The New Millennium Program (NMP) was created to space test breakthrough technologies and validate them for future missions. To determine the future capabilities needed, NMP is guided by NASA's Earth and space science "roadmaps." These roadmaps, developed by scientists, lay out the path of future scientific enquiry. They serve not only as a vital guide for NMP's selection of technologies, but are used to conceive and design the Program's test missions as well.

NMP's technologists attempt to match the technical requirements outlined in the roadmaps with technologies emerging from the national "pipeline." This pipeline consists of current technology-development efforts in the private sector, academia, non-profit organizations, and other government and NASA centers.

Space Technology 7's (ST7) Disturbance Reduction System (DRS) technology development is managed by Jet Propulsion Laboratory's (JPL) Astronomy and Physics Directorate in partnership with Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), and Busek Company, Incorporated.

GSFC is developing the software for spacecraft position control, and Busek Company, Incorporated, is developing the micronewton thruster technology. The European Space Agency's (ESA) LISA Pathfinder spacecraft will carry the ST7 DRS technology as one of its payloads (scientific instruments or experiments), along with ESA's own similar payload, the LISA Technology Package.