The field of solar and space physics explores the heliosphere - the vast protective bubble formed by the solar wind that extends from the Sun to the outer fringes of the solar system, and beyond. This booklet highlights key themes and recommendations from the 2025 decadal survey for solar and space physics, The Next Decade of Discovery in Solar and Space Physics: Exploring and Safeguarding Humanity's Home in Space.
40 pages
·
8.5 x 11
·
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-99359-8
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/29150
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Solar and Space Physics for the Nation: An Overview of the 2024–2033 Decadal Survey. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Import this citation to:
Consensus
Contrails are visible lines in the sky behind aircraft that occur when warm jet engine exhaust meets the colder surrounding atmosphere, forming small ice crystals. Most contrails dissipate within about 10 minutes, but they can last for hours under certain conditions. Persistent contrails can contribute to atmospheric warming and are estimated to have a climate impact on par with carbon dioxide emissions from aviation.
In early 2024, NASA requested that the National Academies develop a national research agenda to better understand, quantify, and develop technical and operational solutions to reduce the global climate impact of aviation-induced cloudiness and persistent contrails. This report presents priorities for a national contrails research strategy and provides a vision for how this research could eventually support operational contrails mitigation. This research would support the global economic competitiveness of the U.S. civil aviation industry in the context of emerging international aviation regulations.
98 pages
·
8.5 x 11
·
paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-73551-3
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-73552-1
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/29073
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Developing a Research Agenda on Contrails and Their Climate Impacts. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Import this citation to:
Consensus
Groundbreaking advances in solar and space physics have provided key insights into the dynamic physical processes on the Sun and its influence on Earth, the near-Earth space environment, other planets in our solar system, and beyond. As we look to the next decade, future discoveries in the field will expand our knowledge of the cosmos and better prepare us for the impact of space weather events on critical systems and humanity. The Next Decade of Discovery in Solar and Space Physics: Exploring and Safeguarding Humanity's Home in Space, a National Academies' decadal survey, presents a prioritized strategy for basic and applied research to advance scientific understanding of the heliosphere and the origins of space weather, the Sun's interactions with other bodies in the solar system, and the interplanetary and interstellar mediums.
702 pages
·
8.5 x 11
·
paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-72555-0
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-72556-9
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/27938
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. The Next Decade of Discovery in Solar and Space Physics: Exploring and Safeguarding Humanity's Home in Space. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Import this citation to:
Consensus
NASA's New Frontiers (NF) program plays a crucial role in solar system exploration by soliciting principal investigator (PI)-led missions at a more frequent cadence of two per decade than flagship missions, but with a larger budget and scope than Discovery missions. Mission themes for the New Frontiers 5 (NF-5) announcement of opportunity (AO) were evaluated in the 2011 planetary science decadal survey Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022 and reevaluated in Report Series - Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Science: Options for the Fifth New Frontiers Announcement of Opportunity. The most recent planetary science decadal survey, Origins, Worlds, and Life: A Decadal Strategy for Planetary Science and Astrobiology 2023-2032, recommended mission themes for NF-6 and NF-7 for the current decade (2023–2032). Since the completion of the Origins, Worlds, and Life report, the timing for the upcoming NF-5 AO has been delayed to no earlier than 2026, overlapping with the timeframe expected for NF-6. Therefore, NASA requested that the National Academies investigate and report on any scientific, programmatic, and technological advances that have a significant impact on the mission themes prioritized for the next NF AO.
62 pages
·
8.5 x 11
·
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-72796-0
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/27998
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Proposed Science Themes for NASA's Fifth New Frontiers Mission. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Import this citation to:
Consensus
Since its formation more than 60 years ago, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has served as a global leader in science, aeronautics, and exploration, propelled technological innovation, and inspired youth to pursue careers in science and engineering, while often accomplishing the seemingly impossible. However, despite its critical and transformative role, NASA faces an uncertain future due to declining national investment as a percentage of gross domestic product and systemic issues that compromise its infrastructure, workforce, and capacity for technological innovation.
As requested by Congress in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened an independent expert committee to evaluate whether NASA's current workforce, infrastructure, technological capabilities, and their interfaces can meet its strategic goals. NASA at a Crossroads: Maintaining Workforce, Infrastructure, and Technology Preeminence in the Coming Decades considers the critical facilities and emerging technologies necessary to fulfill NASA's mission, as well as the workforce skills and organizational structure required to perform and support the work of the mission directorates, both now and in the future.
204 pages
·
8.5 x 11
·
paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-71631-4
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-71632-2
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/27519
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2024. NASA at a Crossroads: Maintaining Workforce, Infrastructure, and Technology Preeminence in the Coming Decades. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Import this citation to:
Consensus
In 2018, the National Academies released Thriving on Our Changing Planet: A Decadal Strategy for Earth Observation from Space. The decadal survey identified key science questions and prioritized observational needs to advance U.S. efforts in Earth science and support critical applications such as climate modeling and weather prediction. In the past few years, the need for actionable data and better scientific information on Earth's interacting systems has increased in urgency, as global climate change accelerates coupled with increasing numbers of extreme weather events.
At the request of NASA, this mid-term assessment evaluates progress and recommends actions to meet decadal survey priorities. This report explores ways that NASA's Earth Science Division can maintain programmatic balance, improve alignment with decadal survey priorities, and prepare for the next decadal survey.
96 pages
·
8.5 x 11
·
paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-71814-7
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-71815-5
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/27743
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2024. Thriving on Our Changing Planet: A Midterm Assessment of Progress Toward Implementation of the Decadal Survey. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Import this citation to:
Research in biological and physical sciences in space provides the critical scientific and technological foundations that make space exploration possible. This booklet summarizes recent advances in the biological and physical sciences that have changed our understanding of the factors important to human, plant, animal, and microbial health, and then highlights research needs to make transformative advances in space.
28 pages
·
8.5 x 11
·
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-71971-2
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/27792
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2024. A New Era in Space: Ensuring the Future of Biological and Physical Sciences Research: A Decadal Survey for 2023–2032. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Import this citation to:
Consensus
Research in biological and physical sciences in space provides the critical scientific and technological foundations that make space exploration possible. As humanity looks towards the Moon and Mars for future missions, this work is needed to help astronauts adapt and live in the harsh environments of space. Thriving in Space provides a roadmap for increasing national investment in biological and physical science research, from experiments to infrastructure to education. This report identifies key scientific questions, priorities, and ambitious research campaigns that will enable human space exploration and transform our understanding of how the universe works.
Thriving in Space reviews the state of knowledge in the current and emerging areas of space-related biological and physical sciences research and generates recommendations for a comprehensive vision and strategy for a decade of transformative science at the frontiers of biological and physical sciences research in space. This report will help NASA define and align biological and physical sciences research to uniquely advance scientific knowledge, meet human and robotic exploration mission needs, and provide terrestrial benefits.
322 pages
·
8.5 x 11
·
paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-69498-1
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-69499-X
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/26750
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Thriving in Space: Ensuring the Future of Biological and Physical Sciences Research: A Decadal Survey for 2023-2032. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Import this citation to:
The next decade of planetary science and astrobiology holds tremendous promise. This booklet highlights key science questions, identifies priority missions, and presents a research strategy that includes both planetary defense and human exploration.
56 pages
·
8.5 x 11
·
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-70852-4
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/27209
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Origins, Worlds, and Life: Planetary Science and Astrobiology in the Next Decade. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Import this citation to:
Consensus
We live in a time of extraordinary discovery and progress in astronomy and astrophysics. The next decade will transform our understanding of the universe and humanity's place in it. Every decade the U.S. agencies that provide primary federal funding for astronomy and astrophysics request a survey to assess the status of, and opportunities for the Nation's efforts to forward our understanding of the cosmos. Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 2020s identifies the most compelling science goals and presents an ambitious program of ground- and space-based activities for future investment in the next decade and beyond. The decadal survey identifies three important science themes for the next decade aimed at investigating Earth-like extrasolar planets, the most energetic processes in the universe, and the evolution of galaxies. The Astro2020 report also recommends critical near-term actions to support the foundations of the profession as well as the technologies and tools needed to carry out the science.
628 pages
·
8.5 x 11
·
paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-46734-9
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-46766-7
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/26141
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 2020s. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Import this citation to:
Consensus
The next decade of planetary science and astrobiology holds tremendous promise. New research will expand our understanding of our solar system's origins, how planets form and evolve, under what conditions life can survive, and where to find potentially habitable environments in our solar system and beyond. Origins, Worlds, and Life: A Decadal Strategy for Planetary Science and Astrobiology 2023-2032 highlights key science questions, identifies priority missions, and presents a comprehensive research strategy that includes both planetary defense and human exploration. This report also recommends ways to support the profession as well as the technologies and infrastructure needed to carry out the science.
736 pages
·
8.5 x 11
·
paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-47578-3
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-49046-4
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/26522
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Origins, Worlds, and Life: A Decadal Strategy for Planetary Science and Astrobiology 2023-2032. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Import this citation to:
Consensus
Space-based Earth observations enable global observations of the land surface, biosphere, solid Earth, atmosphere, cryosphere, and oceans. Earth observations from space, combined with data acquired from in situ and ground-based instruments, help scientists understand the components of the Earth system and their interactions and enable wide-ranging applications, including forecasts of weather and air quality, projections of future climate, management of natural resources, ecological forecasting, disaster management, drought and wildfire prediction, and the mapping and prediction of vector borne/animal diseases.
At the request of NASA Earth Science Division, this report assesses the potential use of a proposed multi-user, robot-tended, uncrewed commercial space platform as a potential host for a large number of Earth remote sensing instruments. Assessment of Commercial Space Platforms for Earth Science Instruments evaluates the utility and practicality of a platform in a Sun-synchronous orbit, capable of hosting 20 or more instruments.
66 pages
·
8.5 x 11
·
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-70295-X
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/27019
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Assessment of Commercial Space Platforms for Earth Science Instruments: Report Series—Committee on Earth Science and Applications from Space. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Import this citation to:
Consensus
The ultimate goal of planetary protection for outbound missions is to prevent harmful contamination that would inhibit future measurements designed to search for evidence of the existence or evolution of extraterrestrial life. Preventing harmful contamination is achieved by following specific guidelines based on existing scientific knowledge about the destination and the type of mission. This report responds to NASA's request for a study on planetary protection categorization of missions to small bodies, including whether there are particular populations of small bodies for which contamination of one object in the population would not be likely to have a tangible effect on the opportunities for scientific investigation using other objects in the population. In addressing NASA's request, the authoring committee considered surface composition of target bodies and their importance for prebiotic chemistry, along with size of the small-body populations, the current state of knowledge on the types of objects, the likelihood of a future scientific mission returning to any specific object, active object surface processes, and the size.
64 pages
·
8.5 x 11
·
paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-69372-1
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-69373-X
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/26714
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Planetary Protection Considerations for Missions to Solar System Small Bodies: Report Series—Committee on Planetary Protection. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Import this citation to:
Recent discoveries and emerging technologies in astronomy and astrophysics have sparked transformative new endeavors to understand the universe and our place in it. This booklet presents an ambitious vision for exploring the cosmos over the next decade and beyond. It outlines the investments needed to cultivate and sustain the people who drive innovation and discovery, the tools to carry out the science, and the research insights that will expand humanity's horizons.
28 pages
·
10 x 7
·
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-70173-2
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/26933
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 2020s: Highlights of a Decadal Survey. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Import this citation to:
Consensus
At the request of NASA, the Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Sciences of the National Academies of Sciences Engineering, and Medicine, in its role as an independent forum, conducted a review of the NASA report "Community Report from the Biosignatures Standards of Evidence Workshop". The review addresses the accuracy, assumptions, and conclusions of the NASA report. This publication details the findings of the committee.
44 pages
·
8.5 x 11
·
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-69046-3
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/26621
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Independent Review of the Community Report from the Biosignature Standards of Evidence Workshop: Report Series—Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Sciences. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Import this citation to:
Consensus
The Roman Space Telescope will measurably advance knowledge of dark energy and exoplanet demographics. Locally, it will likely enhance understanding of the structure and substructure of the Milky Way and nearby galaxies, including a census of the predicted but elusive ultra-faint dwarf galaxies. At high redshift, it can provide information on the topology of reionization and the abundance of sources like active galactic nuclei and pair-instability supernovae. With a wavelength range of 0.48-2.3 μm, the Roman Wide Field Imager has the largest etendue of any existing or planned optical/infrared space observatory. The coronagraph technology demonstration instrument will pioneer new capabilities that will be the basis for future instruments capable of directly detecting and characterizing Earth-like planets around nearby stars. If the technology demonstration is successful, observations with the coronagraph could make substantial advances in the study of planetary and disk systems.
At the request of NASA, this report reviews the Roman Space Telescope science program to set the appropriate mix of survey time devoted to the three Core Community Surveys (which address the weak lensing, baryon acoustic oscillations, supernovae, and microlensing programs in NWNH) relative to guest investigator-led observing programs during the primary 5-year mission.
40 pages
·
8.5 x 11
·
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-69451-5
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/26740
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Roman Space Telescope Observing Time Allocation Principles: Report Series—Committee on Astronomy and Astrophysics. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Import this citation to:
Consensus
The U.S. space science community includes thousands of scientists across multiple disciplines that influence and are influenced by the many engineers, technicians, and support personnel that are part of the space research enterprise. Over one-third of NASA's budget is devoted to space science, and the agency currently operates over 50 space missions in the fields of astrophysics, Earth science, solar and space physics, planetary science, and the biological and physical sciences. The strength of NASA science lies with its people, both those who work directly for the agency and the thousands of researchers and professionals who are funded by NASA grants and contracts.
At the request of NASA, this report examines the foundation for healthy and vital research communities. Foundations of a Healthy and Vital Research Community for NASA Science identifies the characteristics of a healthy and vital research community, defines implementable measures for assessing the health and vitality of a research community, describes the types of data that NASA should be collecting to enable future assessments of the health and vitality of the scientific work force, and recommends best practices to improve the health and vitality of NASA's research communities.
108 pages
·
8.5 x 11
·
paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-68885-X
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-68886-8
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/26575
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Foundations of a Healthy and Vital Research Community for NASA Science. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Import this citation to:
Workshop
Affecting technological systems at a global-scale, space weather can disrupt high-frequency radio signals, satellite-based communications, navigational satellite positioning and timing signals, spacecraft operations, and electric power delivery with cascading socioeconomic effects resulting from these disruptions. Space weather can also present an increased health risk for astronauts, as well as aviation flight crews and passengers on transpolar flights.
In 2019, the National Academies was approached by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the National Science Foundation to organize a workshop that would examine the operational and research infrastructure that supports the space weather enterprise, including an analysis of existing and potential future measurement gaps and opportunities for future enhancements. This request was subsequently modified to include two workshops, the first ("Phase I") of which occurred in two parts on June 16-17 and September 9-11, 2020.
The Phase II workshop occurred on April 11-14, 2022, with sessions on agency updates, research needs, data science, observational and modeling needs, and emerging architectures relevant to the space weather research community and with ties to operational needs. This publication summarizes the presentation and discussion of that workshop.
130 pages
·
8.5 x 11
·
paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-69366-7
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-69367-5
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/26712
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Planning the Future Space Weather Operations and Research Infrastructure: Proceedings of the Phase II Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Import this citation to: