Attachment A4-Topic 4-Statement of Objectives DRAFT.pdf

This is a Statement of Objectives (SOO) for Topic 4 under the NextSTEP-3 program, a NASA research and development initiative focused on advanced In-Space Manufacturing (ISM) technologies to support future lunar, Martian, and deep-space exploration missions.

The SOO establishes five core objectives: (1) develop and validate an integrated manufacturing system capable of producing functional components using multiple feedstocks (metals, polymers, composites, conductive inks, dielectric materials) with demonstrated accuracy, repeatability, and process stability in operational environments; (2) develop and demonstrate autonomous monitoring, inspection, and fault management capabilities with minimal crew intervention; (3) engineer and demonstrate complete end-to-end manufacturing workflows from feedstock handling through post-processing and anomaly recovery in reduced-gravity and microgravity conditions; (4) demonstrate manufacturing processes capable of producing mission-relevant components with repeatable performance and dimensional accuracy across representative manufacturing conditions; and (5) develop scalable ISM system architectures and operational concepts suitable for future long-duration exploration missions while minimizing operational complexity and crew workload. Proposed technologies must achieve a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 3-4 to a TRL of 5.

In-scope work includes multi-feedstock additive manufacturing processes, autonomous monitoring and inspection capabilities, integrated manufacturing workflows, microgravity-relevant demonstrations, and operational data collection. Out-of-scope elements include ground-only manufacturing systems, crew-dependent inspection operations, full operational flight systems, non-relevant manufacturing processes, and standards development activities. Deliverables include design reviews, integrated manufacturing demonstrations with technical documentation, prototype hardware, technical reports, operational datasets, test reports, technology maturation pathways, programmatic planning documentation, and government insight activities including monthly status reports, milestone reviews, and site visits.