Technology research, database, and evaluation services section 1.1 background 1.1.1. Research and development of advanced technologies continues to be a high priority at NASA despite numerous…

Technology research, database, and evaluation services section 1.1 background 1.1.1. Research and development of advanced technologies continues to be a high priority at NASA despite numerous presidential and congressional changes to agency strategy. NASA s missions require expanding the boundaries of technological capabilities to explore the solar system, increase understanding of space, and improve life on earth. Innovation and invention are the necessary elements that will enable this progress, and shape the future. Efficient management of technology investments is more critical than ever, given fiscal constraints. NASA, like other technology development organizations, both government and commercial, must balance technology investments and promote successful innovation with limited resources. 1.1.2. To support informed decisions regarding technology development efforts, a technology assessment process is utilized that derives technology requirements from exploration functional needs, tracks and maintains knowledge of such requirements and subsequent development efforts, and provides consolidated research and documentation of related efforts within other non-NASA entities. Such documentation includes technology investment details pertaining to expected performance improvements, budget, schedule, and relationships to traditional system and architecture development activities. A primary intent is to characterize and track the associated technology readiness level (TRL) and related metrics for the various technology development efforts, and to understand how such efforts compare and contrast to similar investments both within and external to NASA. 1.1.3. To optimize the technology portfolio, NASA seeks to align mission directorate technology investments, minimize duplication, and lower cost while providing critical capabilities that support missions and longer-term national needs. NASA strives to institute tools and processes to manage the technology portfolio; finding better ways to analyze the portfolio, identify mission needs, create roadmaps, set priorities, establish partnerships, and engage scientists, engineers, and the public to invent extraordinary technologies for our future. 1.1.4. NASA's space technology investments are guided by the strategic space technology investment plan (sstip), an actionable plan that lays out the strategy for developing technologies essential to the pursuit of NASA's mission and national goals. This sstip is based, in part, on the technology roadmaps. In FY2014-FY2015, both the technology roadmaps and the sstip will be updated. The roadmaps will be expanded to include additional information on autonomous systems, space radiation, space weather, avionics, information technology (including cyber security), ground and launch systems, and aeronautics. The roadmaps will move from an architecture-based format to a capability-driven framework. The sstip will be expanded to encompass all agency technologies, including information technologies and aeronautics, emerging technologies, new mission needs (e.g., asteroid redirect mission), new priorities, and partnerships. IT will enable NASA to effectively integrate key stakeholder investment strategies in a common-focused approach, to sustain NASA's technological edge and provide benefits to the nation. 1.1.5. The office of the chief technologist (OCT), director of strategic integration office (SIO) at NASA headquarters, provides agency-level strategic technology coordination and planning, including development of agency documents such as the NASA technology roadmaps, the strategic technology investment plan, and technology agency priority goals. Strategic integration organizes agency activities and meetings with other government agencies, external organizations, and NASA mission directorates to ensure coordination of technology activities. SI also coordinates the NASA technology executive council and the center chief techno