Origins, Worlds, and Life A Decadal Strategy for Planetary Science and Astrobiology 2023-2032 (2023) / Chapter Skim
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1 Introduction to Planetary Science, Astrobiology, and Planetary Defense
1 Introduction to Planetary Science, Astrobiology, and Planetary Defense
Pages 11-28
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From page 11... ...
PLANETARY SCIENCE AND ASTROBIOLOGY Planetary science is a multidisciplinary activity involving members of the geology, geophysics, geochemistry, astronomy, atmospheric science, and space physics communities. These communities' study planetary bodies as well as Earth.
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From page 12... ...
Astrobiology and planetary science take an integrated, systems-level view of the origin and evolution of planetary bodies, seeking to understand how life and its environment may have changed together or co-evolved. PLANETARY DEFENSE Planetary defense is an international cooperative effort to detect and track objects that could pose a threat to life on Earth.
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From page 13... ...
Starting in the 1990s, Congress and presidential administrations have directed NASA to take a lead role in planetary defense and that role has grown in the past decade. NASA, NSF, and other government agencies collaborate in activities in support of planetary defense.1 This decadal survey is the first to include planetary defense in its charter.
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From page 14... ...
Even as the United States and Soviet Union began sending spacecraft to the Moon and then to Mars and Venus starting in the late 1950s, ground-based astronomy played an important role in understanding the solar system, such as by analyzing radio signals from Jupiter or conducting radar observations of Mercury, Venus, and asteroids. Today, ground- and space-based telescopic observations continue to provide key support to robotic space missions -- for example, by characterizing targets in advance of spacecraft encounters -- and ongoing observations provide data between missions as well.
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From page 15... ...
DOE's National Nuclear Security Administration, through its Stewardship Science Academic Alliances supports work relevant to the behavior of matter under the conditions found in the interiors of planetary bodies at its Capital/DOE Alliance
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From page 16... ...
The primary goals of NASA's PSD are to ascertain the origin and history of the solar system, to understand the potential for life beyond Earth, and to characterize hazards and resources present as humans explore space. Spacecraft missions, technology development, research infrastructure, and basic research and analysis programs are supported by PSD to advance these goals.
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From page 17... ...
However, planetary spacecraft operate in more difficult environments than Earth-orbiting spacecraft and have different design requirements and mass and power limitations, meaning that Earth observation instruments are not typically directly applicable to planetary science needs. Biological and Physical Science Division NASA's Biological and Physical Science Division (BPSD)
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From page 18... ...
Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate In September 2021, as this report was being written, NASA established the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD) to oversee the Artemis program to send humans to the Moon.
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Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences This part of NSF supports fundamental research regarding physical, chemical, and biological processes that impact the composition and physical phenomena and behavior of matter between the Sun and the surface of Earth. Important areas of research synergies with planetary science include the development of atmospheric and general circulation models for other planets and comparative studies of the plasma process.
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From page 20... ...
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION Planetary exploration is an increasingly international endeavor, with the United States, Russia, Japan, Canada, China, India, Israel, United Arab Emirates, and many European nations independently or collaboratively mounting major planetary missions. As budgets for space programs come under increasing pressure and the complexity of the missions grows, international cooperation becomes an enabling component.
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From page 21... ...
missions. Examples include the following: the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter includes a Russian instrument; the Juno Jupiter orbiter carries an Italian auroral experiment; the Mars Exploration Rovers and Phoenix lander included instruments and team members from Germany, Denmark, and Canada; and Russia, Canada, and various European nations contributed elements of the Curiosity and Perseverance Mars rovers.
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From page 22... ...
From experience in the past decades, it appears that international cooperation generally provides resilience to long-term space programs and allows optimal use of an international workforce and expertise. Multiple international space powers (both traditional national space agencies and the private sector)
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From page 23... ...
In addition to the decadal surveys, the National Academies has also undertaken mid-decade reviews of NASA's planetary science and astrobiology programs. In 2018, the National Academies produced Visions into Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013–2022 -- A Midterm Review (NASEM 2018b)
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From page 24... ...
SCIENTIFIC SCOPE OF THIS REPORT The scientific scope of this report spans two dimensions: first, the principal scientific disciplines that collectively encompass the ground- and space-based elements of planetary science and astrobiology -- that is, planetary astronomy, geology, geophysics, atmospheric science, magnetohydrodynamics, celestial mechanics, and relevant aspects of the life sciences -- and second, the physical territory within the committee's purview -- that is, the solar system's principal constituents and extrasolar planetary systems. This territory includes the following: • The major rocky bodies in the inner solar system -- that is, Mercury, Venus, the Earth-Moon, and Mars; • The giant planets in the outer solar system -- that is, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune -- including their magnetospheres; • The rings and satellites of the giant planets; 8
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From page 25... ...
This decadal survey was charged to address this topic for the first time. The planetary defense findings and recommendations in this report are presented in the framework of the National NEO Preparedness Strategy and Action Plan (NSTC 2018)
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From page 26... ...
26 ORIGINS, WORLDS, AND LIFE TABLE 1-2 A Guide to Reading This Report Topic Primary Discussion Additional Discussion Recommendations Issues Related to Nine Priority Topics Identified in the Statement of Task 1. Overview of planetary science, astrobiology, and Chapter 1 n/a n/a planetary defense 2. Broad survey of the current state of knowledge Chapter 2 n/a n/a 3a. Compelling questions, goals, and challenges for Chapters 3 to 11 n/a n/a planetary science 3b. Compelling questions, goals, and challenges for Chapters 3 and Chapter 22 n/a astrobiology 12–14 3c. Compelling questions, goals, and challenges for Chapter 18 Chapter 22 Chapters 18 and 22 planetary defense 4a. Recommended research traceable to objectives and Chapters 4–15 Chapter 22 n/a goals 4b. Recommended missions traceable to objectives and Chapter 22 Appendix C Chapter 22 goals 5a. Comprehensive research strategy for planetary science, Chapter 22 n/a Chapter 22 astrobiology, and planetary defense 5b. Timing, cost, risk, and technical readiness of Chapter 22 Appendix C n/a recommended missions 6. Decision rules Chapter 22 n/a Chapter 22 7a. Human exploration Chapter 19 Chapter 22 Chapters 19 and 22 7b. International cooperation Chapter 1 n/a Chapter 20 8. Intra- and inter-agency collaboration Chapters 1 and Chapter 22 Chapters 19, 20, 18–21 21, and 22 9. State of the profession Chapter 16 Chapter 22 Chapters 16 and 22 Other Topics Discussed in the Report Apophis 2029 encounter Chapter 18 n/a Chapter 18 Arecibo Chapters 18 and 20 Chapter 22 Chapters 18, 20, and 22 Artemis program Chapter 19 Chapter 22 Chapters 19 and 22 Budgetary projections Chapter 22 n/a n/a Deep Space Network Chapter 19 n/a n/a Discovery program Chapter 22 n/a Chapter 22 Europa Clipper Chapter 22 n/a n/a Ground- and space-based telescopes Chapter 20 Chapter 18 and n/a Appendix E continues
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From page 27... ...
Indeed, there are many ways individuals can and will read this report. As such, the survey committee has endeavored to design this report so that it is accessible to readers with varied interests and possessing varying degrees of technical sophistication.
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From page 28... ...
2015. The Space Science Decadal Surveys: Lessons Learned and Best Practices.
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