Grading NASA's Solar System Exploration Program A Midterm Report (2008) / Chapter Skim
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5 Research and Analysis, Planetary Astronomy, and Flight Mission Data Analysis
5 Research and Analysis, Planetary Astronomy, and Flight Mission Data Analysis
Pages 48-57
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From page 48... ...
FIGURE 5.1 Scientists begin analysis of the cometary particles returned to Earth from the Stardust mission.
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From page 49... ...
Research and Analysis, Planetary Astronomy, OVERALL ASSESSMENT: Grade: C Trend: ➜ Flight Mission Data Analysis A vigorous and healthy R&A grants program is essential for the continued overall vitality and productivity of NASA science in the coming decades. Thus, the committee concluded that the first New Frontiers decadal survey recommendation below pertaining to overall research and analysis funding is of far more importance than any of the other R&A-related recommendations; the grade for progress toward this one recommendation therefore heavily affects the committee's overall assessment of NASA's response to the decadal survey recommendations pertaining to research and analysis.
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NASA should provide a stable and sustainable funding environment that is adequate to ensure the vitality and continued scientific productivity of all its research and analysis programs. New Frontiers Recommendation Results of Midterm Review "The SSE Survey encourages NASA to continue the integration of astrobiology Grade: B Trend: ➜ science objectives with those of other space science disciplines.
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From page 51... ...
The Mars Sample Return mission will require robust advance planning and research preparation that should begin within the next 5 years. New Frontiers Recommendation Results of Midterm Review "In addition, planetary protection requirements for missions to worlds of biological Grade: B Trend: ➜ interest will require investments, as will life-detection techniques, sample quarantine facilities, and sterilization technologies." (p.
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From page 52... ...
NASA's continued support of key facilities enables continued progress in the exploration of the solar system. New Frontiers Recommendation Results of Midterm Review "The SSE Survey recommends that NASA partner equally with the National Grade: F Trend: ➜ Science Foundation to design, build, and operate a survey facility, such as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)
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From page 53... ...
New Frontiers Recommendations Results of Midterm Review "The SSE Survey recommends that NASA continue to support ground-based observatories for planetary science, including the planetary radar capability at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico and at the Deep Space Network's Goldstone facility in California, the Infrared Telescope Facility on Mauna Kea in Hawaii, and shares of cutting-edge telescopes such as the Keck telescopes on Mauna Kea, as long as they continue to be critical to missions and/or Grade: B Trend: ➜ scientifically productive." (p.
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From page 54... ...
54 GRADING NASA'S SOLAR SYSTEM EXPLORATION PROGRAM FIGURE 5.2 The James Webb Space Telescope. SOURCE: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
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From page 55... ...
The two consortia that have responded to the GSMT initiative, the Thirty Meter Telescope and the Giant Magellan Telescope, both target solar system science and planetary system formation and evolution in their science justifications. It would be helpful to have a NASA liaison with the National Optical Astronomy Observatory Giant Segmented Mirror Telescope Program Office to ensure that NASA science objectives can be achieved in this project.
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From page 56... ...
The organization of exoplanet studies within NASA appears to be inefficient, split between the Planetary Science Division and the Astrophysics Science Division. Research is supported by the Origins of Solar Systems Research and Analysis Program in the Planetary Science Division, and the Astrobiology Research and Analysis Program; the Keck funding is supported by the Astrophysics Science Division, as is the forthcoming (photometric)
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New Frontiers Recommendation Results of Midterm Review "The SSE Survey strongly encourages exploration of ways to accomplish the Grade: B Trend: ➜ following: .
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