APPENDIX
B
Statements of Task
COMMITTEE ON THE FUTURE OF SPACE SCIENCE
The Project on the Future of Space Science (FOSS) will advise the Space Studies Board on assessing the role and conduct of space science within NASA. This assessment will analyze specific areas identified by FY95 Senate Appropriations report language and requested by the NASA Administrator: (1) organization of civil space research programs within the agency; (2) merit-based cross-disciplinary prioritization, including preservation of innovative initiatives; and (3) improvements in technology insertion into science missions. The Board will charge two ad hoc task groups and its existing joint committee on technology to perform the needed analyses. An ad hoc steering group will integrate the findings of the task groups and joint committee into a single report, which will be approved by the Board and published in a NRC-reviewed report.
TASK GROUP ON ALTERNATIVE ORGANIZATIONS
On behalf of the Space Studies Board, and working under the oversight of the Future of Space Science (FOSS) Steering Group (FOSS-SG), the Task Group on Alternative Organizations (AO) will study issues and options relating to the organization of NASA's science programs, as directed in FY 1994 report language of the Senate Subcommittee on VA-HUD-IA. Additional guidance is provided in the FY1995 Senate report language. The work of the FOSS-AO will be combined with that of two other subpanels, the FOSS Task Group on Research Prioritization (FOSS-RP) and the Board's standing Joint Committee on Technology (JCT) to compose an integrated recommendation on the “role and position ” of science within NASA and the nation's research agenda.
This task group will consider alternative approaches to coordinating planning and management of NASA's space science programs. One possible model recognized in the Senate Report is the National Institutes of Health (NIH) within the Department of Health and Human Services. The task group will also examine other relevant federal (e.g., NIST, DOD, and DOE) and quasi-government (FFRDC) research and development institutions; private sector institutions and non-U.S. management models may be considered. The study will be structured to facilitate input by space research communities.
Specific tasks of the FOSS-AO are:
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Interact with the FOSS-SG to finalize the FOSS-AO Statement of Task
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Schedule and conduct meetings as needed and budgeted
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Examine alternative management and organizational structures and approaches that could be used to conduct NASA's science programs, including:
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organization of research within federal agencies other than NASA, e.g., NOAA, NIST, DOE, DOD, NSF; special consideration should be given to NIH as requested in the Senate language
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organizations external to the federal government, e.g., FFRDCs, industry, academic institutions, and public, not-for-profit entities
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Consideration should be given to:
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intra-NASA interfaces
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roles and capabilities of government, universities, and industry in performing research (consideration should be given to both applied and basic research, large- and small-scale programs, and long- and short-term efforts)
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impact on graduate education and research community renewal
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role of international collaboration and impact on it
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transition issues
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Document its findings and recommendations in a report to the FOSS-SG
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As needed, support preparation by the Steering Group of an integrated report composed of FOSS-AO, FOSS-RP, and JCT reports; also, support NRC review and publication of the integrated report
TASK GROUP ON RESEARCH PRIORITIZATION
On behalf of the Space Studies Board, and working under the oversight of the Future of Space Science (FOSS) Steering Group (FOSS-SG), the Task Group on Research Prioritization (RP) will study issues and options relating to the prioritization of space research as directed in FY 1994 report language of the Senate Subcommittee on VA-HUD-IA. Additional guidance is provided in the FY1995 Senate report language. The work of the FOSS-RP will be combined with that of two other subpanels, the FOSS Task Group on Alternative Organizations (FOSS-AO) and the Board's standing Joint Committee on Technology (JCT) to compose an integrated recommendation on the “role and position” of space science within NASA and the nation's research agenda.
Specific tasks of the FOSS-RP are:
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Interact with the FOSS-SG to finalize the FOSS-RP Statement of Task
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Schedule and conduct meetings as needed and budgeted
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Survey and evaluate candidate mechanisms for priority setting across disciplines on the basis of scientific merit; the study should include consideration of the following issues:
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alternative interpretations and presentations of “priority setting”
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approaches to priority setting within the NIH, NSF, NOAA, and DoD (also former OSSA approaches)
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role of criteria other than scientific merit in research priority setting
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relative roles of diverse participants in priority setting
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processes for culling and termination prioritization
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preservation of funding opportunity for highly innovative or high risk research in an environment of budget constraints and well-entrenched existing constituencies
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appropriate role for international agreements
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transition issues
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Document its findings and recommendations in a report to the FOSS-SG
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As needed, support preparation by the Steering Group of an integrated report composed of FOSS-AO, FOSS-RP, and JCT reports; also, support NRC review and publication of the integrated report.
The task group should consider the draft final report of the Board 's former Task Group on Priorities in Space Research, as well as the same task group's published interim report, Setting Priorities in Space Research—Opportunities and Imperatives (NAP, 1992).
TASK GROUP ON TECHNOLOGY
On behalf of the Space Studies Board of the National Research Council (NRC), and working under the oversight of the Future of Space Science Steering Group (FOSS-SG), the Task Group on Technology (FOSS-T) will study issues relating to better means to include advanced technology in science missions. The FOSS study is being sponsored by NASA and conducted by the NRC in response to the FY 1994 report language of the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on VA-HUD-IA, and the FY 1995 report language of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee which reaffirmed the request for a formal NAS [NRC] assessment of the need for a national institute of space science.
In carrying out its duties in accordance with a written request from the NASA Administrator and authority from the FOSS-SG, the FOSS-T will analyze opportunities and obstacles in the incorporation of advanced technology into NASA's space sciences programs. The Task Group will specifically investigate the:
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Status of NASA's development, infusion, utilization, and transfer of advanced technology for space sciences; and the processes used by NASA in planning, selecting, and evaluating and terminating relevant technology development projects
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Effect of NASA's current organization and modes of internal communication (and potential alternatives) on technology development, infusion, utilization, and transfer
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Current relationships among NASA, private industry, and universities in the development of technology for space sciences
Consideration will also be given to the:
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interplay between innovation, risk management, and cost
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technology exchange with other government agencies (e.g., DOD and NOAA)
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effect of “smaller, faster, cheaper” on innovation
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effect of NASA's goal to foster technology transfer to U.S. industry on its technology development for space sciences
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assurance of flexibility to explore unconventional ideas
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use of the Space Station in the development of technology for space sciences
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effect of extremely prolonged space program and mission development times on the development, selection, and use of advanced technologies.
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The FOSS-T will use as its starting point the NRC report prepared under its direction by the Committee on Space Science Technology Planning, SSB/ASEB, Improving NASA's Technology for Space Science (NAP, 1993). While advanced technology for spacecraft and other flight hardware should be the focus of the Task Group, it should not rule out consideration of other relevant technologies, such as that for improved ground-based user data access and distribution systems.