Research Topics

Draper is investing in advancing our mission-planning technology – which has heritage in low-earth orbit (LEO) technology demonstrations, terrestrial undersea applications, and terrestrial unmanned aerial vehicles. We are interested in innovations that advance the state-of-the-art in mission-enabling autonomy to support human and robotic space missions beyond LEO, such as cislunar operations (including the lunar surface), include AI/ML technologies when appropriate, and are certifiable to relevant NASA software standards. Draper may share specifics of particular interests once the collaborative research topic has been agreed upon.

The ability to navigate a spacecraft is critical to all space missions. Draper is interested in architectures and technologies (both hardware and software) to support autonomous precision navigation in cis-lunar space (including on the lunar surface). Approaches that enable new missions, or fill gaps in current mission concepts, minimize size, weight, and power (SWaP), and can operate autonomously for extended durations in deep space are of particular interest. Again, Draper may share specifics of particular interests once the collaborative research topic has been agreed upon.

The ability to be situationally aware in space (SSA) requires unique space-based sensors with innovative sensing modalities, mixed sensor suites, and algorithms for detection, identification, and tracking of objects in both near and far proximity to a space asset (e.g. cubesat). Draper is interested in novel sensors, algorithms, and system approaches to SSA for LEO through to cis- lunar domains. Draper may share specifics of particular interests (e.g. field of view; field of regard; accuracy; etc.) once the collaborative research topic has been agreed upon.

Fault tolerant computer architectures satisfy NASA safety requirements by providing the reliability and redundancy necessary for human-rated NASA systems, enabled by highly- reliable computing elements, are also required for commercial and science missions that must have mission availability. Draper is investing in technologies such as our software- based redundancy management (which was developed for NASA’ Space Launch System) and highly reliable electronics to satisfy the growing need for edge-computing and/ high reliability / fault tolerance in space. We are interested in advances in technologies, algorithms, and approaches to fault-tolerant computing and architectures to support these needs, including radiation hardening and high-temperature electronics. As with the prior research areas, Draper may share specifics of particular interests once the collaborative research topic has been agreed upon.