2025 Lunar Objective Decomposition (spreadsheet)

Document: 2025 Lunar Objective Decomposition, an 18-sheet Excel workbook published by NASA with ADD Rev C. No version number or date is printed in the data. The download path (/2025/12/) dates it to December 2025. ADD Rev C points to it twice: "consult the tables in Appendix B or the spreadsheets published concurrently with this document" (ADD Rev C, p. 17), and B.1.1 "Lunar Objective Decomposition" links to NASA's architecture documents page (p. 109). Files: text sources/text/docs/2025-12-2025-lunar-objective-decomposition/ (one CSV per sheet); raw sources/raw/docs/2025-12-2025-lunar-objective-decomposition.xlsx (fetched 2026-10-01T07:22:47Z from https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-lunar-objective-decomposition.xlsx, 18 sheets, per sources/manifest.csv). The workbook itself was not opened; everything below is read from the extracted CSVs.

Summary. The spreadsheet holds the links that ADD Appendix B leaves out. It traces each lunar objective to the use cases that serve it, each use case to the functions that perform it, and each function to the assets (elements and other systems) allocated to it. It does this twice:

• "HLR": 39 objectives, 44 use cases and 58 functions
• "FE+": 52 objectives, 163 use cases and 208 functions

The FE+ use-case and function lists match ADD Appendix B.2 by ID and by title, apart from print differences. The spreadsheet gives the individual objectives in NASA's wording. The 2022 Moon to Mars Objectives gives them too, and all 52 match its wording (Lunar objectives). It has no "characteristics and needs" layer, although the key lists sheets for one, and its two allocation sheets are headed "FORWARD WORK". NASA's 2024 version of the workbook has the layer (2024 lunar table).

The wiki writes it up on Lunar objectives (objectives and their use cases) and Lunar function allocation (functions and assets).

How to cite

Cite by sheet name and row ID (an objective code, use-case ID, function ID or asset name), e.g. ([Lunar decomposition, "FE+ Use Cases to Objectives", LI-07 L](../sources/2025-12-2025-lunar-objective-decomposition.md)). This follows the gap-spreadsheet practice. The sheet names used are the ones in the key's "Index of Worksheets" (below), which match the CSV file names.

The sheets

The key sheet's "Index of Worksheets" lists 23 sheet names. The file has 18 sheets (manifest): the key, 16 of the listed sheets, and one sheet that isn't listed.

CSV file	Name in the key's index	What it holds	Data rows
key.csv	(the key)	The index of worksheets; the 12 decomposition letters; named groups within each letter (below)
hlr-use-cases-to-objectives.csv	HLR Use Cases to Objectives	Objective (wording and code), with the use cases under it	152
hlr-functions-to-use-cases.csv	HLR Functions to Use Cases	Use case, with the functions under it	107
hlr-use-cases.csv	HLR Use Cases	ID and title	44
hlr-functions.csv	HLR Functions	ID and title	58
hlr-functional-allocation.csv	HLR Functional Allocation	Function × asset matrix, X marks	58
hlr-asset-to-function-table.csv	HLR Asset to Function Table	The same allocation, listed by asset	89
full-hlr-decomp-split.csv	Full HLR Decomp - Split	The whole chain, function → use case → objective, every cell filled	508
full-hlr-decomp-merged.csv	Full HLR Decomp - Merged	The same chain, with repeated cells left empty	429
fe-use-cases-to-objectives.csv	FE+ Use Cases to Objectives	As the HLR sheet	523
fe-functions-to-use-cases.csv	FE+ Functions to Use Cases	As the HLR sheet, plus a closing row of four "BLANK"s	673
fe-use-cases.csv	FE+ Use Cases	ID and title	163
fe-functions.csv	FE+ Functions	ID and title	208
fe-functional-allocation.csv	FE+ Functional Allocation	Function × asset matrix	208
fe-asset-to-function-table.csv	FE+ Asset to Function Table	By asset	294
full-fe-decomp-split.csv	Full FE+ Decomp - Split	Whole chain, every cell filled	2,692
full-fe-decomp-merged.csv	Full FE+ Decomp - Merged	Whole chain, repeated cells empty	2,306
full-decomp-merged.csv	not in the index	Appears identical to full-fe-decomp-merged.csv: same line count, the same first, middle (lines 1150–1155) and last rows, and the same counts of objective codes and "BLANK" rows	2,306

Row counts exclude the header rows; they are the wiki's counts of the CSV lines.

Listed in the key's index but not in the file (seven):

• Full HLR Decomp - Merged No CNs
• HLR Use Cases to C&Ns
• HLR C&Ns to Objectives
• Full FE+ Decomp - Merged No CNs
• FE+ Use Cases to C&Ns
• FE+ C&Ns to Objectives
• C&Ns

The key doesn't expand "C&Ns". ADD B.1 says the decomposition tables trace "from objectives through characteristics and needs to use case and functions" (p. 109), and the ADD's key terms put "characteristics and needs" between objectives and use cases (p. 17). So the missing sheets look like that layer, but the file doesn't say so, and the published sheets skip it: use cases map straight to objectives (open question 42).

NASA's 2024 Lunar Objective Mapping Tables contain the layer: 133 C&Ns, with C&N sheets of the kind this key lists (2024 lunar table; the C&Ns are on Lunar characteristics and needs). For six objectives checked, this sheet's objective–use case links are exactly the 2024 links read through the C&Ns. The 2024 key itself has no index of worksheets.

Columns and conventions

• Columns. The mapping sheets have the columns "Functions", "FN ID", "Use Cases", "UC ID", "Objectives" and "OBJ ID" (or a subset). In the HLR and FE+ "to" sheets and the merged sheets, a parent's cells are filled on its first row only; the rows below it belong to it until the next filled cell.
• "BLANK". Where a use case has no function, the function cells read "BLANK". HLR has 9 such use cases and FE+ 17 (Lunar objectives). One objective, OP-10 LM, has "BLANK" for its use case in "FE+ Use Cases to Objectives".
• "FORWARD WORK". The first row of both allocation sheets reads "FORWARD WORK". The CSVs don't keep merged cells, so it isn't clear which columns the label covers. Both asset tables list "Science/Research Payloads" and "Tech Demos" with "FWD WRK" and "FORWARD WORK" in place of functions. The 2024 table's matrices open with the full sentence "ASSET MAPPING TO SCIENCE/RESEARCH PAYLOADS AND TECH DEMOS IS FORWARD WORK" (2024 lunar table). This label may be the same one shortened; this file doesn't say.
• "HLR" and "FE+". "HLR" is the ADD's abbreviation for the Human Lunar Return segment (ADD p. 292). "FE+" isn't defined in the file, and the ADD doesn't use it (searched). The FE+ asset list includes every HLR asset (Gateway as "Gateway Expanded Capability") and the elements the ADD adds in FE. Every objective–use case pair in the HLR sheet is also in the FE+ sheet (the wiki's check of all 39 HLR objectives); function pairs weren't checked. The wiki uses the sheet's labels and doesn't equate "FE+" with the Foundational Exploration segment. The 2024 table labels the same columns "FE" (2024 lunar table).
• Split and merged sheets differ. The split sheets have more rows than the merged ones (HLR 508 against 429; FE+ 2,692 against 2,306). In the place checked, LPS-03 LM in the HLR sheets, the split sheet repeats a run of five rows, the functions of UC-U-103 L (rows 48–52 and again 53–57). The merged sheet doesn't. The wiki builds its pages from the separate mapping sheets ("Use Cases to Objectives", "Functions to Use Cases", the allocation sheets), not from the full sheets.

The key: letters and groups

Beside the index, the key lists the 12 decomposition letters, numbered, with a name for each. A cell beside the list reads "FOR REFERENCE ONLY". Below it, each letter's IDs are divided into named groups by hundreds. Names are as printed, typos included:

No.	Name (key)	Letter	Groups by hundreds
1	Transportation	T	100 Crew Transportation · 200 Cargo Transportation · 300 Cargo Conditioning · 400 Landing · 500 Contingency
2	Infrastructure Support	G	100 Launch Services · 200 Recovery · 300 Astronaut Ground Training
3	Habitation	H	100 Crewed · 200 Uncrewed
4	Human Systems	X	100 Medical · 200 Training
5	Logistics	L	100 Mating · 200 Logisitcs Transfer · 300 Waste
6	Power	P	100 Generation · 200 Storage · 300 Distribution · 400 Utilization Power · 500 Contingency
7	Mobility	M	100 EVA · 200 Ingress/Egress · 300 Crew Mobility · 400 Cargo Unloading · 500 Cargo Repositioining · 600 Asset Relocation
8	Communications, Navigation, Positioning, and Timing	C	100 Communication · 200 PNT
9	Data Systems and Management	D	100 Data Storage · 200 Data Processing
10	Autonomous Systems & Robotics	A	100 Robotic Assistance · 200 Control of Robotics · 300 Robotic Safeguards · 400 Element Autonomy
11	ISRU	I	100 Resource Production · 200 Construction
12	Utilization	U	100 Observation · 200 Resource Provision · 300 Recover Samples · 400 Store Samples · 500 Propellant Demonstration · 600 ECLSS Demonstration · 700 Science · 800 Other

What this settles, and what it doesn't:

• The letter is the sub-architecture. The key pairs each letter with a sub-architecture name, so this is now the source's statement, not only the wiki's reading of ADD p. 40. The names are shorter than the ADD's (for example "ISRU", "Logistics"). The C name puts "Navigation" before "Positioning".
• The order of the ADD's lists. The key numbers the letters T, G, H, X, L, P, M, C, D, A, I, U, which is the order of the B.2 lists (Use cases and functions).
• The hundreds. The first digit of an ID's number is a named group, as the wiki had guessed from the titles (open question 8).
• Where IDs and groups don't line up (the wiki's check against the lunar lists):
  • One ID is outside the key's groups. FN-M-701 L, "Operate mobility system(s) in uncrewed mode between crew surface missions", is numbered 700, but the key's mobility groups stop at 600.
  • Some titles don't match their group's name. This is the wiki's reading of the titles, and the examples are not a complete list:
    • FN-M-301 L, "Ingress/egress from habitable asset(s) to cislunar vacuum", is in M 300 "Crew Mobility". The key's ingress/egress group is M 200, where FN-M-203 L (lunar surface vacuum) sits.
    • M 200 also holds FN-M-201 L (cleaning EVA equipment and tools) and FN-M-202 L (servicing the EVA system).
    • U 600 "ECLSS Demonstration" holds UC-U-601 L to UC-U-603 L, crew biological science and human research.
    • The bioregenerative and plant-growth use cases, UC-U-723 L and UC-U-725 L, sit in U 700 "Science".
  • Some groups hold use cases only: T 500 (UC-T-501 L), G 300 (UC-G-301 L), P 500 (UC-P-501 L, UC-P-502 L), U 700 and U 800. Others hold functions only: L 100 (FN-L-101 L), P 200, P 400, M 200, M 500 and U 400.
  • The key doesn't say whether the groups apply to use cases, functions or both.

Compared with ADD Rev C, Appendix B.2

The FE+ lists against the ADD's lists as the wiki holds them (Lunar use cases, Lunar functions; ADD pp. 110–127, PDF checked):

• Use cases: the same 163 IDs in the same order, with the same titles.
• Functions: the same 208 IDs in the same order. The titles match except in print:
  • "maintaing" for "maintaining" in eight titles, FN-U-402 L to FN-U-407 L, FN-U-409 L and FN-U-410 L. The ADD prints "maintaining" in all of them (p. 126; text layer searched).
  • FN-G-107 L has three spaces in "Enable vehicle launch(es) to support large nuclear assets".
  • In the FE+ asset table's Unallocated list, FN-I-207 L is "Conduct additive/subtractive manufacturing …", without "regolith-based". The sheet's other two copies of the title have it. The ADD's B.5 prints the same short title (p. 172).
• The HLR lists are subsets of the FE+ lists, with the same titles.
• FN-P-102 L and FN-P-202 L carry the ADD's titles: "Generate power at multiple distributed locations outside of the south pole region on the lunar surface" and "Store energy in the south pole region on the lunar surface". The Users Guide prints the second title against FN-P-102 L (open question 40).
• Revision B.1's change is in the sheet. The ADD's revision history says B.1 "Removed allocation of FN-T-103 L … to UC-T-103 L" (p. 4). Neither the HLR nor the FE+ sheet pairs the two. In FE+, UC-T-103 L ("Aggregation and physical assembly of spacecraft components in cislunar space") has FN-T-106 L, FN-T-217 L and FN-C-103 L ("Provide communications and data exchange between assets on the lunar surface"). The sheet doesn't explain the last pairing.

Things to know when using it

• The allocation sheets are headed "FORWARD WORK" (above). What the label covers, the whole allocation or only some columns, can't be recovered from the extracted text (open question 42). Read the allocation with the label in mind.

• The ADD's own allocation matches it closely. ADD Appendix B.3 (element mappings), B.4 (equipment) and B.5 ("Unallocated Functions by Use Case") were checked against the sheet, function by function and pair by pair:

  • B.3 and B.4 for FE hold no pair the sheet lacks. The sheet has six more element pairs and its Communication/PNT Asset.
  • B.3 for HLR adds three pairs on functions outside the sheet's HLR list.
  • B.5 lists 75 of the sheet's 76 Unallocated functions, under the same use cases. It doesn't list FN-M-402 L, and it adds FN-A-103 L and FN-A-105 L, which the sheet allocates.
  • B.4's note explains the sheet's "FORWARD WORK" against payloads and tech demos: "Science/research payloads and technology demonstrations are forward work" (p. 166).

  Details are on Lunar function allocation (open questions 43 and 64).

• Asset names aren't all ADD element names. "Gateway Expanded Capability" (FE+; "Gateway" in HLR), "Human-Class Delivery System", "Initial Surface Habitation", "CLPS Provider Landers", "Lunar Communications Relay and Navigation System" and "NSN/DSN" listed separately, and a generic "Communication/PNT Asset". Which ADD element each one is is the wiki's matching (Lunar function allocation).

• HLR allocation has one row with no mark. FN-M-504 L ("Reposition a small amount of unconditioned samples and containers (10s of kg) on the lunar surface") has no X in any column, and the HLR asset table doesn't list it. FE+ gives it to the Lunar Terrain Vehicle.
• Objective codes. All 52 end in L or LM. The key doesn't explain the suffixes; the 2022 Moon to Mars Objectives does: "the applicability to Lunar (L), Martian (M) or both (LM)" (source page). All 52 codes, and the wording of all 52 objectives, match that document (Lunar objectives).
• Mars. The Mars decomposition is a separate workbook (source page). It has the same key, one decomposition instead of HLR and FE+, and no allocation sheets. Lunar and Mars IDs are numbered independently (ADD p. 109).

Related pages

Lunar objectives · Lunar function allocation · Lunar characteristics and needs · 2024 lunar table · Objectives: the ten goals · Objective decomposition · Use cases and functions · Lunar use cases · Lunar functions · ADD Rev C source page · Tech gaps spreadsheet · Data gaps spreadsheet