RESUMO
Applied research and technology development is often characterized by uncertainty, risk, and significant delays before tangible returns are obtained. Decision making regarding which technologies to advance and what resources to devote to them is a challenging but essential task, especially in a resource-constrained environment. In the application of life support technology to future manned space flight, new technology concepts typically are characterized by rough approximations of technology performance, uncertain future flight program needs, and a complex, time-intensive process to develop technology to a flight-ready status. Decision analysis is a quantitative, logic-based discipline that imposes formalism and structure to complex problems confronting a decision maker. It also accounts for the limits of knowledge available at the time a decision is needed. The utility of decision analysis to life support technology R&D was evaluated by applying it to two case studies. The methodology was found to provide useful insight for making technology development resource allocation decisions.
