Extending Science NASA's Space Science Mission Extensions and the Senior Review Process (2016) / Chapter Skim
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5 Innovative Cost Reductions for Extended Missions
5 Innovative Cost Reductions for Extended Missions
Pages 53-60
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From page 53... ...
The committee evaluated approaches to cost savings within the context of increased risk and potential impacts on science return. COLOCATING OPERATIONS One method for increasing efficiency for space science missions is colocating multiple mission operations at a given location, which is an approach that NASA already takes for many of its missions.
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From page 54... ...
Several universities and telescope consortia purchased observing time, JPL funded efforts to complete the galactic plane portion of an all-sky survey, and the PI team raised modest amounts of additional private funding. FIGURE 5.1 The Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX)
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From page 55... ...
Congress subsequently decided to continue the funding for both Opportunity and LRO. Subject to recommendations from the Senior Review process, NASA SMD generally expects to extend the mission operations beyond the original prime mission period, provided the spacecraft is returning valuable science data and the cost for extending the operations fits within the program budget.
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From page 56... ...
• Consider the implications of possibly transitioning from prime mission operations into extended missions when recruiting and assigning the operations team for the prime mission. • Plan for and then cross-train mission and science operations staff to more effectively enable reductions in workforce and staff at reduced risk as a mission transitions to extended phase.
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From page 57... ...
REPURPOSING EXTENDED MISSIONS TO CREATE NEW SCIENCE MISSIONS Upon completion of a prime mission and during the transition to an extended phase, opportunities may arise to consider a major redirection of the project. One example is the Deep Impact mission that was launched in 2005 to study the interior of comet Tempel 1.
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From page 58... ...
For example, the complete loss of one radio receiver on Voyager 1 and the loss of frequency tracking capability on the remaining redundant unit required intense and costly operational workarounds, as did the failure of the high-gain antenna on Galileo during its prime mission phase. Historically, barring such extenuating operational cost drivers, extended missions often experience additional cuts to their budgets at subsequent Senior Reviews, which along with inflation, often result in disproportionate cuts to project-funded science activities.
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From page 59... ...
It usually costs money upfront to develop new procedures that could eventually reduce costs, but the upfront funding usually is not available during the extended phase of a mission, unless it is diverted from science or essential operations activity. Keeping procedures as simple as possible in the prime mission, which projects should do to the extent possible, may be the best way to control costs and limit risks in extended missions.
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From page 60... ...
CONCLUSION The committee is very supportive of the current NASA approach to mission design, which provides a high probability of achieving prime mission objectives while also allowing a reasonable likelihood that an extended phase with high science return will be achievable. As stated earlier, extended missions enable new science, provide for data continuity, and enable long baseline studies -- all at very modest incremental cost.
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