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Mission to Planet Earth Space Science in the Twenty-First Century -- Imperatives for the Decades 1995 to 2015 (1988) / Chapter Skim
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6. Science Policy Considerations and Recommendations
Pages 106-112

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From page 106...
... For this system to operate efficiently and to be cost-effective, there must be coordination and cooperation both on the national level among those agencies involved with earth science and at the international level among all those countries that participate in either satellite or in situ programs. RECOMMENDATIONS The task group is cognizant of the many significant policy issues associated with carrying out all of the elements of a Mission to Planet Earth.
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From page 107...
... The assignment of the appropriate relative roles of NASA as a research and development agency, NSF as a supporter of basic research, and NOAA and USGS as operational, mission-oriented agencies in earth sciences is a test case. If significant responsibilities are shifted to NOAA, then new funding wiB be required there as well as assiduous policy attention.
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From page 108...
... For example, the NSCAT program logically requires a NOAA contribution for civilian data distribution, and GRM would benefit from USGS interaction. Yet the prevailing mood of OMB has been that if an agency sees a major role in a particular satellite program, that agency should pay the full cost.
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From page 109...
... The United States must view its own program as one contribution to an overall international program both to obtain access to active scientific and technical communities, and to develop the global system of in situ observations. International participation is needed to support space observing systems and to deploy and operate in situ measuring devices.
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From page 110...
... At the same tune, the task group recommendls that NASA develop and support a more comprehensive program in the solid earth sciences within NASA itself. In developing such a program, NASA should not constrain itself to the use of space technology, but must be prepared to accept direct programmatic and financial responsibilities covering a broader spectrum of research activities in solid earth research.
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From page 111...
... We have an opportunity to define a comprehensive program that deals with all of the most exciting and most important questions in the solid earth sciences today: questions such as the primary differentiation of the Earth, the origin of magmas, the driving forces for plate tectonics, and the generation of the Earth's atmosphere. NASA's engineering capability in advanced technology, such as satellite systems and data base management, is essential to the accomplishment of these objectives.
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Key Terms

  • solid earth
  • earth science
  • comprehensive program
  • agencies involved
  • situ observations

  • earth observing
  • examples include
  • science effort
  • sciences nasa
  • adequate funding

  • monitoring services
  • obtain geodetic
  • sometimes artificially
  • science measurements
  • operate efficiently

  • broader spectrum
  • plate tectonics
  • involving dod
  • usgs interaction
  • coordinated programs

  • civilian data
  • strong role
  • balanced effort
  • noaa contribution
  • develop effective

  • aggregated form
  • nasa projects
  • nscat program
  • crustal motion
  • activities involving


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