A Performance Assessment of NASA's Heliophysics Program (2009) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 25-48
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From page 25... ...
National Research Council, The Sun to the Earth -- and Beyond: A Decadal Research Strategy in Solar and Space Physics, The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C., 2003. NASA, The New Science of the Sun-Solar System Connection: Recommended Roadmap for Science and Technology 2005-2035, Washington, D.C., 2005 (hereinafter referred to as the Heliophysics Roadmap, or the Roadmap)
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From page 26... ...
, the Heliophysics Roadmap does not adequately emphasize important topics related to coronal heating and coronal characteristics. For the fast and slow solar wind, RFA F2.3 is directed at related decadal science questions.
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From page 27... ...
Challenge 3: Space Environments of Earth and Other Solar System Bodies This challenge focuses on the space environments of solar system bodies, particularly that of Earth, and their dynamical interaction with the Sun and the solar wind. The wide-ranging science questions include these: • The response of Earth to solar variations and extreme conditions.
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From page 28... ...
The uneven emphasis on radiation belt particle acceleration compared to fundamental ionospheric processes is the direct result of the change from the decadal survey Geospace Network mission to the radiation belt and ionospheric missions identified in the Roadmap. Challenge 5: Space Weather This challenge focuses on the development of a near-real-time capability for understanding and predicting the impact on human activities of processes described in the first four challenges.
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From page 29... ...
missions acknowledges the importance of studying Earth's ionosphere and the inner magnetosphere as a coupled system." This intent has been undermined, however, by the development of the Solar Probe Plus and the Solar Wind Sentinels (SWS) missions in the absence of any initiative to examine the geospace response to solar activity, thus setting a course that diverges even more from the survey's recommendations.
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From page 30... ...
Because it was expected to be so expensive, Solar Probe was the only large mission to be recommended, and the decadal survey recommended that Solar Probe be undertaken only with a designated funding augmentation that would not disrupt the survey's recommended moderate and small missions. In 2008, a new STDT study yielded a revised mission concept called Solar Probe Plus, which would deliver Solar Probe science at a lower cost.
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From page 31... ...
If the decadal survey had judged MMS to be a mission in the billion-dollar category, with the consequences for the Integrated Research Strategy noted above, it is unclear whether the community would have continued to give it the highest priority for moderate missions. Geospace Network Program Grade: D Finding: As originally conceived, the Geospace Network mission aimed at exploring the synergy and coupling between the radiation environment in the inner magnetosphere and the underlying ionosphere and thermosphere, key regions for space weather effects.
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From page 32... ...
Background: Sounding rockets are the most important part of the heliophysics Suborbital Program. This program has been a mainstay for the investigation of fundamental physical processes in the ionosphere-thermosphere, for a wide range of magnetospheric studies, and for the development of new instruments for space physics.
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From page 33... ...
A rescue effort stabilized the program at an annual budget of $45 million to $50 million, with a projected increase to between $60 million and $70 million per year in the outyears. While sounding rockets are its dominant element, the heliophysics Suborbital Program also involves balloons and aircraft; ballooning has recently focused on astrophysics but can provide platforms for space physics as well.
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From page 34... ...
. have the ability to adapt to the ever changing, immediate needs of the space science community."2 1National Research Council, The Sun to the Earth -- and Beyond: A Decadal Research Strategy in Solar and Space Physics, The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C., 2003, p.
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From page 35... ...
However, due to cost growth in other missions, the European Space Agency is seeking to reduce Solar Orbiter costs and may cancel the mission. But if successful, the launch of Solar Orbiter, coincident with the launch proposed for Solar Probe Plus, offers an opportunity for complementary observations of the entire inner heliosphere for the first time.
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From page 36... ...
Accordingly, the decadal survey recommended as its number 3 vitality program priority that NASA take the lead in creating a Coupling Complexity Initiative to address multiprocess coupling, nonlinearity, and multiscale and multiregional feedback in space physics. The multiagency program would provide long-term grants ($500,000 to $1 million annually for 5 years)
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From page 37... ...
The present version of the Solar and Space Physics Information System is already being used by the Space Environment Center at NOAA to identify and characterize those models ready for transition to operational forecasting tools. A memorandum of understanding is being drafted to recognize interagency cooperation on these scientific challenges, as envisioned in the decadal survey.
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From page 38... ...
Finally, the TR&T program has awarded numerous grants to designated focus research teams aimed at modeling topics fitting those of the Virtual Sun. 2.3 TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT Chapter 3 of the decadal survey emphasized that new technology developments are vital to maintaining future leadership in solar and space physics.
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85) The present fleet of launch vehicles provides limited and shrinking options for the small and medium spacecraft that support most space-based solar and space physics missions and imposes a high penalty on these missions as well.
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"In collaboration with other interested agencies, the NSF and NASA should take the lead in initiating a program in laboratory plasma science that can provide new understanding of fundamental processes important to solar and space physics." (p.
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Background: While the Sun's energy output in the visible part of the spectrum is nearly constant, its output at other wavelengths that affect the upper atmosphere and its output in the form of the solar wind are quite variable. This variability and the complex coupling to the upper atmosphere and magnetosphere create space weather, which is National Research Council, Plasma Science: Advancing Knowledge in the National Interest, The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C., 2007.
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From page 42... ...
The importance of L1 measurements for space weather resulted in the survey recommendation that NOAA assume responsibility for obtaining L1 solar wind measurements. In contrast, the 2005 Roadmap recommends three partnership missions (Heliostorm, L1-Heliostorm, and L1 Earth-Sun)
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From page 43... ...
Scientific movies of auroral displays or solar eruptions remain among the most compelling examples of how space can directly affect Earth and translate directly into public appreciation of the overall NASA mission of space exploration. However, the decadal survey was clear in defining two main concerns for education and public outreach: • College and university-level undergraduate and graduate training aimed at providing "a sufficient number of scientists trained in solar and space physics" and • Lower-level education and public outreach aimed at contributing to the "national effort to enhance education in science and technology" (p.
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2.7 STRENGTHENING THE SOLAR AND SPACE PHYSICS RESEARCH ENTERPRISE Chapter 7 of the decadal survey described the variety of ways in which solar and space physics research is conducted in the nation and cited four ways to strengthen the enterprise by improving the vitality of the research community, using resources efficiently, applying appropriate policy and management to the programs, and fostering interagency and international coordination and partnership.
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From page 45... ...
[2.7.1] "NASA should undertake an independent outside review of its existing policies and approaches regarding the support of solar and space physics research in academic institutions, with the objective of enabling the nation's colleges and universities to be stronger contributors to this research field." (p.
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From page 46... ...
156) NASA's Planetary Science Division has incorporated space plasma physics instruments in its missions, including the New Frontiers Program's Juno mission to Jupiter and the Mars Exploration Program's MAVEN mission to Mars.
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[2.7.10] "Because of the importance of international collaboration in solar and space physics research, the federal government, especially the State Department and NASA, should implement clearly defined procedures regarding exchanges of scientific data or information on instrument characteristics that will facilitate the participation of researchers from universities, private companies, and nonprofit organizations in space research projects having an international component." (p.
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From page 48... ...
The ITAR regulations continue to have major deleterious effects on international scientific activities that depend on satellites and have caused serious problems in the teaching of university space science and engineering classes. An NRC workshop highlighted a number of ongoing issues that are making international collaborations much more problematical: (1)
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