TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Streamlining Space Launch Range Safety SN - DO - 10.17226/9790 PY - 2000 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9790/streamlining-space-launch-range-safety PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - The U.S. space program is rapidly changing from an activity driven by federal government launches to one driven by commercial launches. In 1997, for the first time commercial launches outnumbered government launches at the Eastern Range (ER), located at Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida. Commercial activity is also increasing at the Western Range (WR), located at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The government itself is emulating commercial customers, shifting from direct management of launch programs to the purchase of space launch services from U.S. commercial launch companies in an open, competitive market. The fundamental goal of the U.S. space program is to ensure safe, reliable, and affordable access to space. Despite the inherent danger of space launches, the U.S. space program has demonstrated its ability to protect the public. No launch site worker or member of the general public has been killed or seriously injured in any of the 4,600 launches conducted at the ER and WR during the entire 50-year history of the space age. Streamlining Space Launch Range Safety discusses whether range safety processes can be made more efficient and less costly without compromising public safety. This report presents six primary recommendations, which address risk management, Africa gates, roles and responsibilities, range safety documentation [EWR 127-1]), global positioning system (GPS) receiver tracking systems, and risk standards for aircraft and ships. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Observing Weather and Climate from the Ground Up: A Nationwide Network of Networks SN - DO - 10.17226/12540 PY - 2009 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12540/observing-weather-and-climate-from-the-ground-up-a-nationwide PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Earth Sciences KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - Detailed weather observations on local and regional levels are essential to a range of needs from forecasting tornadoes to making decisions that affect energy security, public health and safety, transportation, agriculture and all of our economic interests. As technological capabilities have become increasingly affordable, businesses, state and local governments, and individual weather enthusiasts have set up observing systems throughout the United States. However, because there is no national network tying many of these systems together, data collection methods are inconsistent and public accessibility is limited. This book identifies short-term and long-term goals for federal government sponsors and other public and private partners in establishing a coordinated nationwide "network of networks" of weather and climate observations. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Severe Space Weather Events–Understanding Societal and Economic Impacts: A Workshop Report: Extended Summary SN - DO - 10.17226/12643 PY - 2009 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12643/severe-space-weather-events-understanding-societal-and-economic-impacts-a PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - The adverse effects of extreme space weather on modern technology--power grid outages, high-frequency communication blackouts, spacecraft anomalies--are well known and well documented, and the physical processes underlying space weather are also generally well understood. Less well documented and understood, however, are the potential economic and societal impacts of the disruption of critical technological systems by severe space weather. This volume, an extended four-color summary of the book, Severe Space Weather Events--Understanding Societal and Economic Impacts, addresses the questions of space weather risk assessment and management. The workshop on which the books are based brought together representatives of industry, the government, and academia to consider both direct and collateral effects of severe space weather events, the current state of the space weather services infrastructure in the United States, the needs of users of space weather data and services, and the ramifications of future technological developments for contemporary society's vulnerability to space weather. The workshop concluded with a discussion of un- or underexplored topics that would yield the greatest benefits in space weather risk management. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Radioisotope Power Systems: An Imperative for Maintaining U.S. Leadership in Space Exploration SN - DO - 10.17226/12653 PY - 2009 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12653/radioisotope-power-systems-an-imperative-for-maintaining-us-leadership-in PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - Spacecraft require electrical energy. This energy must be available in the outer reaches of the solar system where sunlight is very faint. It must be available through lunar nights that last for 14 days, through long periods of dark and cold at the higher latitudes on Mars, and in high-radiation fields such as those around Jupiter. Radioisotope power systems (RPSs) are the only available power source that can operate unconstrained in these environments for the long periods of time needed to accomplish many missions, and plutonium-238 (238Pu) is the only practical isotope for fueling them. Plutonium-238 does not occur in nature. The committee does not believe that there is any additional 238Pu (or any operational 238Pu production facilities) available anywhere in the world.The total amount of 238Pu available for NASA is fixed, and essentially all of it is already dedicated to support several pending missions--the Mars Science Laboratory, Discovery 12, the Outer Planets Flagship 1 (OPF 1), and (perhaps) a small number of additional missions with a very small demand for 238Pu. If the status quo persists, the United States will not be able to provide RPSs for any subsequent missions. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine TI - Views of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on Agenda Items at Issue at the World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 SN - DO - 10.17226/26080 PY - 2022 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/26080/views-of-the-us-national-academies-of-sciences-engineering-and-medicine-on-agenda-items-at-issue-at-the-world-radiocommunication-conference-2023 PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - The radio frequency spectrum is a limited resource for which there is an ever-increasing demand from an expansive range of applications - all the way from commercial, such as mobile phones, to scientific, such as hurricane monitoring from space. Since radio waves do not stop at national borders, international regulation is necessary to ensure effective use of the radio spectrum for all parties. Use of the radio spectrum is regulated internationally by the Radio Regulations (RR), an international treaty. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has as its mission the facilitation of the efficient and interference-free use of the radio spectrum. Every 2 to 5 years, the ITU convenes a World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) to review and revise the international RR. Changes to the RR are formulated through proposals to the conference according to Agenda Items, which are agreed on at the previous WRC. At the request of the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, this report provides guidance to U.S. spectrum managers and policymakers as they prepare for the 2023 WRC to protect the scientific exploration of Earth and the universe using the radio spectrum. This report identifies the 2023 agenda items of relevance to U.S. radio astronomers and Earth remote sensing researchers, along with proposed agenda items for the 2027 WRC. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council A2 - Stephen A. Merrill TI - Aeronautics Innovation: NASA's Challenges and Opportunities SN - DO - 10.17226/11645 PY - 2006 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11645/aeronautics-innovation-nasas-challenges-and-opportunities PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - NASA is a global leader in aeronautics research and development — fostering advances in aviation safety and emissions, propulsion technology, and many other areas. And the agency's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) has played a vital role in the U.S. aeronautics industry. In recent years, the directorate's leaders and experts outside the agency have sought ways to speed innovative uses of ARMD's research results. But the directorate faces management challenges that make it difficult for such applications to succeed — or to occur at all. This report from the National Academies' National Research Council, offers the agency guidance on how to manage the transfer of technology to external users, as well as implement flexible personnel and financial-management practices. The report also points out problems that stem from a lack of agreement on ARMD's future direction and several years of federal budget cuts. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine TI - Evaluation of the Transport Airplane Risk Assessment Methodology SN - DO - 10.17226/26519 PY - 2022 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/26519/evaluation-of-the-transport-airplane-risk-assessment-methodology PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - The Transport Airplane Risk Assessment Methodology (TARAM) is a process for calculating risk associated with continued operational safety issues in the U.S. transport airplane fleet. TARAM is important because its risk-analysis calculations are used when making determinations of unsafe conditions in transport airplanes and when selecting and implementing corrective actions. This report assesses the TARAM process used by the FAA in its efforts to improve the overall safety of the transport airplane fleet. A healthy safety culture requires commitment to continuous improvement. This report provides recommendations to the FAA to address the gaps and strengthen the TARAM. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine TI - Report Series: Committee on Planetary Protection: Evaluation of Bioburden Requirements for Mars Missions SN - DO - 10.17226/26336 PY - 2021 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/26336/report-series-committee-on-planetary-protection-evaluation-of-bioburden-requirements PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - Since the 1980s, national and international planetary protection policies have sought to avoid contamination by terrestrial organisms that could compromise future investigations regarding the origin or presence of Martian life. Over the last decade, the number of national space agencies planning, participating in, and undertaking missions to Mars has increased, and private-sector enterprises are engaged in activities designed to enable commercial missions to Mars. The nature of missions to Mars is also evolving to feature more diversity in purposes and technologies. As missions to Mars increase and diversify, national and international processes for developing planetary protection measures recognize the need to consider the interests of scientific discovery, commercial activity, and human exploration. The implications of these changes for planetary protection should be considered in the context of how much science has learned about Mars, and about terrestrial life, in recent years. At the request of NASA, this report identifies criteria for determining locations on Mars potentially suitable for landed robotic missions that satisfy less stringent bioburden requirements, which are intended to manage the risk of forward contamination. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Managing Space Radiation Risk in the New Era of Space Exploration SN - DO - 10.17226/12045 PY - 2008 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12045/managing-space-radiation-risk-in-the-new-era-of-space-exploration PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - As part of the Vision for Space Exploration (VSE), NASA is planning for humans to revisit the Moon and someday go to Mars. An important consideration in this effort is protection against the exposure to space radiation. That radiation might result in severe long-term health consequences for astronauts on such missions if they are not adequately shielded. To help with these concerns, NASA asked the NRC to further the understanding of the risks of space radiation, to evaluate radiation shielding requirements, and recommend a strategic plan for developing appropriate mitigation capabilities. This book presents an assessment of current knowledge of the radiation environment; an examination of the effects of radiation on biological systems and mission equipment; an analysis of current plans for radiation protection; and a strategy for mitigating the risks to VSE astronauts. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - An Enabling Foundation for NASA's Earth and Space Science Missions SN - DO - 10.17226/12822 PY - 2010 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12822/an-enabling-foundation-for-nasas-earth-and-space-science-missions PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - NASA's space and Earth science program is composed of two principal components: spaceflight projects and mission-enabling activities. Most of the budget of NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is applied to spaceflight missions, but NASA identifies nearly one quarter of the SMD budget as "mission enabling." The principal mission-enabling activities, which traditionally encompass much of NASA's research and analysis (R&A) programs, include support for basic research, theory, modeling, and data analysis; suborbital payloads and flights and complementary ground-based programs; advanced technology development; and advanced mission and instrumentation concept studies. While the R&A program is essential to the development and support of NASA's diverse set of space and Earth science missions, defining and articulating an appropriate scale for mission-enabling activities have posed a challenge throughout NASA's history. This volume identifies the appropriate roles for mission-enabling activities and metrics for assessing their effectiveness. Furthermore, the book evaluates how, from a strategic perspective, decisions should be made about balance between mission-related and mission-enabling elements of the overall program as well as balance between various elements within the mission-enabling component. Collectively, these efforts will help SMD to make a good program even better. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine TI - Advancing Aerial Mobility: A National Blueprint SN - DO - 10.17226/25646 PY - 2020 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25646/advancing-aerial-mobility-a-national-blueprint PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - Advanced aerial mobility is a newly emerging industry that aims to develop and operate new air vehicles potentially capable of safe, reliable, and low-noise vertical flight. The world has seen a recent increase in the adoption of electric vertical lift aircraft for urban, suburban and rural operations. These new innovations and technologies change the way that we move cargo and people, affecting industries across the economy. These changes will challenge today's airspace monitoring systems and regulatory environment. The U.S. government and its regulatory agencies need technical guidance to facilitate the development of these technologies, and to create the regulatory framework to foster the growth of this vertical flight industry to the benefit of the aviation industry. Advancing Aerial Mobility evaluates the potential benefits and challenges associated with this emerging industry. This report provides recommendations that seek to foster an environment in which the nation can maintain its leading position in developing, deploying, and embracing these new technologies. This publication presents a national vision for advanced aerial mobility, market evolution, and safety and security management. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine TI - Achieving Science with CubeSats: Thinking Inside the Box SN - DO - 10.17226/23503 PY - 2016 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/23503/achieving-science-with-cubesats-thinking-inside-the-box PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - Space-based observations have transformed our understanding of Earth, its environment, the solar system and the universe at large. During past decades, driven by increasingly advanced science questions, space observatories have become more sophisticated and more complex, with costs often growing to billions of dollars. Although these kinds of ever-more-sophisticated missions will continue into the future, small satellites, ranging in mass between 500 kg to 0.1 kg, are gaining momentum as an additional means to address targeted science questions in a rapid, and possibly more affordable, manner. Within the category of small satellites, CubeSats have emerged as a space-platform defined in terms of (10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm)- sized cubic units of approximately 1.3 kg each called "U's." Historically, CubeSats were developed as training projects to expose students to the challenges of real-world engineering practices and system design. Yet, their use has rapidly spread within academia, industry, and government agencies both nationally and internationally. In particular, CubeSats have caught the attention of parts of the U.S. space science community, which sees this platform, despite its inherent constraints, as a way to affordably access space and perform unique measurements of scientific value. The first science results from such CubeSats have only recently become available; however, questions remain regarding the scientific potential and technological promise of CubeSats in the future. Achieving Science with CubeSats reviews the current state of the scientific potential and technological promise of CubeSats. This report focuses on the platform's promise to obtain high- priority science data, as defined in recent decadal surveys in astronomy and astrophysics, Earth science and applications from space, planetary science, and solar and space physics (heliophysics); the science priorities identified in the 2014 NASA Science Plan; and the potential for CubeSats to advance biology and microgravity research. It provides a list of sample science goals for CubeSats, many of which address targeted science, often in coordination with other spacecraft, or use "sacrificial," or high-risk, orbits that lead to the demise of the satellite after critical data have been collected. Other goals relate to the use of CubeSats as constellations or swarms deploying tens to hundreds of CubeSats that function as one distributed array of measurements. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Laying the Foundation for Space Solar Power: An Assessment of NASA's Space Solar Power Investment Strategy SN - DO - 10.17226/10202 PY - 2001 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10202/laying-the-foundation-for-space-solar-power-an-assessment-of PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - In March 2000, NASA's Office of Space Flight asked the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board of the National Research Council to perform an independent assessment of the space solar power program's technology investment strategy to determine its technical soundness and its contribution to the roadmap that NASA has developed for this program. The program's investment strategy was to be evaluated in the context of its likely effectiveness in meeting the program's technical and economic objectives. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine TI - A Strategy for Active Remote Sensing Amid Increased Demand for Radio Spectrum SN - DO - 10.17226/21729 PY - 2015 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/21729/a-strategy-for-active-remote-sensing-amid-increased-demand-for-radio-spectrum PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - Active remote sensing is the principal tool used to study and to predict short- and long-term changes in the environment of Earth - the atmosphere, the oceans and the land surfaces - as well as the near space environment of Earth. All of these measurements are essential to understanding terrestrial weather, climate change, space weather hazards, and threats from asteroids. Active remote sensing measurements are of inestimable benefit to society, as we pursue the development of a technological civilization that is economically viable, and seek to maintain the quality of our life. A Strategy for Active Remote Sensing Amid Increased Demand for Spectrum describes the threats, both current and future, to the effective use of the electromagnetic spectrum required for active remote sensing. This report offers specific recommendations for protecting and making effective use of the spectrum required for active remote sensing. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine TI - Thriving on Our Changing Planet: A Decadal Strategy for Earth Observation from Space SN - DO - 10.17226/24938 PY - 2018 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/24938/thriving-on-our-changing-planet-a-decadal-strategy-for-earth PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - We live on a dynamic Earth shaped by both natural processes and the impacts of humans on their environment. It is in our collective interest to observe and understand our planet, and to predict future behavior to the extent possible, in order to effectively manage resources, successfully respond to threats from natural and human-induced environmental change, and capitalize on the opportunities – social, economic, security, and more – that such knowledge can bring. By continuously monitoring and exploring Earth, developing a deep understanding of its evolving behavior, and characterizing the processes that shape and reshape the environment in which we live, we not only advance knowledge and basic discovery about our planet, but we further develop the foundation upon which benefits to society are built. Thriving on Our Changing Planet presents prioritized science, applications, and observations, along with related strategic and programmatic guidance, to support the U.S. civil space Earth observation program over the coming decade. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Maintaining U.S. Leadership in Aeronautics: Breakthrough Technologies to Meet Future Air and Space Transportation Needs and Goals SN - DO - 10.17226/6293 PY - 1998 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/6293/maintaining-us-leadership-in-aeronautics-breakthrough-technologies-to-meet-future PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - After the completion of the National Research Council (NRC) report, Maintaining U.S. Leadership in Aeronautics: Scenario-Based Strategic Planning for NASA's Aeronautics Enterprise (1997), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Office of Aeronautics and Space Transportation Technology requested that the NRC remain involved in its strategic planning process by conducting a study to identify a short list of revolutionary or breakthrough technologies that could be critical to the 20 to 25 year future of aeronautics and space transportation. These technologies were to address the areas of need and opportunity identified in the above mentioned NRC report, which have been characterized by NASA's 10 goals (see Box ES-1) in "Aeronautics & Space Transportation Technology: Three Pillars for Success" (NASA, 1997). The present study would also examine the 10 goals to determine if they are likely to be achievable, either through evolutionary steps in technology or through the identification and application of breakthrough ideas, concepts, and technologies. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine TI - Review and Assessment of Planetary Protection Policy Development Processes SN - DO - 10.17226/25172 PY - 2018 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25172/review-and-assessment-of-planetary-protection-policy-development-processes PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - Protecting Earth's environment and other solar system bodies from harmful contamination has been an important principle throughout the history of space exploration. For decades, the scientific, political, and economic conditions of space exploration converged in ways that contributed to effective development and implementation of planetary protection policies at national and international levels. However, the future of space exploration faces serious challenges to the development and implementation of planetary protection policy. The most disruptive changes are associated with (1) sample return from, and human missions to, Mars; and (2) missions to those bodies in the outer solar system possessing water oceans beneath their icy surfaces. Review and Assessment of Planetary Protection Policy Development Processes addresses the implications of changes in the complexion of solar system exploration as they apply to the process of developing planetary protection policy. Specifically, this report examines the history of planetary protection policy, assesses the current policy development process, and recommends actions to improve the policy development process in the future. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine TI - Foundations of a Healthy and Vital Research Community for NASA Science SN - DO - 10.17226/26575 PY - 2022 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/26575/foundations-of-a-healthy-and-vital-research-community-for-nasa-science PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - The U.S. space science community includes thousands of scientists across multiple disciplines that influence and are influenced by the many engineers, technicians, and support personnel that are part of the space research enterprise. Over one-third of NASA's budget is devoted to space science, and the agency currently operates over 50 space missions in the fields of astrophysics, Earth science, solar and space physics, planetary science, and the biological and physical sciences. The strength of NASA science lies with its people, both those who work directly for the agency and the thousands of researchers and professionals who are funded by NASA grants and contracts. At the request of NASA, this report examines the foundation for healthy and vital research communities. Foundations of a Healthy and Vital Research Community for NASA Science identifies the characteristics of a healthy and vital research community, defines implementable measures for assessing the health and vitality of a research community, describes the types of data that NASA should be collecting to enable future assessments of the health and vitality of the scientific work force, and recommends best practices to improve the health and vitality of NASA’s research communities. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Methods for Developing Spacecraft Water Exposure Guidelines SN - DO - 10.17226/9892 PY - 2000 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9892/methods-for-developing-spacecraft-water-exposure-guidelines PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) maintains an active interest in the environmental conditions associated with living and working in spacecraft and identifying hazards that might adversely affect the health and well-being of crew members. Despite major engineering advances in controlling the spacecraft environment, some water and air contamination appears to be inevitable. Several hundred chemical species are likely to be found in the closed environment of the spacecraft, and as the frequency, complexity, and duration of human space flight increase, identifying and understanding significant health hazards will become more complicated and more critical for the success of the missions. NASA asked the National Research Council (NRC) Committee on Toxicology to develop guidelines, similar to those developed by the NRC in 1992 for airborne substances, for examining the likelihood of adverse effects from water contaminants on the health and performance of spacecraft crews. In this report, the Subcommittee on Spacecraft Water Exposure Guidelines (SWEGs) examines what is known about water contaminants in spacecraft, the adequacy of current risk assessment methods, and the toxicologic issues of greatest concern. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Priorities in Space Science Enabled by Nuclear Power and Propulsion SN - DO - 10.17226/11432 PY - 2006 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11432/priorities-in-space-science-enabled-by-nuclear-power-and-propulsion PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - In 2003, NASA began an R&D effort to develop nuclear power and propulsion systems for solar system exploration. This activity, renamed Project Prometheus in 2004, was initiated because of the inherent limitations in photovoltaic and chemical propulsion systems in reaching many solar system objectives. To help determine appropriate missions for a nuclear power and propulsion capability, NASA asked the NRC for an independent assessment of potentially highly meritorious missions that may be enabled if space nuclear systems became operational. This report provides a series of space science objectives and missions that could be so enabled in the period beyond 2015 in the areas of astronomy and astrophysics, solar system exploration, and solar and space physics. It is based on but does not reprioritize the findings of previous NRC decadal surveys in those three areas. ER -