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Technology Gaps

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



2024 Tech Gap Prioritization Process Webinar

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What Technology Gaps Are and Are Not

Technology gaps are what separates the current state of the art (SOTA) from what is needed to enable or enhance future strategic Astrophysics missions, usually driven by science gaps.


Technology gap entries need to:

  • Be clear, well defined, unique, accurate, compelling, and complete
  • Be directly applicable to Program objectives
  • Describe gaps between the SOTA and what’s required to achieve the targeted science objective
  • Focus on missions prioritized in Astro2020
  • Follow the guidelines provided in the Technology Gap entry form, including the approximate length requested in each field (e.g., don’t include 800 words where 100-150 words are requested).
  • Require technology development (i.e., at TRL lower than 6 for the stated requirements)

Technology gap entries should not:

  • Be a specific solution, or advocate for one
  • Be outside our purview (e.g., gaps associated with launch vehicles, rovers, avionics, spacecraft systems, etc.)
  • Contain proprietary, or EAR/ITAR-restricted information
  • Duplicate or be a subset of an existing gap
  • Endorse or advertise any organization, mission, or person


Why We Solicit and Prioritize Technology Gaps

We solicit technology gaps biennially to help NASA Astrophysics Division (APD) identify technology gaps applicable and relevant to APD strategic objectives as described in the Decadal Survey

We prioritize these gaps to support APD’s decision-making regarding which gaps are critical to close in the coming few years, which are important, and which can be put off temporarily or indefinitely. Our priority ranking considers alignment with strategic Astrophysics missions, the level of benefit to such missions, the estimated schedule margin until the gaps need to be closed, and how cross-cutting each gap is across multiple Astrophysics missions.


The prioritized list accomplishes several purposes:

  • Helps leverage technology investments of external organizations by defining our strategic technology gaps and identifying NASA as a potential customer
  • Improves transparency and relevance of APD technology investments
  • Informs selection of technology awards to align with APD goals and science objectives
  • Informs technology developers of APD technology gaps to help focus efforts
  • Informs the SAT solicitation and other NASA technology development programs (APRA, SBIR, and other OCT and STMD activities)
  • Informs the community and engages it in our technology development process


Tech Gap Priorities
View Technology Gap Descriptions
Prioritization Process



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