The success of vibrant technology companies like NASA relies heavily on a balanced innovation engine that combines research and development (R&D) with operations. This engine provides consistently useful, commercially relevant, and cutting-edge solutions. When sustainably resourced and dedicated to long-term goals, the two departments work in harmony.
Governments also benefit from this balance. Operational mission directorates focus on current programs, while R&D mission directorates bridge technology gaps to meet future needs. Sustainably funded R&D groups are essential for innovation engineers, enabling organizations to provide solutions now and in the future.
However, an imbalance in the innovation engine can lead to stagnation. Zeroing out resources or absorbing R&D into operations can crowd out long-term technology development, consuming seed corn meant for future products and services. This phenomenon affects both technology companies and government agencies, leading to cost overruns, schedule pressures, and wasted taxpayer dollars.
NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) serves as the agency’s innovation engine, working in balance with operations divisions. By maintaining an independent R&D organization, NASA ensures resources are consistently available for new technologies to be explored, tested, and matured for future missions.
A well-resourced STMD supports potential breakthrough solutions to unknown and emerging problems that could redefine what is possible in space. This includes:
– Vetting and testing new technologies
– Greater innovation potential through risk-taking and experimentation
– Planning for the future and ensuring NASA stays ahead of industry needs and mission challenges
STMD has delivered tangible benefits across various NASA programs and the broader space industry, including deep space optical communications, oxygen production on Mars, rapid technology testing, and in-space propellant transfer. The value of an independent technology development structure is recognized by organizations like DARPA, which operates separately to take risks, iterate quickly, and create transformational breakthroughs.
Preserving the innovation engine that drives NASA forward requires keeping STMD separate, well-resourced, and empowered to develop the technologies that will shape the future of space exploration.
Source: https://spacenews.com/keep-nasas-innovation-engine-going