NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate has released a document detailing the first integrated ranking of civil space challenges, or shortfalls.
The agency said Tuesday the directorate will use the 2024 Civil Space Shortfall Ranking document to help guide its space technology development efforts and investments.
The 2024 results were based on 1,231 responses of stakeholders from NASA centers and mission directorates, government agencies, industry organizations and academia who were asked to rate the importance of 187 shortfalls or tech areas across 20 capability categories.
The top three shortfalls on the integrated list are the need to survive and operate through the lunar light, high-power energy generation on lunar and Mars surfaces and high-performance onboard computing to support complex operations.
Such shortfalls belong to thermal management systems, power and avionics capability categories.
“Identifying consensus among challenges across the aerospace industry will help us find solutions, together,” said NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free. “This is the groundwork for strengthening the nation’s technological capabilities to pave the way for new discoveries, economic opportunities, and scientific breakthroughs that benefit humanity.”
The document also identified highly rated capability areas, including autonomous systems and robotics, advanced habitation systems, communications and navigation and nuclear propulsion.
“The inputs received are already igniting meaningful conversations to help us and our stakeholders make smarter decisions. We will refine the process and results annually to ensure we maintain a useful approach and tool that fosters resilience in our space technology endeavors,” said Michelle Munk, acting chief architect at NASA’s STMD.