemed closer toimplementation, flight demonstrations, while expensive, are sometimes essentialto transition a technology to an operational system, the reportstipulates.  Such technology flight demonstrations should be considered ona case-by-case basis when there is ample support from the user, including areasonable level of cost-sharing.

To further foster collaboration, OCTshould make the scientific and technical data that NASA has acquired from pastand present space missions and technology development more readily available toU.S.industry, the report adds.  This should include companies that do not havean ongoing working relationship with NASA and that are pursuing their owncommercial goals, which may differ from NASA's science and explorationmissions.

"If NASA can sustain implementationof its technology roadmaps -- shaped by the priorities recommended in thisstudy -- they will form a solid foundation," said Colladay. "This foundation will support a breadth of NASA missions, as well ascommercial and national needs, and provide the agency with the means to achieveits long-term goals."

The study was sponsored by NASA. The National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Councilmake up the National Academies.  They are private, nonprofit institutionsthat provide science, technology, and health policy advice under acongressional charter.  The Research Council is the principal operatingagency of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy ofEngineering.  For more information, visit http://national-academies.org. A committee roster follows.

Contacts: 

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Shaquanna Shields, Media RelationsAssistant

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202-334-2138; e-mail news@nas.edu