Technology Readiness Level (TRL)

Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) are a sequence of carefully-defined levels of technology maturity, intended to help communicate the developmental status and risk of emerging technologies. Of course, the selection of the specific TRL number for a particular technology is often a matter of opinion, but properly used, TRL's should replace vague and self-serving statements like "our concept is low risk". The TRL scheme has been used by NASA and is codified in the military acquisition document DoD 5000.2R, Appendix 6. It is common practice these days to include a listing of the technologies proposed for a new project, with the presumed TRL for each.

• TRL 1: Basic principles observed and reported
• TRL 2: Technology concept and/or application formulated
• TRL 3: Analytical and experimental critical function and/or characteristic proof-of-concept
• TRL 4: Component and/or breadboard validation in laboratory environment
• TRL 5: Component and/or breadboard validation in relevant environment
• TRL 6: System/subsystem model or prototype demonstration in a relevant environment (ground or space)
• TRL 7: System prototype demonstration in an actual environment
• TRL 8: Actual system completed and "qualified" through test and demonstration
• TRL 9: Actual system proven through successful mission operations

<< TRL2: New multimode ejector nozzle concept based on known principles of viscous entrainment
>> TRL9: All-composite BQM-167 takes off on another mission