Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019 (2021)
Chapter: Front Matter
The Space Studies Board is a unit of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and National Academy of Medicine work together as the National Academies to provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions. The National Academies also encourage education and research, recognize outstanding contributions to knowledge, and increase public understanding in matters of science, engineering, and medicine.
Support for the work of the Space Studies Board and its committees in 2019 was provided by National Aeronautics and Space Administration contracts NNH16CE01B and NNH17CB02B; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Contract WC133R-17-CQ-0031-PS10003557; Lockheed Martin; and Presidents Committee funds. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of any organization or agency that provided support.
Cover: OSIRIS-REx is a mission to study and map near-Earth asteroid Bennu. Its primary science objective is to collect a sample of Bennu in mid-2020 and return it to Earth in late 2023. In preparation, mission planners identified four candidate sample sites on Bennu’s rocky surface where OSIRIS-REx could briefly touch down to collect its sample. In December 2019, the mission down-selected to the final two sites, Nightingale and Osprey, as the mission’s primary and a backup sites. Like the mythological Bennu bird for which the asteroid is named, all of the candidate sample sites refer to birds that can be found in Egypt. Courtesy of NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona.
Space Studies Board Chairs and Vice Chairs
SPACE STUDIES BOARD CHAIRS
Lloyd V. Berkner (deceased), 1958-1962
Harry H. Hess (deceased), 1962-1969
Charles H. Townes (deceased), 1970-1973
Richard M. Goody, 1974-1976
A.G.W. Cameron (deceased), 1977-1981
Thomas M. Donahue (deceased), 1982-1988
Louis J. Lanzerotti, 1989-1994
Claude R. Canizares, 1994-2000
John H. McElroy (deceased), 2000-2003
Lennard A. Fisk, 2003-2008
Charles F. Kennel, 2008-2014
David N. Spergel, 2014-2016
Fiona A. Harrison, 2017-2019
Margaret Kivelson, 2019-present
SPACE STUDIES BOARD VICE CHAIRS
George A. Paulikas, 2003-2006
A. Thomas Young, 2006-2010
John M. Klineberg, 2011-2014
Robert D. Braun, 2014-2018
James Crocker, 2018-2019
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Contents
1 CHARTER AND ORGANIZATION OF THE BOARD
The Origins of the Space Science Board
Collaboration with Other Units of the National Academies
Assuring the Quality of Space Studies Board Reports
Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Internship
2 BOARD AND STANDING COMMITTEES: ACTIVITIES AND MEMBERSHIP
Highlights of Space Studies Board Activities
Space Studies Board Membership
U.S. National Committee for COSPAR
Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Science
Committee on Astronomy and Astrophysics
Committee on Biological and Physical Sciences in Space
Committee on Earth Science and Applications from Space
Committee on Solar and Space Physics
3 AD HOC STUDY COMMITTEES: ACTIVITIES AND MEMBERSHIP
Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics 2020 (Astro2020)
Near Earth Object Observations in the Infrared and Visible Wavelengths
Planetary Protection Requirements for Sample-Return Missions from Martian Moons
Review of the NASA Science Mission Directorate Science Plan
Review of the Report of the NASA Planetary Protection Independent Review Board
4 WORKSHOPS, SYMPOSIA, MEETINGS OF EXPERTS, AND OTHER SPECIAL PROJECTS
Continuous Improvement of NASA’s Innovation Ecosystem
Science Opportunities Enabled by Gateway: A Workshop
Space Weather Operations and Research Infrastructure Workshop
Chinese Academy of Sciences-National Academy of Sciences Forum for New Leaders in Space Science
5.1 An Astrobiology Strategy for the Search for Life in the Universe
5.2 Continuous Improvement of NASA’s Innovation Ecosystem: Proceedings of a Workshop
5.3 Finding Hazardous Asteroids Using Infrared and Visible Wavelength Telescopes
5.4 Planetary Protection Classification of Sample Return Missions from the Martian Moons
5.7 Review of the Draft 2019 Science Mission Directorate Science Plan
