Astrophysics Projects Division

Current Technology Gap Priorities

Technology Gaps: Overview / Tech Gap Priorities / Prioritization Process / Tech Gap Descriptions

Following a multi-month prioritization process involving managers, technologists, scientists, and subject-matter experts from NASA's Astrophysics Division (APD) and the Program Offices, as well as independent reviewers, the following is the Astrophysics Technology Gap Priority List. This list will inform APD technology development planning as well as decisions on what technologies to solicit and will be considered when making funding decisions. Tiers are in descending priority order. All gaps within any given tier are to be considered equally prioritized (which is why the gaps are arranged alphabetically within each tier). Tier 5 is reserved for gaps deemed not to enable or enhance any strategic Astrophysics mission, and as such will not automatically be included in the next prioritization cycle.

Download Technology Gaps Priorities (PDF)

Tier 1 Technology Gaps

Priority Tier 1: Technology gaps determined to be of the highest interest to APD. Advancing technologies to close these key gaps is judged to be most critical to making substantive near-term progress on the highest-priority strategic astrophysics missions. The program office technologists recommend solicitations and award decisions address these technology gaps first.

Advanced Cryocoolers
Coronagraph Contrast and Efficiency
Coronagraph Stability
Cryogenic Readouts for Large-Format Far-IR Detectors
Heterodyne Far-IR Detector Systems
High-Performance, Sub-Kelvin Coolers
High-Reflectivity Broadband Far-UV-to-Near-IR Mirror Coatings
High-Resolution, Large-Area, Lightweight X-ray Optics
High-Throughput Bandpass Selection for UV/VIS
High-Throughput, Large-Format Object Selection Technologies for Multi-Object and Integral Field Spectroscopy
Large Cryogenic Optics for the Mid IR to Far IR
Large-Format, High-Resolution Focal Plane Arrays
Large-Format, Low-Darkrate, High-Efficiency, Photon-Counting, Solar-blind, Far- and Near-UV Detectors
Large-Format, Low-Noise and Ultralow-Noise Far-IR Direct Detectors
Long-Wavelength-Blocking Filters for X-ray Micro-Calorimeters
Low-Stress, High-Stability, X-ray Reflective Coatings
Mirror Technologies for High Angular Resolution (UV/Vis/Near IR)
Stellar Reflex Motion Sensitivity – Astrometry
Stellar Reflex Motion Sensitivity – Extreme Precision Radial Velocity
Vis/Near-IR Detection Sensitivity

Tier 2 Technology Gaps

Priority Tier 2: Technology gaps technology highly desirable or desirable for a variety of strategic missions. Should sufficient funding be available, solicitations and award decisions address closing these technology gaps as well.

Broadband X-ray Detectors
Compact, Integrated Spectrometers for 100 to 1000 µm
Far-IR Imaging Interferometer for High-Resolution Spectroscopy
Far-IR Spatio-Spectral Interferometry
Fast, Low-Noise, Megapixel X-ray Imaging Arrays with Moderate Spectral Resolution
High-Efficiency X-ray Grating Arrays for High-Resolution Spectroscopy
High-Resolution, Direct-Detection Spectrometers for Far-IR Wavelengths
Improving the Calibration of Far-IR Heterodyne Measurements
Large-Aperture Deployable Antennas for Far-IR/THz/sub-mm
Astronomy for Frequencies over 100 GHz
Large-Format, High-Spectral-Resolution, Small-Pixel X-ray FocalPlane Arrays
Polarization-Preserving Millimeter-Wave Optical Elements
Precision Timing for Space-Based Astrophysics
Rapid Readout Electronics for X-ray Detectors
Starshade Deployment and Shape Stability
Starshade Starlight Suppression and Model Validation
UV Detection Sensitivity

Tier 3 Technology Gaps

Priority Tier 3: Technology gaps deemed supportive of APD strategic objectives but scoring lower than Priority 1 and 2 technology gaps.

Advancement of X-ray Polarimeter Sensitivity
Detection Stability in Mid-IR
Far-UV Imaging Bandpass Filters
High-Efficiency Far-UV Mirror
High-Efficiency, Low-Scatter, High- and Low-Ruling-Density, Highand Low-Blazed-Angle UV Gratings
High-Quantum-Efficiency, Solar-Blind, Broadband Near-UV Detector
Photon-Counting, Large-Format UV Detectors
Short-Wave UV Coatings
Warm Readout Electronics for Large-Format Far-IR Detectors

Tier 4 Technology Gaps

Priority Tier 4: Technology gaps that are minimally supportive of APD strategic objectives. These should not be solicited and/or awarded unless all Tier 1-3 gaps are already being addressed and further technology-development funding is available.

Advanced Millimeter-Wave Focal-Plane Arrays for CMB Polarimetry
Improving the Photometric and Spectro-Photometric Precision of Time-Domain and Time-Series Measurements
UV/Opt/Near-IR Tunable Narrow-Band Imaging Capability
Very-Wide-Field Focusing Instrument for Time-Domain X-ray Astronomy

Tier 5 Technology Gaps

Priority Tier 5: Legitimate APD technology gaps that are not currently aligned with any strategic mission, and will thus not be reprioritized in following years. Submitters may contact the respective Program Office to discuss what changes would be needed for potential resubmittal.

Complex Ultra-Stable Structures for Future Gravitational-Wave Missions
Disturbance Reduction for Gravitational-Wave Missions
Gravitational Reference Sensor
High-Performance Spectral Dispersion Component/Device
High-Power, High-Stability Laser for Gravitational-Wave Missions
Laser Phase Measurement Chain for a Decihertz Gravitational-Wave Mission
Micro-Newton Thrusters for Gravitational Wave-Missions
Stable Telescopes for Gravitational Wave-Missions

Technology Gap Submission Form

Download the Astrophysics Technology Gap Form to submit your entry no later than June 3, 2024

The Program Office solicits community input on gaps between the current state of the art and technology needed for the strategic missions of the coming decades to achieve science goals. The next prioritization is expected to take place in 2024.