NASA Advisory Countil Retommendation 

Organizational Options to Promote Technology Investment 

and University Grants and Fellowships 

2018-01-01 (TIEC-01) 

Recommendation: 

The Council recommends that the NASA Administrator task the Acting Associate Administrator to 

develop and present to the Council mechanisms and/or a hybrid organizational option that promotes 

appropriate levels of investment in early and mid-stage technology development and University 

grants and fellowships. This includes defining metrics to assess effectiveness. 

Major Reasons for the Recommendation: 

• NASA needs cutting edge technologies to undertake its missions.e 

NASA "egrand" missions are technology-enabled. 

James Webb Space Telescope (JW�T), Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), International 

Space Station (ISS) - type of work NASA should be doing. 

Demonstrates NASA/U.S. technical leadership. 

Current missions are based on technologies developed through investments made over 

several decades. 

• In the timeframe FY 2005 - FY 2009, technology budgets (basic research -$500M; appliede 

research -$900M) were drastically reduced.e - NASA technology shelf depleted over the last decade due to a lack of investment.e

NASA has begun to correct this over the last three years (e.g., Space Technologye

Program (STP)).e

A number of Administrators in the past have organizationally fenced off the budget fore

"seed corn" and crosscutting investments that includes research and technology ande

system-level demonstrations to pr�serve options for the future.e

• To reverse this decline, NASA established the Office of Chief Technologist (OCT) in 201 O,e 

and the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) in 2013, and rebuilt the crosscuttinge

technology program as well as made focused investments in technology development in thee

Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEO:MD) and Science Missione

Directorate (SMD).e

• STMD university engagement.e 

During the mid-2000s, NASA's university engineering research programs were 

decimated. 

STMD reengaged the academic community in engineering research and technology 

development and has rekindled interest in NASA among students, especially at the 

graduate level. 

If appropriate mechanisms are not put in place, NASA interactions with universities 

will be adversely affected as in the past. 

Enclosure 
2 

Consequences of No Action on This Recommendation: 

Narrows technology options for future programs and adversely affects human capital development 

for NASA and its contractors. 

NASA Response: 

NASA concurs. · This recommendation is being addressed within the larger context of an Agency 

restructuring activity led by the Associate Administrator. As soon as the Administrator makes a final 

decision on restructuring the Agency and has briefed various stakeholders, the Associate 

Administrator will brief the NASA Advisory Council on the Agency restructuring including how the 

new structure will ensure appropriate levels of investment in early and mid-stage technology 

development and university grants and fellowships. It is anticipated this briefing will occur at the 

NASA Advisory Council meeting this summer.