Section 4: Tech Readiness & Risk
Overview
Your technical roadmap is your credibility. Investors, partners, and customers are all assessing one thing: Can you build what you say you can? This section helps spacetech founders clarify their TRL (Technology Readiness Level), de-risk their milestones, and translate vision into a build-and-test plan that wins trust—and capital.
Part 1: Assessing Your TRL (Technology Readiness Level)
Purpose: Anchor your tech narrative to an objective framework understood by both investors and government stakeholders.
Tool: TRL Self-Assessment Checklist
TRL 1–3: Basic principles observed / Concept formulated / Proof-of-concept
TRL 4–6: Lab testing / Validation / System/subsystem prototype
TRL 7–9: Operational environment test / Flight readiness / Proven mission
Exercise: Map your product(s) to the NASA TRL scale and identify what’s needed to reach the next TRL.
Part 2: Build a Milestone-Driven Roadmap
Purpose: Define engineering milestones that de-risk your company and unlock capital.
Template: Milestone Planning Grid
MilestoneTRL TargetOutcomeFunding NeededTimelineRisk Level
Tips:
Anchor to functional outcomes: “Achieve 5 km range at 100 ms latency” not “Work on comms module.”
Include de-risking experiments, not just build targets.
Part 3: Dual-Use & Compliance Considerations
Why It Matters: Dual-use (civil + defense) tech needs early review for export controls and customer constraints.
Checklist: Dual-Use Risk Lens
Is this technology listed under ITAR or EAR?
Will it be demonstrated in a defense or civilian context?
Could it be interpreted as having surveillance, weaponization, or mass monitoring capability?
Action: Book an early consult with an export control attorney.
Resources:
EAR/ITAR Decision Tree
DoD Use-Case Mapping Framework
Part 4: Engineering Risk Matrix
Purpose: Communicate technical risk transparently to advisors and investors.
Tool: Risk Radar Template
ComponentKey RiskMitigation StrategyOwnerTimeline
Types of Risk to Consider:
Thermal tolerance / radiation shielding
Power-to-weight ratio
Comms latency or error correction
Deployment mechanisms
Testing environment constraints
Part 5: Validation Pathways
Purpose: Show proof—not promises. Plan how and where to validate your tech.
Resources:
Suborbital testing partners (Blue Origin, Exolaunch, etc.)
Microgravity simulation environments (parabolic flights, ISS National Lab)
Thermal vacuum chambers / radiation exposure labs
Checklist: Early Validation Strategy
Part 6: Aligning Tech Roadmap to Business Strategy
Purpose: Ensure that engineering priorities map directly to funding, GTM, and strategic goals.
Exercise: Tech-to-Biz Overlay Canvas
Column A: Technical Milestones
Column B: Associated Business Outcome (e.g. unlock SBIR Phase II, enable pilot, attract Series A)
Column C: External Signal of Progress (e.g. NASA validation, whitepaper, test video)
Goal: No orphaned engineering work. Every build supports a larger business milestone..