Space Studies Board Annual Report 2017 (2018) / Chapter Skim
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5.5 Powering Science: NASA's Large Strategic Science Missions
5.5 Powering Science: NASA's Large Strategic Science Missions
Pages 59-65
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From page 59... ...
(The statement of task is included as Appendix A.) The Committee on Large Strategic NASA Science Missions: Science Value and Role in a Balanced Portfolio met three times, starting in fall 2016 and concluding in February 2017, and heard from NASA officials, the chairs of several previous Academies studies including the decadal surveys, and the managers of both large and smaller NASA space science missions.
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From page 60... ...
It also includes dozens of small and medium-size missions.1 These small and medium-size missions are usually selected via a competitive process as opposed to being called out as priorities by the decadal surveys in each of the space science disciplines.2 The large strategic missions are directed to specific institutions for development, with major elements and systems competed via request for proposals and the announcement of opportunities as appropriate. Small and medium-size missions can accomplish some of the goals of large strategic missions, such as continuing data collection for a single or small set of instruments.
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From page 61... ...
In addition, many small missions have relatively short lifetimes compared to larger missions, and they may not operate long enough to support researchers, particularly those early in their careers, before the mission expires. Large strategic missions are critical for balance and form the backbone of the disciplines encompassed by the respective NASA science divisions.
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From page 62... ...
For example, the most recent planetary science decadal survey defined a balanced program consisting of one or two large strategic missions, two medium-size New Frontiers missions, and at least three smaller Discovery-class missions during the coming decade. Decadal surveys can establish a broader balance that includes scientific capabilities typically provided by other agencies such as the National Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the U.S.
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From page 63... ...
(See Chapter 2.) RECOMMENDATION: The decadal surveys should formulate mission concept variants or other means to assess the boundaries of cost and technical risk and recommend the application of decision rules to provide flexibility to the NASA science divisions and most importantly the scientific community.
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From page 64... ...
This is something that NASA already does -- witness the evolution in cost estimation adopted within the past 10 years such as changing the confidence level for estimating new projects -- but the committee's point is that as technology advances, cost estimation tools will, and will have to, advance as well. While cost estimation and control are vital, the committee cautions that cost is best appreciated with respect to performance; many Earth and space science missions have operated long beyond their prime missions, providing tremendous value at relatively low operating costs.
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From page 65... ...
Chapter 2 discusses the role that large strategic missions play in achieving balance in each of the four SMD divisions. Chapter 3 discusses the issues of cost estimation and control for space science missions, how the implementation of new procedures and methods has improved these over the past decade, and how cost control is vital to achieving programmatic balance.
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