The Next Decade of Discovery in Solar and Space Physics Exploring and Safeguarding Humanity's Home in Space (2025) / Chapter Skim
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6 Summary of Research Strategy and Budget Implications
Pages 214-228

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From page 214...
... • In the service of humanity: Analyzing the space environment to project its future changes. With this two-pronged approach, the strategy makes significant progress on the wide-ranging science themes described in Chapter 2, the space weather themes described in Chapter 3, and the development of a robust solar and space physics community as described in Chapter 4.
From page 215...
... missions in the two Explorer program opportunities in 2016 and 2021, have resulted in significant financial pressure on the NASA Heliophysics Division budget for the next decade. Despite this budget pressure and previous budget history, the Heliophysics Division component of this research strategy is realistic and achievable, but only if budget increases commensurate with its ambitions are secured.
From page 216...
... Flagship-level Community Science Modeling NASA $125 million 5-4 Program CubeSat programs NASA, NSF $122 million 5-5 Fill the suborbital to Mission of Opportunity NASA $91 million 5-6 cost and risk gap NASA Explorer missions NASA $75 millionc 5-7 Solar-Terrestrial Probes mission NASA $1.58 billiond 5-8 Living With a Star mission NASA $1.03 billione 5-9 DRIVE+ Continue to support development of modern NSF, NASA N/A 5-11 cyberinfrastructure Augmentation of Heliophysics Division NASA $193 million 5-16 research program Expand opportunities for instrument NASA $57 million 5-19 development; expand the role of the Heliophysics Strategic Technology Office
From page 217...
... However, the committee did not perform an analysis of the required budget growth, because it was outside this decadal survey's scope. Costs for the creation of a space weather research program (see Table 6-1)
From page 218...
... At its current level, the Heliophysics Division budget is not sufficient for implementation of the comprehensive research strategy proposed in this decadal survey, which was developed to accomplish the most important science identified for the next decade. In the budget growth recommendations below, a RY$ budget 2024 04 Helio Budget Sand Charts Final - Rev 1 file 1600 et Pro dg Bu ed m end com 1400 Re IC New STP (Links)
From page 219...
... To fully implement the decadal survey's comprehensive research strategy after this initial FY 2026 budget increase, the Heliophysics Division budget needs to grow by approximately 8.25 percent each year to the end of the decade. Technology Technology program investments are vital for the future of the Heliophysics Division, both in the next decade and beyond.
From page 220...
... Heliophysics Division research programs is assumed in FY 2026, and the new budget is assumed to grow with inflation thereafter. Recommendation 5-4 introduces the flagship-level community science modeling program.
From page 221...
... NSF 5.2.2 5-4 Flagship-level Community Science Modeling Program NASA 5.2.2 5-5 Review of CubeSat programs NASA, NSF 5.2.3 5-6 Suborbital to Mission of Opportunity cost and risk gap NASA 5.2.3 5-7 Heliophysics Explorer missions NASA 5.2.3 5-8 Solar-Terrestrial Probes Program NASA 5.2.3 5-9 Living With a Star Program NASA 5.2.3 DRIVE+ 5-10 Research that combines ground- and space-based observations NASA, NSF 5.3.2 5-11 Cyberinfrastructure development NASA, NSF, NOAA, 5.3.2 AFOSR 5-12 Cross-disciplinary research NASA, NSF 5.3.2 5-13 NSF organizational structure review NSF 5.3.2 5-14 Funding for infrastructure missions to validate data NASA 5.3.3 5-15 Support for analysis of archival data NASA 5.3.3 5-16 Augmentation of Heliophysics Research Program NASA 5.3.3 5-17 Theory and modeling for strategic missions NASA 5.3.3 5-18 Review the structure of DRIVE Science Centers and NASA 5.3.3 Space Weather Centers of Excellence 5-19 Instrument development NASA 5.3.4 Preparations for Beyond the Decade 5-20 Cross-divisional approach for future projects and programs NASA 5.4.4 Decision Rules 6-1 Decision rules for the recommended program NASA 6.2.4 a The Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) is a sponsor of the decadal survey; the Department of Defense (DoD)
From page 222...
... The funding for management and extended operations is assumed to be that of the FY 2024 President's Budget Request. Management and extended operations of existing Explorers is approximately 15 percent of the total Explorer program budget for FY 2025, and these elements increase to 21 percent of the total budget in FY 2026 under the assumption that all missions continue extended operations.
From page 223...
... Solar Terrestrial Probes Mission Line Management, Dynamical Neutral Atmosphere– Ionosphere Coupling, and the New Solar Terrestrial Probes Mission The STP and LWS mission lines are both essential to the scientific discoveries discussed in Chapter 2. The STP management funding includes the STP missions in development, funding to complete development, launch, prime and extended mission operations for the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP)
From page 224...
... Budget Growth and Decision Rules The program budget assumes an increase in FY 2026 and then annual budget growth of approximately 8.5 percent for the remainder of the next decade. This budget growth is needed to implement the research strategy and to make significant progress on the priority science in Chapter 2 and in NASA's contribution to space weather (see Chapter 3)
From page 225...
... Building on the accomplishments already made by the program of record, the research strategy maximizes the exciting and rewarding science for the next decade while maintaining and enhancing space weather research programs, including pathways from research to operations. To be successful, the strategy will leverage all elements of the program of record, including GDC and DYNAMIC, and will require sustained budget growth over the decade.
From page 226...
... Additionally, the Explorer program can leverage rapidly advancing technologies to conduct targeted scientific research and address crucial gaps not covered by the LWS and STP missions. Optimizing all the elements of the research strategy and with full community support, the next decade will become the golden age of discovery and understanding of our local cosmos and humanity's place in it.
From page 227...
... Appendixes


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