91 – Technology Readiness Level and America’s spacefaring future

NASA Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale. (Credit: J.M. Snead.)

The Honorable Newt Gingrich recently published an opinion article: “How to Seize Revolution in Hypersonics and Space”. (Aviation Week Network, June 22, 2018. The article may possibly be viewed here.) Mr. Gingrich talks about how to programmatically approach developing technologies that may be useful in advancing America’s spacefaring capabilities. In preparing to write a criticism of this opinion article, I determined that I first need to establish a foundation of common understanding starting with the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale. The TRL scale is often used within the aerospace industry to better understand the comparative technological maturity of competing technologies.


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I explained the TRL scale and how it should be used in determining programmatic decisions, such as those Mr. Gingrich is proposing, in a Spacefaring America blog over a decade ago. If you are not familiar with the TRL scale, please read Blog 9. Reading this will be helpful in understanding how engineers approach developing near-term operational capabilities while avoiding the trap of endless delays trying to incorporate “politically connected” advanced technologies.


Mike Snead is a professional engineer and Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). He is president of the Spacefaring Institute™ (spacefaringinstitute.net) and writes this Spacefaring America blog. He has formed the LinkedIn group Space Solar Power to advocate for space-based sustainable energy and the coming American spacefaring industrial revolution. He can be reached through the contact form or through LinkedIn. His technical papers are available here.