Technology Assessment Reports

Part I, Onboard and Ground Navigation and Mission Design, is one of a series of four technology assessment reports evaluating the capabilities and technologies needed for future missions pursuing SMD PSD’s scientific goals.

Part II, Onboard Guidance, Navigation, and Control, is the second in a series of four technology assessment reports evaluating the capabilities and technologies needed for future missions pursuing SMD PSD’s scientific goals.

Part III: Surface and Subsurface Guidance, Navigation, and Control – is the third in a series of four technology assessments evaluating the capabilities and technologies needed for future missions pursuing SMD PSD’s scientific goals.

Part IV: Aerial Guidance, Navigation, and Control – is the fourth and last in a series of technology assessments evaluating the capabilities and technologies needed for future missions pursuing SMD PSD’s scientific goals.

Advancements in guidance, navigation, and control, and mission design – ranging from software and algorithm development to new sensors – will be necessary to enable these future missions.

This document-Part II, Onboard Guidance, Navigation, and Control-is the second in a series of three technology assessments evaluating the capabilities and technologies needed for future missions pursuing SMD PSD's scientific goals.

This document-Part III, Surface Guidance, Navigation, and Control-is the third, and last, in a series of technology assessments evaluating the capabilities and technologies needed for future missions pursuing SMD PSD's scientific goals.

An assessment of the space solar power technologies required to enable/enhance the capabilities of future planetary science mission concepts.

NASA's Office of Space Science (OSS) requested JPL to lead a team to delineate the power requirements for potential NASA space science missions and assess the capability of the present solar cell and array technologies.

An assessment of the space energy storage systems required to enable/enhance the capabilities of future planetary science missions.

The goal of the study was to assess the potential of advanced energy storage technologies to enable and/or enhance next decade (2010-2020) NASA Space Science missions, and to define a roadmap for developing advanced energy storage technologies.

The purpose of this report is to introduce and describe the advanced RPS technologies currently being considered by NASA for future space mission applications, and to assess their relevant merits from a mission and system engineering perspective over a range of potential mission applications.

This summary report is the result of reviewing the power requirements for future NASA science missions and providing a technical assessment of the radioisotope power conversion technologies being considered for these future NASA missions.

In January 2012, an updated review of technology needs in Planetary Protection and science contamination control was conducted at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

A review of technology needs in Planetary Protection and science contamination control was conducted at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Aerial platforms can now be equipped to investigate the structure of Venus' atmosphere and its circulation, and also ]to determine the chemical nature of the gaseous atmosphere and clouds.

Aerocapture technologies have the potential for enabling orbital missions to the outer planets and their satellites with shorter trip times than is practical when achieving orbit capture using conventional chemical propulsion.

The Planetary Science Division of the Science Mission Directorate, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), supports a technology planning effort at JPL, whose goal is to identify the technologies needed for future missions.