![](media/image1.png)

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

**Mars Exploration Program**

**Technology Plan**

Draft v.1 - March 2002

MPO Release Date:

Issue Date:

JPL Doc. No.:

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Jet Propulsion Laboratory MPO Document Release Approval

California Institute of Technology

**Mars Technology Program Plan**

**Prepared by:**

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Dr. Samad A. Hayati Date

Manager, Mars Technology Program, JPL

**Concurrence:**

**\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_**

Mr. Dave Lavery Date

Program Executive, Mars Exploration Program

**Approved by:**

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Dr. Firouz M. Naderi Date

Manager, Mars Program Office, JPL

**Concurrence:**

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Mr. Orlando Figueroa Date

Director, Mars Exploration Program

Space Science Enterprise, NASA Headquarters

Mars Technology Program Plan

Table of Contents

[1 Introduction 4](#introduction)

[2 General Goals of Program 4](#general-goals-of-program)

[3 Program Requirements 6](#program-requirements)

[4 Customer Definition and Advocacy
6](#customer-definition-and-advocacy)

[5 Organization and Management Approach
7](#organization-and-management-approach)

[5.1 Organization 7](#organization)

[5.2 Roles and Responsibilities 8](#roles-and-responsibilities)

[5.3 Collaborations 9](#collaborations)

[5.4 Agreements 9](#agreements)

[5.5 Reviews 9](#reviews)

[5.6 Schedule 10](#schedule)

[5.6.1 Resource Management 10](#resource-management)

[5.6.2 Budget Profile 10](#budget-profile)

[5.7 Controls 10](#controls)

[5.7.1 Program Documentation 10](#program-documentation)

[5.7.2 Process Validation 11](#process-validation)

[5.7.3 Change Control 11](#change-control)

[5.8 Risk Management 11](#risk-management)

[5.8.1 Areas of Emphasis 11](#areas-of-emphasis)

[5.8.2 Approach 12](#approach)

[6 Technology Planning Process 13](#technology-planning-process)

[6.1 Annual Replanning Process 13](#annual-replanning-process)

[6.2 Task Definition and Assignment 13](#task-definition-and-assignment)

[6.3 Leveraged Programs 15](#leveraged-programs)

[6.4 Products and Infusion Strategy 15](#products-and-infusion-strategy)

[7 Public Outreach and Commercialization
16](#public-outreach-and-commercialization)

[7.1 Public Outreach 16](#public-outreach)

[7.2 Commercialization 16](#commercialization)

[8 Change Log 19](#change-log)

[Document Change Log 19](#__RefHeading___Toc12753886)

[Appendices 20](#appendices)

**Mars Exploration Program**

**Technology Plan**

# Introduction

The Mars Exploration Program (MEP) is a science-driven,
technology-enabled effort to characterize and understand Mars, including
its current environment, climate, geological history, and biological
potential. A critical component of MEP is the Mars Technology Program
(MTP).

The MTP is a NASA program, managed by JPL, with significant
participation by NASA Centers and other organizations. It has the prime
responsibility to develop enabling and strongly enhancing technologies
for Mars exploration missions with launch dates through 2009. Of
particular importance are enabling technologies for the 2009 Mars Smart
Lander (MSL) Mission. In order to be ready in time, technologies need to
be demonstrated to have reached NASA Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6
by preliminary design review (PDR) for each mission, which typically
occurs about 40 months prior to launch *(See Appendix B for NASA TRL
definitions.)* Some technologies require verification in a relevant
environment in space, which implies that they will be carried to TRL 7
by critical design review (CDR). The MTP also has the responsibility to
develop technologies with high potential for Scout and other missions
with launch dates beyond 2009.

In this document, the following aspects of the MTP will be described:

-   Program goals

-   Program organization and management approach

-   Technology planning process

-   Description of technology plan (Appendix A)

# General Goals of Program

The MTP will develop and demonstrate the required technologies to enable
the goals and objectives of the Mars Exploration Program, as specified
in the Mars Exploration Program Plan.  Specifically, the Program will:

1.  Enable new classes of Mars science investigations -- including, but
    not limited to, remote geology, remote astrobiology, and sample
    return.

2.  Increase the payload mass fraction delivered to Mars orbit and
    surface.

3.  Develop the capability to place payloads safely and precisely at any
    desired location on the surface of Mars.

4.  Enable full access to the subsurface, surface, and atmospheric
    regions, while protecting the planetary environment.

5.  Enable long-lived surface science investigations.

6.  Support the development of robotic assets that can provide a high
    rate data returns from the Mars surface.

These Program goals will be achieved by taking the following steps:

-   Develop technology requirements by directly interacting with MEP
    baseline missions, such as MRO and MSL and other collaborative
    missions with international partners.

-   Determine technology needs of future missions by developing a
    prioritized list of technology requirements obtained from a process
    that includes the following:

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Receiving NASA HQ's level-1 technology requirements and updates for
    future missions

-   Science measurement requirements as stated in the Mars Exploration
    Payload Analysis Group (MEPAG) document entitled "Science Planning
    for Exploring Mars[^1]," and any updates to this document.

-   Future mission concepts developed by the Pre-Projects and Advanced
    Studies Office at JPL. These mission concepts are developed
    specifically to address the science measurement requirements defined
    by MEPAG.

-   Interaction with the Mars Program System Engineering Team (MPSET),
    which is tasked to develop a set of mission pathways that will be
    responsive to new discoveries.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Present these derived requirements to MEPAG and the MTP Review panel
    for feedback

-   Obtain approval from Mars Program Manager and concurrence from NASA
    HQ, indicating that the derived technology requirements satisfies
    NASA's needs

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Modify the prioritized technology needs as the information stated
    above is updated due to programmatic or new scientific
    needs/discoveries.

-   Assess the state of development of technologies important to Mars
    exploration via interaction with experts and holding focused
    workshops with participation from NASA and other institutions.

-   Define, develop, and validate enabling technologies for MEP.

-   Insert into flight missions the key technologies needed for Mars
    exploration.

-   Commercialize technologies wherever appropriate.

The work breakdown structure of the MTP is subdivided into three major
elements: **Focused Technology, Technology Testbeds,** and **Base
Technology**.

-   The **Focused Technology** element is aimed at advancing enabling
    technologies to TRL 6 by PDR for specified missions. Missions will
    manage focused technologies with flight project discipline,
    including cost, schedule, and reviews. The schedule to develop these
    technologies will be fixed due to the fact that TRL 6 technologies
    must be developed by PDR of each mission. Focused technology tasks
    are planned for a fixed period of time and will end at the specified
    date.

-   The **Technology Testbeds** element develops testbeds that are
    required to integrate, infuse, and validate technologies into Mars
    missions. Technology Validation Testbeds are aimed at providing
    long-term and sustained capability by JPL and NASA centers to
    develop and maintain MEP--required infrastructures that are
    essential for system--level technology design, integration, test,
    and validation. This element forms a bridge between the base and
    focused technology. Examples of technology testbeds are: Rover
    testbeds at JPL and Ames (includes software infrastructure, rover
    hardware, laboratory testbed elements, and indoor and outdoor test
    facilities), Mobility and EDL simulation testbeds, Sample Processing
    and Distribution testbeds, etc. The distinguishing feature that
    separates technology testbeds from other facilities and laboratories
    is that these testbeds are required to integrate disparate
    technologies developed in various institutions and therefore require
    integration and validation. Testbeds are required for multiple
    missions and therefore are managed by MTP rather than the focused
    technology programs that focus on particular missions.

-   The **Base Technology** element will address technology advances for
    multiple missions including baselined and future missions. When used
    for baseline missions, technology will be enhancing and will not be
    in the critical path of missions. When used for future missions,
    these technologies will in general be enabling. An important
    customer for the base technology program is Scout missions. MTP will
    identify those technologies that are essential for future Scout
    missions and will fund their development. NASA HQ will provide
    level-1 technology requirements for Scout missions based on their
    evaluation of technology gaps for future possible scout missions.
    The following areas have been identified for funding within the Base
    Program

    -   Rover technology

    -   Subsurface Access

    -   Mars Instruments (MIDP)

    -   Telecom and Navigation

    -   Advanced Entry, Descent and Landing (EDL)

    -   Planetary Protection

    -   Low-Cost Mission Technologies (Scout Technologies)

:

# Program Requirements

The Mars Technology Program will be planned and implemented to satisfy
the following Program-level requirements (Metrics indicated below will
be further refined, as future missions are better understood) :

1.  The Program shall develop technologies that enable new classes of
    Mars science investigations at each launch opportunity, including
    remote geology, remote astrobiology, and sample return. Remote
    geology and astrobiology missions will be enabled by developing
    autonomous vertical and horizontal mobility technologies exceeding
    current state-of-the-art capability by an order of magnitude for
    each successive mission. Onboard sample processing and distribution
    capability will be developed to autonomously acquire samples and
    process them for use by onboard science instruments (such capability
    does not exists presently.)

    Mars Sample Return (MSR) technologies will be developed to enable
    the return of 0.5 to 1.0 kg samples from Mars consistent with Mars
    and Earth planetary protection requirements provided by NASA HQ.
    This will include safe handling of Martian samples after they have
    been transferred to Earth

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
1.  The Program shall emphasize the development of long-life exploration
    tools for orbital reconnaissance, intermediate altitude
    reconnaissance via aerial platforms, local and long-range mobility,
    subsurface exploration. For solar powered systems, technologies will
    be developed to at least double the expected operations of the solar
    panels from 90 sols to 180 sols. For nuclear powered missions,
    long-life technologies will be developed to prolong the expected
    life of electronics and actuators to a Martian year. Nuclear power
    technology development is not in the scope of MTP.

2.  The Program shall continually increase the payload mass fraction
    delivered to Mars orbit and surface from 10% to 20% by 2020.

3.  The Program shall develop the capability to place payloads safely
    and precisely at any desired location on the surface of Mars. More
    specifically, technologies will be developed to land at higher
    latitudes and at least 2.5 km above MOLA reference, thus providing
    access to about 90% of the planet's surface. This will provide an
    order of magnitude greater access to the surface of Mars than is
    currently possible. "Go-To" capability will be enabled by developing
    precision landing technology (ability to land with a precision of at
    least 5km) and roving of 10km. The combination of the higher
    altitude access and "Go-To" capabilities will enable pin-point
    access to 90% of the planet via rovers. Pin-point landing technology
    will be developed to enable fixed landers to land with \~100m
    accuracy, in the second decade.

4.  The Program shall develop technologies that enable significantly
    greater access to the subsurface (20-50 m), surface (10- 50 km), and
    atmospheric regions (1000s of km), while protecting the planetary
    environment.

5.  The Program shall pursue technologies that support the development
    of a continuous robotic presence on Mars.

6.  The Program shall advocate competition to the greatest extent
    possible as a vehicle to stimulate new ideas and increased
    participation by the scientific, engineering and technology
    communities. 100% of the base technology program will be competed
    via NASA NRAs. Every effort will be made to compete portions of the
    focused technology program while maintaining in-house (JPL and NASA
    Centers) expertise to assure successful infusion of the critical
    technologies required by the missions.

7.  The Program will develop Mars specific communication technologies to
    enable high data return. (Increase Mars surface to Mars orbit
    transmission data rate from 10 kbps to 1-2 mbps)

8.  An *MEP Technology Plan* shall be prepared and maintained by the
    Mars Technology Program Office to identify and guide the development
    of technologies, in conjunction with the Agency and Space Science
    Enterprise technology plans, as required to implement the Program

    .

# Customer Definition and Advocacy

In general, the Technology Program customers comprise the members of the
space science community and the human space exploration community. More
immediately, the customers consist of Mars project planning teams whose
missions will be the beneficiaries of technologies that confer improved
performance, reliability, or cost effectiveness. Interaction with
customers will take place primarily through joint technology planning
and development activities, support of Mars Program education and public
outreach, and support of technology commercialization. These activities
are described in detail in the remainder of this Plan.

# Organization and Management Approach

## Organization

The Mars Technology Program Manager is the point of contact with all the
implementing personnel of the Technology Program, both internal and
external to JPL. The MTP Manager reports to the Mars Program Manager.
The Program Executive defines technology program level-1 requirements,
reviews program performance, and assures compliance with MEP and OSS
directives and policies. The Technology Program structure (focused,
based, and testbeds, etc.) , the split of funding within the structure,
planning and reviews are discussed by MTP manager with the program
executive and consensus is reached before their approval by the Mars
Program manager and concurrence by the Mars Director is sought.

## Roles and Responsibilities

The Mars Technology Program Manager will:

-   Implement a balanced program of technology responsive to technology
    level-1 requirements defined by NASA HQ and required by the Mars
    Program Office (MPO).

-   Implement a strategy for multi-center participation, competitive
    programs, and program balance in support of near-term and future
    missions as required by MPO.

-   Support MPO to maintain the alignment of technology with mission
    needs and infuse technology into projects.

-   Provide monthly, quarterly, and annual reviews of the Technology
    Program.

-   Lead the definition of tasks, select task managers, and monitor
    tasks.

-   Report status to MPO against agreed-upon metrics.

-   Provide assistance to NASA HQ for Base Technology NRAs.

-   Convene an external review board whose panel membership has been
    concurred by the MTP PE.

For focused technologies, the project managers and MTP jointly appoint a
focused technology manager and level-1 managers (when required).

Focused technology manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations
of the focused technology program. Changes to the program are handled by
a Change Review Board (CRB), which includes the Project and the MTP
Manager. MTP manager has the responsibility of obtaining concurrences
form the MTP PE and Mars Program Manager when required (Major changes to
the program).

The level-1 managers (also referred to as technical leads) have the
day-to-day responsibility of managing elements of the focused
technologies with guidance provided to them by the Focused Technology
Manager and or project manager. They do, however, report to the MTP
Manager on a regular basis their technical progress, cost, and
schedules.

More specifically, the responsibilities of level-1 managers include:

-   Coordinating and leading activities in their designated technology
    areas,

-   Supporting Program Office activities,

-   Holding monthly reviews and submitting monthly progress summaries,

-   Supporting quarterly reviews, and

-   Supporting year-end reviews.

An example of a level-1 manager is a person who manages all focused
technologies for the Mars Smart Lander Project. In a project such as
MSL, the focused technologies effort might be organized into several
level-2 technical areas. Such level-2 technical areas for MSL might
include: entry, descent, and landing (EDL); autonomy; in-situ sample
handling and processing; etc. Each level-2 technical area will normally
include several tasks (level-3). Tasks are assigned to task managers. A
task is the lowest technical entity that reports to the Program.

Each task is required to develop a technology development agreement
(TDA) and a financial plan. The TDA is written by a task manager and is
approved by the level-1 manager, appropriate line organization (in the
case of JPL, a section manager), and the focused technology manager or
MTP Manager. The task manager's responsibilities are to:

-   Plan the task

-   Assemble task members (JPL, NASA centers, universities, etc.)

-   Lead the technical development

-   Participate in monthly, quarterly, and year-end reviews

-   Provide support to the Technical Lead, and

-   Deliver task products to the Technical Lead

## Collaborations

MTP technical leads are instructed to engage all possible expertise from
NASA centers, industry, and universities.

The MTP maintains close ties to the New Millennium Program, the Outer
Planets Program, the Intelligent Systems Program, the In Space
Propulsion and other programs, and seeks cooperative ventures wherever
it is mutually beneficial.

## Agreements

MTP will document all formal agreements reached with other technology
programs (funded by NASA and other agencies) in the form of memoranda of
undertandings (MOUs) or letters of agreements (LOAs). hese are listed in
Appendix C and will be updated each fiscal year.

## Reviews

The MTP will hold reviews regularly to monitor the technical progress
and address any issues/concerns throughout the year. Three types of
reviews are planned:

I.  ***Monthly** -* The Technical Lead is responsible for organizing and
    conducting the monthly management reviews (MMR) with participation
    from the line organizations, the Program Office, and collaborating
    NASA centers.

II. ***Quarterly --*** The MTP Manager is responsible for organizing and
    conducting the quarterly reviews in January, April, July, and
    October of each calendar year. The technical leads will prepare and
    present the quarterly reports for their respective technical areas.
    The participants include MPO staffs, program executives and
    representatives from collaborating NASA centers, line management,
    and technology customers (project and pre-project managers). The MTP
    Manager will summarize the results and report in the GPMC Quarterly
    Review.

III. ***Annual -*** A year-end external review will be held in October
     of each calendar year. This review will assess the relevance and
     quality of the technology program for baselined and future
     missions. The MTP Manager is responsible for organizing this review
     and assembling a peer review panel with the concurrence of the
     program executive. The panel will include appropriate technical and
     programmatic personnel from JPL, NASA centers, NASA HQ, and
     universities. The Mars Program Chief Engineer or his designee will
     chair the peer review panel and provide a summary of review results
     and recommendations to the MTP Manager. The review feedback will be
     used to improve the Technology Program by implementing the review
     panel recommendations as appropriate. The MTP manager will provide
     a report to the review panel on the corrective actions taken by the
     program as a response to the review panel's feedback.

## Schedule

MTP's program schedule is presented in Appendix D. This schedule is
updated each fiscal year.

### Resource Management

Top-level, multi-year budget guidelines will be provided by NASA
Headquarters as part of each annual *MEP* *Program Operating Plan* (POP)
developed by Mars Program Director and Program Executives. In response,
the MEP Program Manager will develop a budget request for the Technology
Program along with other Mars Program elements. The Mars Program
Director, with input from the Program Manager, will advocate and
negotiate budget requirements for the Program within the Office of Space
Science and provide supporting information to the NASA Comptroller's
Office and to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

The Mars Program Manager will be responsible for management and
administration of the overall Mars Program budget assigned to JPL,
including the budget for the Technology Program. Requests for bypass
funding to other agencies and NASA Centers will be based on a formal
request from the Program Manager to the Program Director. The MTP
manager will develop these requests. All requests will be based on the
tasks reviewed during the annual review of the program. Any new request
that was not reviewed during the year-end review will be concurred by
the PE prior to the release of the bypass letter. The Technology Program
Manager will be responsible for detailed budget negotiation and budget
reporting to the Mars Program Manager. The MTP Manager will provide
monthly management reporting on new obligation authority (NOA),
obligations, cost, and workforce to the Program Office with an
explanation of any variances between the plans and actuals.

### Budget Profile

The MTP budget profile is provided in Appendix E. This appendix will be
updated each fiscal year.

##  Controls

### Program Documentation

The Mars Exploration Program policies and procedures for information
management and documentation will be provided in its *Information
Management and Documentation Plan*. In addition, the Mars Program will
define, set up, maintain, and operate a Program information management
system. The MTP will utilize this system, and will manage its
information and documentation in accordance with the MEP *Information
Management and Documentation Plan*. The Program information management
system will capture and store information and documentation in a way
which:

1.  Facilitates information access and sharing, both internally and
    externally;

2.  Identifies the status of the information;

3.  Identifies what information exists and where to find it;

4.  Identifies documents requiring approval and the level of review
    required for approval; and

5.  Identifies those documents and data sets that will be archived at
    the end of Program to meet legal, contractual, and/or knowledge
    preservation purposes.

A Master Controlled Document List (MCDL) will be maintained by the MEP
Program which identifies all documents under document control. The MCDL
will include this *Technology Program Plan.*

### Process Validation

The MTP Manager is responsible for collection and analysis of Program
process metrics and for the identification of areas of exceptional or
substandard performance. These metrics will be used to identify process
corrective actions, to communicate lessons learned in using these
processes, and for reporting status to the Mars Program Manager and MEP
Director

Contractor cost reporting and performance measurement processes will be
implemented in sufficient depth to enable Program management to:

1.  Review the cost and workforce expended in each element of the
    Technology Program relative to its schedule and technical progress.

2.  Determine significant elements of risk to the Program and its
    elements.

3.  Report progress relative to the Program and subsidiary plans.

### Change Control

Change control for the MTP and its elements will be consistent with NASA
and JPL change control policies and procedures, sufficient to provide
visibility into all interactions and interdependencies within the
Program. MTP change control will be coordinated with the Mars Program
Manager and NASA HQ, as appropriate.

Life cycle cost effects will be projected for all major changes and be
submitted as part of formal change control requests.

## Risk Management

The Technology Program risk management approach will be guided by a
policy of resilience, especially where important planned missions depend
on MTP-developed technologies for their success, or where meeting
technology objectives relies on the success of anticipated technology
flight demonstrations. Two key aspects of risk management in the
Technology Program will be the continuing assessment of the impact of
possible technology development or demonstration failure on the
achievement of Program goals, and the tailoring of technology objectives
or implementation plans in accordance with that impact. The Technology
Program approach will be designed to evolve throughout the life of the
Program to meet changing needs, and will be updated as appropriate to
reflect prevailing risk management practices.

### Areas of Emphasis

Risk management will be applied to both technical and programmatic risk.
Programmatic and technical risk areas of particular emphasis for the
identification and mitigation of specific risks are as follows:

Programmatic risk areas:

-   Technology development and implementation that satisfies MEP
    requirements within the established cost profile and with acceptable
    residual risks

-   Resiliency of the Program architecture to changes in funding and
    performance goals

-   Approval of funding external to the MTP for cross-cutting technology
    developments upon which the Program is dependent

-   Program architecture that is resilient to failure of individual
    missions, and adaptive to evolving science objectives and priorities

-   Ensuring that technologies developed and used by the MTP do not
    constitute a threat to the environment or human safety

-   Establishing and maintaining effective collaboration with
    international partners, consistent with ITAR requirements

Technical risk areas:

-   Development and implementation of technologies consistent with the
    requirements of planned missions

-   Flight demonstrations that are outside the experience base developed
    during ground test, or not otherwise simulated in a flight-like
    testbed environment prior to the in-flight use

-   Development of effective new technologies that meet safety and
    environmental requirements and concerns

    Other important risk areas will be managed at the Mars Program
    level. These include:

-   Affordable resolution of planetary protection issues

-   Demonstration to the broad scientific community and to the public
    that technologies developed by the MTP for mission applications
    constitute neither a real nor a perceived threat to the environment
    or human safety

### Approach

The Technology Program risk management approach will meet the
requirements of NPG 7120.5B, ISO, ITAR, and other NASA and JPL policies
and processes established for identifying, characterizing, mitigating,
tracking, and reporting risks. It will identify the responsibilities of
Program participants and will provide a schedule of risk management
activities. Key features of the approach include:

1.  Assessing the Program impact of possible failure of planned
    technology development and application, and providing risk
    management requirements and guidelines consistent with technology
    criticality and cost constraints;

2.  Encouraging appropriate levels of technology investment prior to
    project starts;

3.  Establishing and managing programmatic/technical margins
    commensurate with development risks;

4.  Planning, scheduling, and conducting regular reviews of risk areas,
    assessing risk levels and status of risk mitigation;

5.  Strengthening processes for risk management to ensure early and
    continuing attention to:

-   Configuration management

-   Verification and validation

-   Rigorous reporting and resolution of anomalies throughout the
    development cycle

# Technology Planning Process

An intensive MEP planning process has resulted in the current set of
technology requirements, and this Plan is responsive to those
requirements. A process for *annual* *replanning* of the MTP has now
been defined and will be applied for the first time during planning of
the MTP for FY'03.

## Annual Replanning Process

The MTP Plan will be updated annually in order to realign the Technology
Program with mission goals as future missions are better defined or
modified, and to reflect progress in meeting the goals of the Technology
Program. These updates will conclude prior to the start of each new
fiscal year. The process for developing and updating Technology Program
content will be carried out by the MTP Manager with input from the
Manager of Pre-Projects and Advanced Studies Office, MPSET Chair, and
guidance from the program executives. The MPO Manager approves the
Technology Program content and its funding allocation. As part of the
annual replanning process, the MTP Manager will:

-   Receive level-1 technology requirement updates from NASA HQ

-   Update technology needs of future missions by developing a
    prioritized list of technology requirements obtained from the
    process described in Section 2.

-   Update the prioritized technology needs due to programmatic changes
    or due to new scientific needs/discoveries

-   Assess the state of development of technologies important to Mars
    exploration via interaction with experts and through focused
    workshops with participation from NASA and other institutions

## Task Definition and Assignment

The task definition and assignment process, which is updated on yearly
basis, is described in this section. The process is different for each
of the technology categories (i.e., Focused and Base) and is outlined
below.

-   **Focused Technology Tasks.** Tasks will be defined by missions,
    negotiated by the

    ![](media/image2.wmf){width="6.75625in"
    height="5.4847222222222225in"}

    **Figure 6.1. Mars Technology Program Process Summary**

    \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

    MTP Manager, and reviewed and approved by the Mars Program Manager.
    The process includes the following steps:

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Definition of mission technology needs and priorities

-   Assessment of technology readiness

-   Determination of uniqueness of Mars technology needs

-   Assessment of potential for co-funding

    The funding strategy is to compete focused technology tasks when
    appropriate via RFP or other means, and to find the best team for
    technology development and delivery to the missions. Tasks also can
    be assigned directly by the project managers to JPL, NASA centers,
    or other institutions based on the expertise and other
    considerations. The funding ratio of in-house (JPL) vs. out-of-house
    tasks will satisfy requirements defined by the Mars Exploration
    Director. Technology Validation Testbed tasks are also reviewed as
    part of focused technology review and are updated as required.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Base Technology Tasks.** All base technology tasks will be
    competed via NRAs issued by NASA HQ. The MTP Manager will define
    technology areas, with guidance provided by the program executives,
    consultation with the MPSET Chair and approval of the MPO Manager.
    The MTP Manager will develop the draft NRA call content for each
    base technology category. This document will be reviewed by the MPO
    Manager and submitted to NASA HQ for consideration as the basis for
    the NRA. The MTP PE will develop the final version of the NRA and
    issue it under the ROSS NRA. MTP will assist NASA HQ in forming
    review panels for each technology area and providing other
    assistance as required by NASA HQ. NASA HQ will receive the
    proposals, conduct reviews, and select tasks. The implementation,
    i.e., funding; day-to-day management; monthly, quarterly, and yearly
    reviews; and the delivery of technology products are the
    responsibility of the MTP.

## Leveraged Programs

The MTP also will attempt to leverage technology developed in other NASA
and non-NASA programs to address Mars-specific needs. These leveraged
programs will be documented where appropriate in memoranda of agreement
among the participants.

##  Products and Infusion Strategy

The products of the MTP will fulfill the technology requirements and
include hardware, software, and systems together with testing and
validation data that demonstrates their performance and reliability.

Technology infusion has been planned as an integral part of the MTP. The
objectives of the MTP will not be complete until the technologies are
infused into technology validation experiments or flight projects. Plans
for technology infusion are being made early in the technology
development life cycle when the technology is between TRL 3 and 4. In
order for a flight project to include a technology in its preliminary
mission plan, it must have reached TRL \~5 by Preliminary Mission
Systems Review (PMSR), and in order for the technology to be adopted by
the project it must reach TRL \~6 by Preliminary Design Review (PDR).
TRL 6 implies that an engineering model has been validated in a
simulated environment in the laboratory. The MTP has been planned to
achieve these goals by the appropriate dates for the relevant Mars
missions.

Some technologies are of such a nature that laboratory testing is
inadequate, and they must be validated in space, either in Earth orbit
or at Mars. Some technologies may contribute to validation of
performance models and this may require validation of these models in
the environment of Mars with its unique gravity field and atmospheric
properties. These technologies will have reached TRL \~7 by CDR.

For focused technologies, technology development is conducted in concert
with pre-project development through the Mars Smart Lander pre-project.
In many cases, the developers of the technology also will be the users,
thus overcoming impediments to the acceptance of the technology.

For the Base Technology, developers usually will not be users, and
communication efforts must be put in place to ensure the success of
infusion. One example of this is information technology (IT), where MPO
is participating in a joint ARC/JPL strategy team focused on insertion
of IT into flight projects.

The Technology Testbeds ensure that technologies developed via the Base
Program are captured and integrated into useful products for near-term
and future missions.

The MTP does not just produce tangible products (i.e., hardware,
software, and demonstrations). It also produces intellectual capital and
trained personnel. These byproducts of the MTP are every bit as
important as the tangible products. In some cases, even when the a
tangible MTP product is not adopted for flight, the people who were
trained while developing that product end up working on the flight
system, whatever its specific design. The intellectual capital and
expertise gained in developing an advanced technology product (even if
it was not infused) will prove to be invaluable in implementing a
mission that requires the similar or closely related technologies.

# Public Outreach and Commercialization

## Public Outreach

The MEP organizes its missions as an integrated, cohesive program,
rather than as a collection of independent efforts. In a similar
fashion, MEP public outreach will be established as a set of
closely-knit, mutually supportive efforts that collectively lead to the
achievement of the Program's long-term outreach goals. The Mars
Technology Program will actively engage the MEP public outreach to help
publicize the achievements of the program and thus create public
enthusiasm, particularly the youth, for NASA missions in general and
Mars in particular. Examples of such outreach efforts are participation
and involvement in the FIRST robotics competition and the active
participation of students in rove field tests.

MTP will support MEP public outreach objectives by providing timely
information on technology plans, status, and impact on Mars missions
that contributes to a variety of outreach efforts:

> [Public Outreach]{.underline}: products and activities that engage the
> general public, special interest groups, children, businesses,
> legislative and other audiences;
>
> [Media Relations]{.underline}: all products and activities required by
> the media to communicate effectively with the public, including press
> releases, visualizations (images, animations, and related A- and
> B-roll), event support (press rooms, press kits), and interviews (live
> shots, etc.);
>
> [Internet Communications]{.underline}: online information and
> activities for all audiences: the general public, the media,
> educators, students, informal education institutions, and the
> scientific and technical community. The Mars Technology Program will
> continue to provide information for the technology segment of the Mars
> Exploration Program external website currently in beta test at 

<http://stargate.jpl.nasa.gov/devel/redplanet/technology/>

##  Commercialization

The MTP is dedicated to assisting the commercialization of its
technologies wherever appropriate. To accomplish technology and
commercialization planning, the MTP will:

-   Explore innovative avenues to expand private sector participation
    and infuse the latest externally-developed technological
    capabilities into the Program.

-   Explore how assets (technology, discoveries, innovations, tools,
    processes, or software) developed through Program execution can be
    transferred to industry.

-   Assess teaming and partnering options to achieve various aspects of
    the Program.

-   Ensure that the plans for technological cooperation include a full
    description of the opportunities for partnering, the potential
    partners, the need for protection of intellectual property, the
    likelihood of the partnership coming to fruition, the expected
    contribution (personnel, facilities, and other funding) and the
    confidence that the partnership will remain in force through their
    commitment.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   In cooperation with JPL's Commercial Services Office (CSO), secure
    participation of the NASA Commercial Technology Program (Code RW)
    that supports NASA Enterprises toward NASA's goal of enhancing U.S.
    economic competitiveness while encouraging state, local, and private
    sector use of space technologies, as reflected in the Office of
    Space Science New Technology Strategy.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Encourage arrangements for identifying and initiating opportunities
    within the projects for commercialization in both aerospace and
    non-aerospace sectors:

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Partnerships (mutually beneficial arrangements with no exchange of
    funds)

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Memoranda of Understanding

-   Technology Cooperation Agreements (analogous to Space Act
    Agreements)

-   Strategic Alliance Agreements

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Industry-funded technology development (funds-in to Project)

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Technology Affiliates Program

-   Cost Reimbursable Agreements

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Collaborative (jointly proposed) technology development (for further
    development and/or technology demonstration and validation in
    commercial environment)

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   NASA and government agency AOs and Broad Agency Announcements

-   Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and Small Business
    Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Programs

-   Licensing of hardware and software products (jointly with Caltech)

-   New ventures (primarily software business opportunities)

-   Spin-offs (addressing commercial marketplace but providing
    additional and cost-effective capabilities back to NASA/JPL,
    including potential reduction of life-cycle costs)

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Require use of NASA-recognized commercialization metrics, e.g.,
    resource-sharing partnerships that further commercialization
    potential, new technology reports, and licenses.

# Change Log

A change log process will be maintained for this Plan, consistent with
NPG 7120.5B requirements and JPL change control procedures.

A record of changes to this document follows.

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc12753886 .anchor}Document Change Log

  --------- --------- ----------------------------------------------------
  Version   Date      Description of Change(s)

  0         TBD       Approval and publication of final MTP Program Plan.

                      

                      

                      

                      

                      

                      

                      

                      
  --------- --------- ----------------------------------------------------

#  {#section .unnumbered}

#  {#section-1 .unnumbered}

#  {#section-2 .unnumbered}

#  {#section-3 .unnumbered}

#  {#section-4 .unnumbered}

# Appendices {#appendices .unnumbered}

[^1]: McCleese, D., Greely, R., and MacPherson, "Science Planning for
    Exploring Mars," JPL Publication 01-7, July 2001.