PPBE23 OMB Submit

Mr. James Reuter | Associate Administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate | 9.16.2021

Technology, Innovation, and Engineering Committee Report

NASA Advisory Council Meeting

Mr. Michael Johns | Committee Chairman | January 18, 2023
• Lisa Callahan, Lockheed Martin Space (virtual)

• Mike Gazarik, Ball Aerospace (virtual)

• Kathleen C. Howell, Purdue University

• Michael Johns, Kratos SRE

• Rebecca Kramer Bottiglio, Yale University

• Andrew Rush

• Brad Tousley, Raytheon (virtual)

• Mitchell Walker, Georgia Institute of Technology

• Mary Ellen Weber, Stellar Strategies, LLC

TI&E Committee Hybrid Meeting Attendees: MSFC, Dec. 14-15, 2022

2
TI&E Committee Tour of MSFC: Dec. 14, 2022

• Space Nuclear Propulsion

• Cryo Fluid Management 

• Advanced Manufacturing 

• Lunar Thermal Regulation for Mission 

Sustainability

• Kinematic Navigation and Cartography 

Knapsack 

• Payload Operations Integration Center

3
• Welcome to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center

– Ms. Jody Singer, Director, MSFC

• Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) Update

– Mr. Jim Reuter, Associate Administrator, STMD

• NASA Nuclear Systems Update

– Dr. Anthony Calomino, Space Nuclear Technologies Lead, STMD 

– Mr. Jason Turpin, Project Manager, Space Nuclear Propulsion, MSFC

• Technology Demonstration Missions: Cryogenic Fluid Management and Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable 

Decelerator Updates

– Ms. Trudy Kortes, Director of Technology Demonstrations, STMD 

– Ms Tawnya Laughinghouse, Program Manager, TDM Program, MSFC 

– Mr. Jason Adam, CFM project, MSFC 

• Office of the Chief Engineer (OCE) Update

– Mr. Joe Pellicciotti, NASA Deputy Chief Engineer

• Early Career Initiative Researcher Presentations

– Lunar Thermal Regulation for Mission Sustainability (TheRMiS), Will Johnson, MSFC

– Kinematic Navigation and Cartography Knapsack (KNaCK), Michael Zanetti, MSFC

• Moon-to-Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction Technology (MMPACT) and Advanced Manufacturing Update

– Mr. Raymond G. “Corky” Clinton, MMPACT Principal Investigator, MSFC

TI&E Committee Hybrid Meeting Presentations: Dec. 15, 2022

4
Jody Singer, Director

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

December 15, 2022

Marshall Space Flight 

Center Welcome

5
Marshall’s Economic Impact

41,000

Jobs

$8.3B

Economic

Impact

$234M

Tax

Revenue

$2.7B

Labor

Income

Alabama

6
Lunar Flashlight

CAPSTONE

LOFTID

LCRD MOXIE

7
LSIC

Vertical Solar 

Array Tech

PRIME-1

HPSC

CADRE

8
PPBE23 OMB Submit

Mr. James Reuter | Associate Administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate | 9.16.2021

Space Nuclear Technology Portfolio

Dr. Anthony Calomino | Space Nuclear Technology Portfolio Manager

Mr. Jason Turpin | Space Nuclear Propulsion Project Manager

December 15, 2022

9
Fission Surface Power Strategy

• Develop a 40 kWe lunar fission power system for delivery to the launch site by 2029

• Design must show extensibility to a Mars mission (power maybe lowered to meet mass limits)

• Project remains in program formulation as a technology development effort

• Project scope will include development of the FSP flight hardware after transitioning to a space 

demonstration mission (prior to releasing an industry solicitation for Phase 2)

• DOE/Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is managing industry design contracts

Need

Establish a durable, high power, sun-independent 

power source for NASA missions

Design a fission power 

source that supports 

Lunar and Mars surface 

explorationrequirements

Build and ground test a 

flight-qualified, fully 

integrated power system 

for Lunar demonstration

Transition of Design, 

Development, Test and 

Evaluation of the FSP 

system to industry Power: 40 kWe scaleable to higher power

Mobility: Capable of being transported

Mass: less than 6,000 kg

Life: 10 years

10
Nuclear Propulsion

Nuclear electric provides very high propellant efficiency (>2000 sec Isp) with less system mass

Nuclear thermal provides high propellant efficiency (900 sec Isp) and high thrust (>25,000 lbf) capability

Exploration Command

Module Core Module Inline Modules

Pow er Module Propulsion 

Module

Exploration Command Module

NEP technology maturation plan considerations

• Multi-megawatt, high-assay, low enriched uranium reactor

• High efficiency Brayton cycle power conversion

• High-power (≥100 kWe) electric thruster system

• High-power, high-voltage power distribution system

• Cryogenic fluid storage and management of LOx/methane 

propellants

NTP technology maturation plan considerations

• Multi 100-megawatt, high-assay, low enriched uranium reactor

• Extreme temperature reactor fuels and materials

• Reactor materials, manufacturing, and design methods

• Integrated subscale engine design and build

• Cryogenic fluid storage and management of hydrogen propellant

11
• Assessed each design against ability to meet top-level 

requirements with acceptable risk

• Final review demonstrated a significant risks in design 

complexity (manufacturing) and performance of high 

temperature reactor materials and fuels (feasibility)

• All industry partners need to focus on fuel development 

qualification efforts 

• USNC partnered with Blue Origin, General Electric and Framatone

• Phase 1 extension content includes continued design maturation, instrumentation and control, and nonnuclear unit cell manufacture demo, and reactor subsystem development testing, and manufacturing 

demonstration of a non-nuclear fuel/moderator unit cell

• General Atomics partnered with with X-Energy and Aerojet Rocketdyne

• Phase 1 extension content includes continued design maturation with focus on additive manufacturing 

and subscale high temp fuel element fabrication with non-nuclear testing.

• BWXT partnered with Lockheed Martin, and Aerojet Rocketdyne

• Phase1 extension content includes continued design maturation, nuclear fuel sample manufacturing, 

testing and post irradiation examination along with moderator manufacturing,

SNP Reactor Phase 1 Contracts

• NASA selected three industry efforts for a 

preliminary reactor design efforts in August 2021. 

• Design a 12,500 lbf, 900 sec Isp, HA-LEU reactor 

with a mass less than 3500 kg. 

• Demonstrate design feasibility, manufacturability, 

and scalability

Phase 1 extensions focused on fuel fabrication and testing 

Reactor Phase 1 Design Reviews Complete

12
Space Nuclear Technology Key Takeaways

• STMD is actively engaged with internal and external agency groups to establish 

cooperative technology practices, procedures, and roadmap that leverage 

common priorities and resources

• STMD advancements leverage investments from terrestrial and other government 

agency activities to develop space-based nuclear design, safety, launch, 

operation, and governance practices

• NASA continues to closely engage commercial capabilities and innovations for 

HA-LEU reactor solutions

• NASA technology maturation efforts also target related key non-nuclear systems 

needs, including cryogenic fluid management capabilities critical for NTP and NEP

13
National Aeronautics and

Space Administration

www.nasa.gov

Technology Demonstration Missions

Highlights 

NASA Advisory Council 

Technology, Innovation, and Engineering Committee

Trudy Kortes

Program Director for Technology Demonstrations 

NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate

Tawnya Laughinghouse 

Program Manager, Technology Demonstration Missions

Jason Adam

Project Manager, Cryogenic Fluids Management Portfolio

December 15, 2022

14
• Deployable aeroshell that stows 

for launch and cruise, then 

deploys to decelerate payloads 

at destinations with 

atmospheres

• Secondary payload on an Atlas 

V rocket 

• Goal was to test technology at a 

scale and entry conditions 

relevant to Earth and Mars 

missions

• NASA partnership with ULA

Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an 

Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID)

15
Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable 

Decelerator (LOFTID) Mission Highlights 

• Orbital velocity re-entry flight demonstration of 

advanced inflatable aeroshell

• Validate structural and thermal performance 

capability against mission relevant flight loads

• Launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base as a 

secondary payload on an Atlas V

• Partial trajectory dataset received in real time 

through Iridium network

• Performance data recorded onboard; unit jettisoned 

before splash down

16
Launch and Recovery

17
LOFTID Mission Status

➢LOFTID Flight hardware

• Successful LOFTID launch, re-entry, and splashdown off the coast of 

Hawaii

• Successful recovery of LOFTID flight RV and Ejectable Data Recorder

• LOFTID flight vehicle documented, data extracted, RV packaged up and is 

in transit back to LaRC (expected arrival Dec 6) 

• LOFTID will conduct a quick-look Post-Flight Snapshot Assessment Dec 

16th

➢Initial LOFTID Post-Flight Results

• Aeroshell sensor, FADS, and FOSS data recovered from EDR, and IDR

• Flight video and IR data recovered from EDR and IDR

• Issue with initialization of MACH box resulted in loss of MACH IMU data; 

project is extracting lower data rate secondary source of IMU data from 

EDR & IDR

• Initial aeroshell performance results indicate LOFTID performed as 

predicted

• Aeroshell impressions: Inflatable Structure looks pristine! Damage noted 

to TPS on nose-cap resulted from splashdown in ocean.

LOFTID DEMONSTRATION WAS SUCCESSFUL

18
Jason Adam

CFMP Project Manager

December 15, 2022

19
Cryogenic Fluid Management (CFM) Portfolio Project

Objective: Mature CFM technologies essential to NASA’s future missions in science and exploration which utilize both chemical and nuclear 

in-space propulsion, landers, and in-situ resource utilization

CFMPP was established to consolidate management and integration of TDM CFM technology development activities

NASA MSFC partnering with GRC for management and execution of the portfolio project

Technologies Subsystems Demonstrations Modeling

Scope: Develop, enhance, validate, 

and demonstrate Computational Fluid 

Dynamics (CFD) and Nodal tools to 

address capability gaps for predicting 

cryogenic fluid behavior in 1-G and 

microgravity environments for use as 

design tools for future NASA missions

Testing and demo activities across the 

CFMP portfolio are used within 

modeling tools to predict CFM 

behavior at a flight vehicle scale in a 

relevant environment including 

microgravity

Scope: Design, build, and test 

integrated flight and ground systems 

comprised of multiple CFM 

subsystems, enabling TRL 5 - 7 

maturation for many technologies

Major Activities:

Large CFM Demonstration 

Concept Planning

Tipping Point Contract Demonstrations

Scope: Design, development, and 

testing of complex systems of 

technologies to address technical 

challenges for specific CFM mission 

needs

Major Activities:

CFMP is a TDM portfolio project comprised of twenty-four individual CFM technology development activities, spread across four portfolio areas 

Technology entrance minimum of TRL 4, with project end state objective of TRL 7

Scope: Design, development, testing, 

and evaluation of critical-need 

cryogenic components enabling longduration CFM storage and propellant 

transfer

Major Activities:

System Validation

Radio Frequency Mass 

Gauge (RFMG)

Hydrogen lowleakage valves and 

cryo-couplers

Next-generation FOSS (fiber 

optics sensing system)

Solar White 

thermal coatings

20W/20K Cryocooler

90W/150K Cryocooler

Two-Stage Cooling 

Demonstration

CryoFILL

Liquefaction 

Demonstration

Cryocooler Electronics 

and alternate generic 

20W Cryocooler

Reduced Gravity 

Cryogenic Transfer 

(RGCT)

System Demonstration Complexity

20
CFMP Project Office

December 15, 2022

21

Activities Within the NASA

CFM Portfolio Project

LCC $

Critical Cryogenic Technologies

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

FY20 Tipping Points

Lockheed Martin - CDM $$$ x x x x x* x x - - x x x x x - x x - - - x - x - - x x

Eta Space - LOXSAT $$$ - x x x - x x - x - x x - - - x - - - - x - - - - x -

SpaceX $$$ - - x - - x x - x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x -

ULA $$$ x - x x - x x - x - - - - - - - x - - x - - - - - - x

CCSC Smart Prop (CR Version) N/A $ - - - - - - - - x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

CELSIUS– FY18 Tipping Point N/A $ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x - - - - - - - -

Intuitive Machines RFMG* $ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x - x - - - - - - - - - x

NTP Fuel Densification $ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x -

Hydrogen Valves / Low Leakage Components $ x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

2 Stage cooling $$ - - - - - - - - - - - - x - - - - x - - x - - x - - -

90K SBIR Creare New Phase 3 (CR) $$$ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x - - - - - -

Generic 20k - CC (not Creare) $$$ (FY24+) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x - - -

Cryofill $$ - - - - - - - x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

ACO - Sensuron N/A $ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

Reduced Gravity Cryo Transfer $$ - - x - - x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Solar White N/A $ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x - - - - - - -

Creare 20k20W Cryo-cooler $$ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x - - -

TVS augmented Injector $ - - - - - x x - - - - - - - - - x - - - - - - - - - -

Cryo coupler $$ - - - - x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

FY19 Tipping Points - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Blue Origin Liquefaction #49 $$ - - - - - - - x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Space X Cryo-coupler #31 $ - - - - x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Oxeon Engy Liquefaction #53 $ - - - - - - - x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Legend

x Planned Demonstration, Pushing State-of-the-Art

x Limited Demonstration Planned

x High Priority Technology Gaps

x Tech Gap; Longer-Term Mission Demand Unclear

- No Planned Demonstration

$ < $4M

$$ $4M < x < $20M

$$$ > $20M

Date: Nov 2022

Questions? Contact jason.r.adam@nasa.gov

LH2

LO2 LCH4

LN2

* Limited Data Rights on Demonstration Data

ID Critical Cryogenic Technologies

Tank-to-Tank Propellant Transfer

1 Valves, Actuators & Components

2 He Pressurization of an Unsettled Tank

3 Main Propellant System Line Chilldown

4 Liquid Acquisition Devices (LAD)

5 Automated Cryo-Couplers

6 Propellant Tank Chilldown

7 Transfer Operations

8 Liquefaction Operations

9 Autogenous Pressurization

10 Flowmeters

Long Term Storage

11 Low Conductivity Structures

12 High Vacuum Multilayer Insulation (MLI)

13 Tube-on-Shield Broad Area Cooling (BAC)

14 Vapor Cooling

15 Composite Tanks

16 Pump Based Mixing

17 Thermodynamic Vent System (TVS)

18 Tube-on-Tank BAC

19 Advanced External Insulation

20 Cryogenic Thermal Coating

21 High Capacity 90K Cryocoolers

22 Soft Vacuum Insulation

23 Structural Heat Load Reduction

24 High Capacity 20K Cryocoolers

25 Para to Ortho Cooling

26 Propellant Densification

27 Unsettled Liquid Mass Gauging

CFM TECHNOLOGY ACTIVITIES TO GAP MAPPING
Will Johnson Lunar TheRMiS 2022-12-15

Lunar Thermal Regulation 

for Mission Sustainability 

(TheRMiS) 

NASA Advisory Council 

Technology, Innovation, and Engineering Committee
Lunar TheRMiS

• With the renewed focus from NASA on returning humans 

to the Lunar surface, small landers that lay the 

groundwork for the return are essential

• Multiple regions of the Lunar surface are extremely cold

• During the night temperatures approach -200°C

• Regions of extended and permanent shadow produce similar or 

even more severe temperatures

• Surviving in these regions is a difficult thermal challenge 

• Radioisotope heating is currently the only method that has 

demonstrated continued mission success

• This brings added availability, political, schedule, and integration 

challenges that smaller robotic landers might not be able to 

overcome

• Enabling the initial wave of small landers to survive in 

extreme Lunar environments allows for increased science 

and exploration output

Motivation

23
Lunar TheRMiS

Team Members

Will Johnson

Principal Investigator

Parker Weide

Thermal Analysis and Test

Dr. Erin Hayward

Test Development and 

Integration

Travis Belcher

Thermal Test and Project 

Management

Alex Szerszen

Thermal Analysis and Test

Not Pictured

Mark Brethren

Mohammad Mokhtari

Thermal Modeling and Test 

Correlation

24
Lunar TheRMiS

Hybrid Thermal Control System

Loop Heat Pipe with 

Thermal Control Valve

Pumped Fluid Loop

• Joint project with Spacecraft and 

Vehicle Systems Department at 

MSFC

• “Hybrid” system utilizing both an 

active pumped fluid loop and a 

passive loop heat pipe

• Targeting human-rated systems 

• Pumped fluid loop collects waste 

heat inside habitable volume

• Transfers heat to loop heat pipe 

evaporator

• Loop heat pipe is exterior of the 

system to radiate waste heat to 

environment • Thermal control valve allows system 

to passively shut down during Lunar 

night

25
NASA Team: 

PI: Dr. Michael Zanetti

Dr. Paul Bremner

Brian De Leon Santiago

Dr. Erin Hayward

Kyle Miller

Bridgette Steiner 

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, 

Huntsville, AL 35808

Michael.R.Zanetti@nasa.gov

Torch Technologies Team: 

Dr. Brian Robinson

John Jetton

Josh Walters

Arvind Draffen 

4090 Memorial Parkway SW 

Huntsville, AL 35802

BrianRobinson@TorchTechnologies.com

Mobile LiDAR 

Terrain Mapping 

and 

Navigation

System

TIE – Dec 15, 2022

26
• NASA ECI Core Team • Kyle Miller • Dr. Erin Hayward • Bridgette Steiner (SW PM) • Dr. Paul Bremner • Brian De Leon Santiago • Torch Technologies Core • Dr. Brian Robinson (PI) • John Jetton • Jacob Reeves • Arvind Draffen • Tanner Cordova • Joshua Walters • Kyle Bentley • Partners and Vendors • Aeva Inc • Rover Robotics • T-STAR

• NASA Interns • Niall McKinnon • Maria Voss • Tejas Lotay • Melvin Hernandez • Jeremy Coffelt • NASA Faculty Fellow • Dr. Seongjai Kim • Capstone Teams Supported • Texas A&M • University of Alabama, 

Huntsville

• Florida State / Florida A&M

• Academic Collaborators • University of Arizona • University of Western Ontario

KNaCK Team Personnel

27
US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville Map:

• 4 mapping traverses combined into one map

• 7-10 cm / pixel DEM

• ~1 hr of scanning

• ~12 football fields in area covered

• Fully geodetically controlled

Saturn I

Space 

Shuttle

Lunar 

Module

3⁄4 of a Saturn V 

(Rocket taller than 

scanner range) 

Mobile 3D-Mapping with Time-of-Flight LiDAR

Application: 

• STEM engagement

• Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC) 

• Course Planning

• Rovers-in-Simulation base-map

80 m

28
Moon-to-Mars Planetary Autonomous 

Construction Technologies (MMPACT) 

Overview

Mr. Raymond G. “Corky” Clinton, MMPACT Principal Investigator, MSFC

December 15, 2022 29
Moon-to-Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction 

Technologies (MMPACT) Overview

GOAL

Develop, deliver, and demonstrate on-demand capabilities 

to protect astronauts and equipment, and create 

infrastructure on the lunar surface via construction of 

landing pads, habitats, shelters, roadways, and blast 

shields using lunar regolith-based materials.

OBJECTIVES

• Develop and demonstrate additive construction capabilities for various structures as materials 

evolve from Earth-based to exclusively In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU)-based

• Develop and demonstrate approaches for integrated sensors and process monitoring in support 

of in situ verification & validation of construction system and printed structures

• Test and evaluate materials from candidate processes for use in the lunar environment

• Validate that Earth-based regolith simulants and testing environments are sufficient analogs for 

lunar operations

30
31

Building a Sustainable Presence on the Moon

launch/landing pads

roads

ISRU, refineries, 

greenhouses powerplants

blast shields

What infrastructure are we going to need

habitats, crew/cargo 

protection

science platforms

31
MMPACT – Current Partners

Collaborative multidisciplinary partnerships to leverage fiscal resources, ideas, knowledge & expertise.

Technology Providers/

Contributing Partners:

Academia

• Colorado School of Mines

• University of Texas in San Antonio

• Mississippi State University

• Pennsylvania State University

• University of Mississippi

• University of Nevada Las Vegas

• University of Alabama in Huntsville

• Clarkson University

• Iowa State

University

• Crown College

• Sinte Gleska

University

• Drake State

SBIR/STTR

• Construction Scale

Additive Manufacturing

Solution

• Millimeter Wave Camera

• High Efficiency Sintering

via Beneficiation of the

Building Material

NASA Centers

• MSFC

• LaRC

• KSC

• JPL

Public/Private

Partnerships/Co ntract

• ICON Build

• Dr. Holly Shulman

• Radiance Technologies

• RW Bruce Associates,

LLC

• Blue Origin

• Jacobs Space

Exploration Group

• JP Gerling

• Microwave Properties

North

• Southeastern

Universities Research

Association

• Southern Research

Engineering/Kratos

• Space Exploration

Architecture (SEArch+)

• Bjarke Ingels Group

(BIG)

• Cislune

• Washington Mills

OGA Leveraging

Potential:

• Innovation Unit US

Air Force (AF)

Contributing:

• AF Civil Engineering

Center

• AF Special

Operations

Command

• Defense Innovation

Unit

• Texas Air National

Guard

• USAF

Potential Customer

• Artemis

• Commercial

32
Short Title of Finding: SBIR Direct-to-Phase II Awards Authority 

Finding: The Committee praises the Space Technology Mission Directorate’s funding and management of 

the SBIR/STTR programs for NASA – one of the largest small business technology development portfolios 

across the U.S. government. The Committee finds that NASA should continue to urge Congress to 

prioritize the expansion of its current Phase II pilot program which does not currently include NASA (only 

the NIH, DOD and DOE). 

Direct-to-Phase II awards at NASA would greatly expedite the path for infusion as they would enable 

Phase II development work to start approximately one year earlier than if the completion of a Phase I were 

required prior to the onset of Phase II work. While NASA could maintain a commitment to making a 

healthy number of traditional Phase I and II awards, adding this authority would provide increased 

flexibility to fund the further development of promising technologies that address immediate needs in a 

timely manner. This would provide NASA with a better tool to help small businesses more quickly make a 

meaningfully contribute to the agency’s missions.

In addition, the ability to go Direct-to-Phase II for high priority technologies would allow for funding of new 

ideas at Phase I. If NASA does not need to fund a Phase I simply to be able to make a firm eligible for a 

Phase II award, the budget allocated to that Phase I could instead be used to make an award to another 

firm to investigate a potentially game changing technology that could benefit from the feasibility study 

typically expected at Phase I. 

TI&E Committee Finding on SBIR Direct-to-Phase II Authority

33
Short Title of Finding: Prioritization of Cryogenic Fluid Management (CFM) 

Technology Demonstrations

Finding: Mature Cryogenic Fluid Management (CFM) technologies are 

essential to NASA’s future missions in science and exploration. STMD has 

significant investments in CFM, including four firm-fixed-price Tipping Point 

contracts with industry to advance key CFM technologies through in-space 

demonstrations. However, a comprehensive, system-level CFM 

demonstration is required after these four key technology demonstrations 

are complete. The Committee urges the agency to prioritize this key, systemlevel demonstration in its upcoming FY 2025 budget planning cycle. 

TI&E Committee Finding on Cryogenic Fluid Management Tech 

Demonstrations

34
Short Title of Finding: Focus on the NASA Workforce

Finding: After hearing briefings from both Kennedy and Marshall Center 

Directors, as well as other NASA leaders, the TI&E Committee finds that 

there is a growing concern with workforce attrition. The agency is 

struggling to attract and keep its employees due to competition with the 

commercial sector. Although the Committee notes that the workforce 

issue also reflects the anticipated drop-off of the overall national 

population that will soon affect every sector, the Committee finds that 

both a short- and long-term strategy should be developed and 

implemented to ensure that NASA can continue to hire and maintain the 

most qualified, diverse and innovative workforce. 

TI&E Committee Finding on NASA Workforce

35
Short Title of Recommendation: Establish a Program Management Training Bootcamp for Early Career Initiative 

Awardees

Recommendation: The Space Technology Mission Directorate and the agency should establish comprehensive 

training in project management, accounting, and financial reporting, purchasing, contracts, and other critical skills 

that will be necessary to run a successful Early Career Initiative (ECI) program. This could take the form of an ECI 

bootcamp that could be implemented after project selection but before award, or shortly after the award of project 

funds.

Major Reasons for the Recommendation: The ECI program provides NASA early career civil servants with an 

opportunity to competitively propose two-year technology development projects that engage with industry, 

academia, and other government agency partners with the opportunity to gain valuable management skills while 

leading a multidisciplinary project team. Feedback from ECI awardees is consistent that the program provides 

valuable development opportunities, but they find themselves unprepared for the challenges of running a large 

multidisciplinary program. ECI participants would benefit from early training in program management 

fundamentals such as project management basics, accounting and finance, contracts, procurement processes, 

and others. Early training in these areas allows for more focused research efforts and more efficient program 

execution. 

Consequences of No Action on the Recommendation: ECI awardees will not be as prepared as they could be 

and will spend valuable time and resources learning program management skills on their own that could otherwise 

be spent achieving their project goals.

TI&E Committee Recommendation: Establish a Program Management 

Training Bootcamp for Early Career Initiative Awardees 

36
nasa.gov/calliefirst