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 4 (Non-Strategic) 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.

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 as many of these technology gaps as possible.

Coronagraph Contrast and Efficiency in the Near IR
Coronagraph Contrast and Efficiency in the Near UV
Coronagraph Stability
Cryogenic Readouts for Large-Format Far-IR Detectors
Fast, Low-Noise, Megapixel X-ray Imaging Arrays with Moderate Spectral Resolution
High-Bandwidth Cryogenic Readout Technologies for Compact and Large-Format Calorimeter Arrays
High-Efficiency, Low-Scatter, High- and Low-Ruling-Density, High-and Low-Blazed-Angle UV Gratings
High-Efficiency X-ray Grating Arrays for High-Resolution Spectroscopy
High-Performance Sub-Kelvin Coolers
High-Reflectivity Broadband Far-UV-to-Near-IR Mirror Coatings
High-Resolution, Lightweight X-ray Optics
High-Throughput, Large-Format Object-Selection Technologies for Multi-Object and Integral-Field Spectroscopy
Integrated Modeling for HWO: Multi-Physics Systems Modeling,Uncertainty Quantification, and Model Validation
Large-Format, High-Resolution Far-UV (100-200 nm) Detectors
Large-Format, High-Resolution Near-UV (200-400 nm) Detectors
Low-Stress, Low-Roughness, High-Stability X-ray Reflective Coatings
Mirror Technologies for High Angular Resolution (UV/Visible/Near IR)
Optical Blocking Filters for X-ray Instruments
Scaling and Metrology for Advanced Broadband Mirror Coatings for HWO
Segmented-Pupil Coronagraph Contrast and Efficiency in the Visible Band
UV Multi-Object Spectrograph Calibration Technologies
UV Single-Photon Detection Sensitivity
Visible/Near-IR Single-Photon Detection Sensitivity

Tier 2 Technology Gaps

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

Advanced Cryocoolers
Broadband X-ray Detectors
Compact, Integrated Spectrometers for 100 to 1000 µm
Cryogenic Far-IR to mm-Wave Focal-Plane Detectors
Far-IR Imaging Interferometer for High-Resolution Spectroscopy
Far-IR Spatio-Spectral Interferometry
Heterodyne Far-IR Detector Systems
High-Performance Computing for Event Reconstruction
High-Resolution, Direct-Detection Spectrometers for Far-IR Wavelengths
High-Throughput Focusing Optics for 0.1-1 MeV Photons
High-Throughput UV Bandpass Standalone and Detector-Integrated Filters and Bandpass Selection
Improving the Calibration of Far-IR Heterodyne Measurements
Large-Format, High-Spectral-Resolution, Small-Pixel X-ray Focal-Plane Arrays
Large-Format, Low-Noise and Ultralow-Noise, Far-IR Direct Detectors
Low-Power Readout and Multiplexing for CMB Detectors
Millimeter-Wave Focal-Plane Arrays for CMB Polarimetry
Optical Elements for a CMB Space Mission
Starshade Deployment and Shape Stability
Starshade Starlight Suppression and Model Validation
Stellar Reflex Motion Sensitivity: Astrometry
Stellar Reflex Motion Sensitivity: Extreme Precision Radial Velocity
Warm Readout Electronics for Large-Format Far-IR Detectors

Tier 3 Technology Gaps

Priority Tier 3: Technology gaps deemed supportive of APD strategic objectives but with low enough priority that the program office technologists recommend deferring work on these for the time being.

Broadband X-ray Polarimeter
Charged-Particle-Discriminating X-ray/Gamma-Ray Detectors
Dynamic Switching for Ultra-Low-Power, High-Resolution Charge Readout
High-Energy-Resolution Gamma-Ray Detectors
Large-Aperture Deployable Antennas for Far-IR/THz/sub-mm Astronomy for Frequencies Above 100 GHz
Large Cryogenic Optics for the Mid IR to Far IR
Large Field-of-View and Effective-Area Gamma-Ray Detectors
Low-Power, Low-Cost Semiconductor Detectors
Low-Power Readout for Silicon Photomultipliers
Photometric and Spectro-Photometric Precision of Time-Domain and Time-Series Measurements
Precision Timing Measurement Technology
Radiation-Tolerant, Photon-Counting Light Detectors
Sensitive Spectrometer for CMB Spectrum Measurement
UV/Optical/Near-IR Tunable Narrowband Imaging Capability

Tier 4 Technology Gaps

Priority Tier 4 (Non-Strategic): Legitimate APD technology gaps that are not currently aligned with any strategic mission or activity and will thus not be reprioritized in following years. Submitters may contact the relevant Program Office to discuss what changes would be needed for potential resubmittal.

Advancement of X-ray Polarimeter Sensitivity
Detection Stability in Mid-IR

Technology Gap Submission Form

Download the Astrophysics Technology Gap Form to submit your entry between now and May 2026.

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 2026.