Technologies include, but are not limited to, electric and advanced chemical propulsion, propellantless propulsion such as aerocapture and solar sails, sample return ascent vehicles, and Earth return systems.

ISP will enable access to more challenging and interesting science destinations, including enabling sample return missions. ISP continues to advance several propulsion technologies in support of future Flagship, Discovery, Mars, and New Frontiers missions. The ISP portfolio continues to invest in high-priority technology areas such as the electric propulsion and aerocapture/Earth entry, descent, and landing technologies identified in the Solar System Exploration Roadmap, the 2010 SMD Science Plan, and the 2011 Planetary Decadal Survey. The ISP project is highly responsive to the Decadal Survey.

The ISP project will complete the 7kW NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) Power Processing Unit (PPU) repair in 2012, and will complete NEXT PPU characterization and integration testing and long duration validation testing of the NEXT thruster in 2013. ISP is completing the electric propulsion 4kW High Voltage Hall Accelerator (HiVHAC) thruster development task, is assessing commercial Hall systems, and will start long duration testing of the HIVHAC thruster in 2012. The Hall system power processing unit (PPU) and other subsystem technology development starts development in FY 2012. High Voltage Hall Accelerator (HiVHAC) thruster technology is applicable to Earth return vehicles (ERV), transfer stages, and low-cost electric propulsion systems for Discovery-class missions. In FY 2012 ISP will continue development of NDI techniques and a detailed design for a lightweight propellant tank applicable to the Skycrane. ISP will continue completing Earth Entry Vehicle (EEV ) heat shield micro-meteoroid/orbital debris characteristics studies, a preliminary design of a multi-mission Earth entry vehicle (MMEEV) concept and continuing MMEEV technology development.