Launching Science: Science Opportunities Provided by NASA’s Constellation System (SSB, ASEB)

Released 11.24.08

To begin implementation of the Vision for Space Exploration (recently renamed “United States Space Exploration Policy”), NASA has begun development of new launch vehicles and a human-carrying spacecraft that are collectively called the Constellation System.  In November 2007, NASA asked the NRC to evaluate the potential for the Constellation System to enable new space science opportunities.  For the interim report—released in May—11 existing “Vision Mission” concepts inspired by earlier NASA forward-looking studies were evaluated.  For this final report, the NRC evaluated six additional mission concepts submitted in response to a request for information issued by the study committee to the relevant communities and prepared an integrated list of all the missions that were evaluated.  This report also provides analyses of technology requirements for future space missions, and of human and robotic servicing and launch vehicle and spacecraft options for future space science missions.

Ensuring the Climate Record from the NPOESS and GOES-R Spacecraft: Elements of a Strategy to Recover Measurement Capabilities Lost in Program Restructuring (SSB)

Released 07.10.08

The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite system (NPOESS) was created in 1994 in an action that merged the military and civil meteorological programs. In 2005, however, large cost estimate overruns resulted in a significant contraction of the program including a reduction in planned spacecraft acquisition, a delay in the first launch to 2013, and the cancellation or degradation of several sensors. In 2006, cost growth in NOAA’s program for its next generation of geostationary weather satellites also resulted in the cancellation of a major sensor on the GOES-R satellite planned for launch in 2015. In 2007, NASA and NOAA asked the NRC to carry out a short study that would prioritize capabilities needed to support climate research and applications that were lost or placed at risk by the changes in the NPOESS and GOES-R spacecraft, and to offer strategies to recover these capabilities. This report provides a discussion of the context of these two programs, the requested prioritization and options for short-term recover, a recommended strategy for short-term recovery, and an assessment of the elements of a long-term climate strategy.

Science Opportunities Enabled by NASA’s Constellation System—Interim Report (SSB, ASEB)

Released 05.08.2008

To begin implementation of the Vision for Space Exploration (recently renamed "United States Space Exploration Policy"), NASA has begun development of new launch vehicles and a human-carrying spacecraft that are collectively called the Constellation System. In November 2007, NASA asked the NRC to evaluate the potential for the Constellation System to enable new space science opportunities. For this interim report, 11 existing "Vision Mission" studies of advanced space science mission concepts inspired by earlier NASA forward-looking studies were evaluated. The focus was to assess the concepts and group them into two categories: more-deserving or less deserving of future study. This report presents a description of the Constellation System and its opportunities for enabling new space science opportunities, and a systematic analysis of the 11 Vision Mission studies. For the final report, the NRC issued a request for information to the relevant communities to obtain ideas for other mission concepts that will be assessed by the study committee, and several issues addressed only briefly in the interim report will be explored more fully.

Released 05.02.2008

In 2004, the NRC released a workshop report about the future direction of the U.S. civil space program. At the same time, the Administration announced the Vision for Space Exploration, and in June 2004, it issued a report that articulated a balanced space program for human and robotic exploration and science. Subsequent NRC reports, however, have noted that NASA has not been given the resources to carry out this broad-based program. This challenge, along with others faced by the U.S. civil space program, stimulated the NRC to form an ad hoc committee to organize a second workshop, held in November 2007, to address the space program’s future directions. The workshop’s goal was to air a range of views and perspectives so as to inform discussions of these questions by policymakers and the public. This report presents a summary of the workshop.

Review of NASA’s Exploration Technology Development Program: An Interim Report (ASEB)

Released 04.10.2008

To meet the objectives of the Vision for Space Exploration (VSE), NASA must develop a wide array of enabling technologies. For this purpose, NASA established the Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP). Currently, ETDP has 22 projects underway. In the report accompanying the House-passed version of the FY2007 appropriations bill, the agency was directed to request from the NRC an independent assessment of the ETDP. This interim report provides an assessment of each of the 22 projects including a quality rating, an analysis of how effectively the research is being carried out, and the degree to which the research is aligned with the VSE. To the extent possible, the identification and discussion of various cross-cutting issues are also presented. Those issues will be explored and discussed in more detail in the final report.

Managing Space Radiation Risk in the New Era of Space Exploration (ASEB)

Released 03.31.08

As part of the Vision for Space Exploration (VSE), NASA is planning for humans to revisit the Moon and someday go to Mars. An important consideration in this effort is protection against the exposure to space radiation.  That radiation might result in severe long-term health consequences for astronauts on such missions if they are not adequately shielded.  To help with these concerns, NASA asked the NRC to further the understanding of the risks of space radiation, to evaluate radiation shielding requirements, and recommend a strategic plan for developing appropriate mitigation capabilities.  This report presents an assessment of current knowledge of the radiation environment; an examination of the effects of radiation on biological systems and mission equipment; an analysis of current plans for radiation protection; and a strategy for mitigating the risks to VSE astronauts. 

Opening New Frontiers in Space: Choices for the Next New Frontiers Announcement of Opportunity (SSB)

Released 03.11.08

The New Frontiers Program was created by NASA in 2002 at the recommendation of the NRC’s decadal survey for solar system research.  In order to optimize solar system research, the NRC recommended a series of principal-investigator missions that encourage innovation and accomplish the main scientific objectives presented in the survey.  Two of the five recommended missions have been selected and, as was also recommended in the survey, the NRC was asked in 2007 to provide criteria and guiding principles to NASA for determining the list of candidate missions.  This report presents a review of eight missions—the three remaining from the original list of five from the survey plus five missions considered by the survey committee but which were not recommended.  Included in the review of each mission is a discussion of relevant science and technology developments since the survey and set of recommended science goals.

Workshop Series on Issues in Space Science and Technology: Summary of Space and Earth Science Issues from the Workshop on U.S. Civil Space Policy (SSB)

Released 02.11.08 

NASA has asked the Space Studies Board (SSB) of the NRC to examine issues related to space science and technology through a series of three workshops.  The first of these was held in November 2007 in conjunction with another workshop being held jointly by the SSB and ASEB to assess U.S. civil space policy broadly.   Some of the workshop sessions focused more than others on issues of interest to NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD).  This report concentrates on those sessions and presents a summary of the views of the participants on the issues that are relevant to SMD.  A separate report will be prepared on the full range of issues about U.S. civil space policy discussed at the workshop.