Powering Science: NASA's Large Strategic Science Missions
2017

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NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) currently operates over five dozen missions, with approximately two dozen additional missions in development. These missions span the scientific fields associated with SMD's four divisions—Astrophysics, Earth Science, Heliophysics, and Planetary Sciences. Because a single mission can consist of multiple spacecraft, NASA-SMD is responsible for nearly 100 operational spacecraft. The most high profile of these are the large strategic missions, often referred to as "flagships."

Large strategic missions are essential to maintaining the global leadership of the United States in space exploration and in science because only the United States has the budget, technology, and trained personnel in multiple scientific fields to conduct missions that attract a range of international partners. This report examines the role of large, strategic missions within a balanced program across NASA-SMD space and Earth sciences programs. It considers the role and scientific productivity of such missions in advancing science, technology and the long-term health of the field, and provides guidance that NASA can use to help set the priority of larger missions within a properly balanced program containing a range of mission classes.

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126 pages · 8.5 x 11 · paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-46383-1
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-46384-X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/24857

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2017. Powering Science: NASA's Large Strategic Science Missions. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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Front Matter i-xiv
Summary 1-8
1 Introduction 9-23
2 Balancing Strategic Missions 24-46
3 Risks and Realities of Cost Overruns for Large Strategic Missions 47-59
4 Comparing Large Strategic Missions and Smaller Missions 60-62
Appendixes 63-64
Appendix A: Statement of Task 65-65
Appendix B: Astrophysics Science Division Missions 66-75
Appendix C: Earth Science Division Missions 76-88
Appendix D: Heliophysics Science Division Missions 89-96
Appendix E: Planetary Science Division Missions 97-102
Appendix F: Biographies of Committee Members and Staff 103-107
Appendix G: Acronyms 108-112

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Powering Science: NASA's Large Strategic Science Missions (2017)

Chapter: Appendixes

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Powering Science: NASA's Large Strategic Science Missions (2017)

Chapter: Appendixes