Technical Guidelines

The Space Technology Payload Challenge invites individuals, teams, and organizations to submit applications for systems that advance technology to address one or more of NASA’s shortfalls. These shortfalls identify technology areas where further technology development is required to meet future exploration, science, and other mission needs. In addition, technologies to address these select shortfalls are also potentially well suited for a suborbital or hosted orbital flight demonstration to help mature the innovation. The expectation is that the technology will be tested at the end of the challenge aboard a suborbital vehicle, rocket-powered lander, high-altitude balloon, aircraft following a reduced gravity profile (i.e., parabolic flight), or orbital vehicle that can host payloads.    

The shortfalls selected for this challenge are divided into two groups. The first group is derived from the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) civil space shortfall list. The second group is in partnership with NASA’s Biological and Physical Sciences (BPS) Division and is derived from the Commercially Enabled Rapid Space Science Initiative (CERISS) program needs. 

As part of the application process for this challenge, participants must select at least one shortfall to address through the proposed technology. There is also the opportunity to select up to two additional shortfalls that may be addressed on the application form. Participants are encouraged to focus on one primary shortfall – any additional shortfalls are not required and should be selected only if applicable to the proposed technology. The identified shortfalls are described below and here is a PDF version of the shortfall list.

GROUP 1: STMD Civil Space Shortfalls

In Spring 2024, NASA published a document overviewing 187 shortfalls – technology areas requiring further development to meet future exploration, science, and other mission needs – and asked the aerospace community to rate their importance. The effort led by the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) aims to better integrate the community’s most pervasive technical problems to help guide its space technology development and investments. The results of this effort were released the 2024 Civil Space Shortfall Ranking document, which integrates inputs from NASA mission directorates and centers, small and large industry organizations, government agencies, academia, and other interested individuals. 

This challenge will address a subset of these shortfalls, particularly those that are both considered by the community to be most pressing and are also well-suited for flight test to have a significant impact on the advancement of technologies that may address the shortfall. The shortfalls included in this challenge are listed below. 

Detailed descriptions for each of the following shortfalls may be found on the lower portion of the NASA Technology Strategy page on TechPort.

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1 Advanced Habitation Systems

The following shortfalls relate to keeping astronauts healthy and productive while living in space and on planetary vehicles.

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2 Advanced Manufacturing, Materials & Structures

The following shortfalls address terrestrial and in-space manufacturing, material, and structures technologies to make commercial and exploration missions more capable and affordable.

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3 Autonomous Systems & Robotics

The following shortfalls are related to autonomy and robotics technologies that enable and enhance the full range of science and exploration missions (both with and without crew).

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4 Avionics

The following shortfalls are related to avionics.

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5 Communication & Navigation

The following shortfalls address communication, navigation, and timing approaches to support diverse asset (human or robotic) needs including establishing asset location in-space.

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6 Cryogenic Fluid Management

The following shortfalls address cryogenic storage, transport, and fluid management technologies for surface and in-space applications.

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7 Dust Mitigation

The following shortfalls address active and passive dust mitigation strategies as well as the ability to characterize dust effects on hardware.

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8 Entry, Descent & Landing

The following shortfalls address capabilities that enable small to large missions to efficiently enter any atmospheres within our solar system.

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9 In-Space Servicing, Assembly & Manufacturing (ISAM) and Rendezvous, Proximity Operations & Capture (RPOC)

The following shortfalls address in-space creation, maintenance, and evolution of space assets.

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10 In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU)

The following shortfalls address scalable ISRU production/utilization capabilities including sustainable commodities on the lunar and Mars surface.

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11 Power

The following shortfalls address sustainable power sources and other surface utilities to enable continuous lunar and Mars surface operations.

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12 Sensors & Instruments

The following shortfall addresses technologies for science instrumentation supporting new discoveries.

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13 Small Spacecraft

The following shortfalls address technologies for small spacecraft and responsive launch to rapidly expand space capabilities at dramatically lower costs.

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14 Surface Systems

The following shortfall addresses surface support systems to enable long duration surface stays.

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15 Thermal Management Systems

The following shortfalls address thermal management technologies that enable surviving the extreme lunar and Martian environments.

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16 Miscellaneous Technologies

The following shortfalls address planetary defense and enhancing the ability to perform suborbital and orbital testing.

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Active Dust Mitigation Technologies for Diverse Applications

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In-Space Transfer of Electric Propulsion Propellant

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Prediction Modeling of Cryogenic Fluid Dynamics & Operations

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In-Space & Surface Transfer of Earth Storable Propellants

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Cryogenic Liquefaction

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Robotic Mobility for Robust, Repeatable Access to/through Extreme Terrain, Surface Topography & Harsh Environmental Conditions

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Power & Data Transfer in Dusty Environments

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Small Spacecraft Propulsion

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Rendezvous, Proximity Operations & Debris Remediation using Small Spacecraft

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Position, Navigation & Timing for Small Spacecraft

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Dynamic & Capable Thermal Control for Small Spacecraft

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Autonomy, Edge Computation & Interoperable Networking for Small Spacecraft

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Enable Commercially-provided Rendezvous, Proximity Operations & Capture (RPOC) Products & Services

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In-Space & On-Surface Manufacturing of Parts/Products from Surface & Terrestrial Feedstocks

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Water & Dormancy Management for Habitation

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Environmental Monitoring for Habitation

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Fire Safety for Habitation

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Crew Health Countermeasures Non-Exercise

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Crew Medical Care for Mars & Sustained Lunar

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Food & Nutrition for Mars & Sustained Lunar

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Radiation Monitoring & Modeling (Crew and Habitat)

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Radiation Countermeasures (Crew and Habitat)

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EVA & IVA Suit System Capabilities for Mars Missions

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Autonomous Robotic Sample Identification, Classification, Collection, Manipulation, Verification & Transport

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General-Purpose Robotic Manipulation to Perform Human-Scale Logistics, Maintenance, Outfitting & Utilization

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Robotic Actuation, Subsystem Components & System Architectures for Long-Duration & Extreme Environment Operation

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Robotic Mobile Manipulation for Autonomous Large-Scale Logistics, Payload Handling & Surface Transport

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Sensing for Autonomous Robotic Operations in Challenging Environmental Conditions

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Advanced Data Acquisition Systems for Diverse Applications

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Extreme Environment Avionics

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High Performance Onboard Computing to Enable Increasingly Complex Operations

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In-Situ Position, Navigation & Timing (PNT) for In-Orbit & Surface Applications

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Deep Space Autonomous Navigation

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High-Rate Deep Space Communications

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Advanced Modeling & Test Capabilities to Characterize Dust Effects on Hardware

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Advanced Algorithms & Computing for Precision Landing

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Aerocapture for Spacecraft Deceleration & Orbit Insertion

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Aeroshell In-Situ Flight Performance Data During EDL

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Assessment & Validation Capabilities for Integrated Precision Landing Systems

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Characterization of Plume Surface Interaction

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Entry Capabilities for Small-Scale & Commercial Spacecraft

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Entry Modeling & Simulation for EDL Missions

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High-Mass Mars Entry & Descent Systems

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Navigation Sensors for Precision Landing

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Terrain Mapping Capabilities for Precision Landing & Hazard Avoidance

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Validated Performance Models for Planetary Parachutes

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Thermal & Vibrational Isolation for Ultrastable Science Payloads

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Micrometeoroid-Robust Protection of In-space Observatories

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Perform Resource Reconnaissance to Locate & Characterize Resources & Estimate Reserves

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Extraction and Separation of Water from Extraterrestrial Surface Material

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Extraction & Separation of Oxygen from Extraterrestrial Minerals

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Produce Propellants & Mission Consumables from Extracted In-situ Resources

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Enhanced Access to Orbital & Suborbital Space for Flight Demonstration & Test

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Wildfire Integrated Effect Chain

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Protect Earth from Near Earth Objects (Planetary Defense)

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Space Situational Awareness

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Power Management Systems for Long Duration Lunar & Martian Missions

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High-Power, Long-Distance Energy Transmission Across Distributed Surface Assets

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Energy Storage to Enable Robust & Long Duration Operations on Moon & Mars

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High Power Energy Generation on Moon & Mars Surfaces

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Power for Non-Solar-Illuminated Small Systems

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Surface-based Food Management for Sustained Lunar Evolution

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Surface-based Fluid Management for Near/Mid-term Missions

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Surface-based Fluid Management for Sustained Lunar Evolution

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Autonomous On-surface Maintenance and Repair for Sustained Lunar Evolution

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Survive and Operate through the Lunar Night

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High Temperature Heat Rejection for Nuclear Applications

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Conditioned Stowage to Maintain Science and/or Nutritional Integrity

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Cryogenic Cooling for Science Instrumentation

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Novel Thermal Technologies to Improve Environmental Control of Habitats

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Advanced Thermal Management Technologies for Diverse Applications

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1625

Intelligent Multi-Agent Constellations for Cooperative Operations

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1626

Advanced Sensor Components

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361

Surface Berthing & Docking Mechanisms

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498

Broad, Dependable Supply Chain for Space-qualified Robotic Hardware, Electronics & Associated Software

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513

Robotic Assembly & Construction of Modular Structures for Sustained Space Infrastructure

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792

In-space & Surface Cryogenic Fluid Transfer

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844

Surface Dust Mitigation via Passive Technologies

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879

In-space & On-surface, Long-duration Storage of Cryogenic Propellant

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CERISS-1

In-situ Analysis Capabilities

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CERISS-2

In-situ Sample Preparation Capabilities

GROUP 2: CERISS Program Capability Needs 

The Commercially Enabled Rapid Space Science (CERISS) initiative aims to develop transformative research capabilities with the commercial space industry to dramatically increase the pace of research. Long-range goals include conducting scientist astronaut missions on the International Space Station and commercial low Earth orbit (LEO) destinations and developing automated hardware for experiments beyond low Earth orbit, such as on the lunar surface.

More information about the goals and objectives of the Biological and Physical Sciences (BPS) Division can be found here.

The following shortfalls have been selected for this challenge:

CERISS-1: In-situ Analysis Capabilities

In-situ analysis capabilities for use in microgravity including but not limited to the ability to:

Characterize materials using imaging modalities, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, x-ray diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance, gas chromatography, scanning electron microscopy, high performance liquid chromatography

Evaluate material properties such as tensile and compression testing

Conduct sequencing, fixation, polymerase chain reaction, fluorescent activated cell sorting, spectrophotometry, protein analysis, metabolic assays, or cell counting

‍

CERISS-2: In-situ Sample Preparation Capabilities

In-situ sample preparation capabilities for use in microgravity including but not limited to fluid handling tools, mixing, subculturing, evaluating conductivity and pH of solutions, lyophilizing samples, mass measurements, or synthesis.

DOWNLOAD SHORTFALL LIST

Technical Guidelines

GROUP 1: STMD Civil Space Shortfalls

Category

1

Advanced Habitation Systems

Category

2

Advanced Manufacturing, Materials & Structures

Category

3

Autonomous Systems & Robotics

Category

4

Avionics

Category

5

Communication & Navigation

Category

6

Cryogenic Fluid Management

Category

7

Dust Mitigation

Category

8

Entry, Descent & Landing

Category

9

In-Space Servicing, Assembly & Manufacturing (ISAM) and Rendezvous, Proximity Operations & Capture (RPOC)

Category

10

In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU)

Category

11

Power

Category

12

Sensors & Instruments

Category

13

Small Spacecraft

Category

14

Surface Systems

Category

15

Thermal Management Systems

Category

16

Miscellaneous Technologies

GROUP 2: CERISS Program Capability Needs

Are you ready to advance space technology through flight testing?

GROUP 2: CERISS Program Capability Needs 