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Review of Goals and Plans for NASA's Space and Earth Sciences (2006) / Chapter Skim
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4 Universe Exploration and the Search for Earth-Like Planets
Pages 20-26

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From page 20...
... UNIVERSE EXPLORATION ROADMAP: FROM THE BIG BANG TO LIFE The Beyond Einstein mission suite addresses exciting and fundamental physics questions designed to test whether or not there are observable limits to Einstein's theory of gravity. A strong case is made for exploring the beginnings and evolution of the universeone of the 5 fundamental questions identified in the NRC's Astronomy and Astrophysics in the New Millennium6 (the AAp decadal survey)
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From page 21...
... The panel recommends that the nomenclature "Pathways to Life" be abandoned and that NASA develop coherent new themes in the Universe Division that will do justice to the Beyond Einstein program, the Search for Earth-like Planets program, and all the other science highlighted in the AAp decadal survey that the roadmap has agglomerated into Pathways to Life, but that represents vibrant science deserving of separate emphasis. The current roadmap does not enunciate well all the transformative science objectives within the PTL theme and hence may not adequately follow NRC recommendations.
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From page 22...
... The NRC has previously noted that the new focus on an accelerated and an exclusively exo-planet-driven design for TPF-C also has adverse effects on other Universe Division goals, including Beyond Einstein.15,16 These various problems result from "stove-piping" as reflected in both the Universe Exploration and the Search for Earth-like Planets roadmaps and are at least partly attributable to the current partitioning of the Universe Division program. The panel recommends that NASA support the exciting fundamental research outlined in this roadmap for the Beyond Einstein program, but also give due consideration to the transformative science objectives outlined by the AAp decadal survey and encompassed in the broad origins, evolution, and fate themes articulated by the President's Commission on Implementation of United States Space Exploration Policy, which are not well enunciated in the Pathways to Life theme.
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From page 23...
... The realism of the proposed mission timeline and the ability of the proposed missions to fit into the budget line are serious concerns. The panel recommends that broad-based community input be sought to guide decisions if any significant revision to the Search for Earth-like Planets roadmap mission sequence becomes necessary.
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From page 24...
... Thus the Interstellar Probe discussed in the Sun-Solar System Connection roadmap has obvious relevance to topics of the Universe Division and perhaps Earth science. The solar-system exploration and Mars programs are rife with crosscutting issues in astrobiology, comparative planetology, and the origin and evolution of star and planetary systems.25,26 The notional Biosignature mission mentioned in the Earth Science roadmap is of clear potential astrobiological significance, but was not considered at all in the Universe Exploration and Search for Earth-like Planets roadmaps, and was not given strong scientific motivation in the Earth Science roadmap.27 CROSSCUTTING CAPABILITY ISSUES Most of the capabilities needed to enable the missions presented in these two roadmaps are properly addressed even though these roadmaps did not benefit from the planned integration with NASA's capability roadmaps.
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From page 25...
... The panel recommends an assessment of the trade space between launch vehicle lift mass, fairing size, length of mission, aperture size and weight, detector quantum efficiency, and other factors to ensure that the mission options for these two roadmaps are fully understood. The panel recommends that NASA develop plans to use the long-range technology developed in the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate in service of the goals of the Science Mission Directorate.
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From page 26...
... 2005. Exploring Our Planet for the Benefit of Society: NASA Earth Science and Applications from Space Strategic Roadmap.
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Key Terms

  • space telescope
  • universe division
  • beyond einstein
  • hubble space
  • universe exploration

  • terrestrial planet
  • exploration roadmap
  • earth science
  • planets roadmap
  • nrc letter

  • recent nrc
  • science mission
  • space exploration
  • science requirements
  • webb space

  • mission directorate
  • james webb
  • big bang
  • ptl theme
  • science roadmap

  • science objectives
  • mission time
  • nasa develop
  • mission line
  • mission suite

  • terrestrial planets
  • roadmap committee
  • broader astrophysical
  • fundamental questions
  • astrophysical research


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