Implementing Intelligent Extensible Mission Architectures (IEMA)

The objective of this technology maturation effort is to build a novel intelligent extensible mission architectures mission paradigm, prioritizing real-world demonstrations and prototypes for agile development cycles. This work specifically targets the development of the extensibility (XTN) software. Project objectives include 1) developing cross disciplinary standards, protocols and schematics to support heterogenous extensibility, 2) iteratively building the XTN software product, 3) supporting experiments and demonstrations which necessitate the use of XTN and 4) releasing a public report of the XTN software product.

This strategic long term high payoff activity will have a profound impact on the future of science missions and their supporting programs. In the long-term, extensible missions will change programming in science missions. Extensible missions will shift the way we think about science, as they will enable an agile and reactive perspective on space missions. Knowing that missions could be incremented, extensible missions would change how scientists approach flight missions, taking on a significantly less conservative approach to sampling/discovery. Additionally, loosely coupled incremental mission types will significantly lowering the barrier-to-entry for collaboration with an ever-increasing presence of commercial entities in the space sector.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 1) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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