Skip to main content

Lessons Learned in Decadal Planning in Space Science Summary of a Workshop (2013) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:

7 How to Plan for High-Profile Missions
Pages 56-59

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 56...
... ; Vice Chair, Space Studies Board Panelists: Charles Elachi, Director, Jet Propulsion Laboratory William Gail, Chief Technology Officer, Global Weather Corporation; Member, 2007 Earth Science and Applications from Space Decadal Survey Rick Howard, Program Director, James Webb Space Telescope, NASA (retired) Ralph McNutt, Senior Space Physicist, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory; Member, 2011 Planetary Science Decadal Survey INTRODUCTORY REMARKS The panel moderator, John Klineberg, opened the discussion by providing his own definition of a "high-profile" mission.
Read the entire page →
From page 57...
... Similarly, clear decision rules will also help agency decision makers determine the appropriate course of action in designing the mission and what to do if cost growth exceeds tolerances. NASA, he said, will need to maintain good communication with its stakeholders, as well as pay close attention to independent review boards and ensure that funding for large missions is phased appropriately.
Read the entire page →
From page 58...
... He asked, Should the decadal surveys explicitly identify the levels of risk tolerance for recommended missions? and What will happen if a compelling mission profile emerges during the program formulation phase, but the subsequent CATE process reveals that the mission will exhaust its budget at the 30-percent confidence level?
Read the entire page →
From page 59...
... At the conclusion of the panel session, an audience member noted that flagship missions can be both failures or successes and asked the panelists what are the lessons learned from past flagships. The panelists noted the following: good and frequent communication on these large missions across the agency is essential; the community needs to veer away from overly optimistic cost estimates; flagship missions are crucial to the space science community and require a significant amount of investment in technology development; and, the community should not lose sight of conducting science based on the priorities set forth by the community, as opposed to building missions that do not necessarily reflect this question-based science effort.
Read the entire page →

Key Terms

  • decadal survey
  • earth science
  • decadal surveys
  • ralph mcnutt
  • space studies

  • space sciences
  • space telescope
  • science decadal
  • space science
  • space decadal

  • science laboratory
  • missions specifically
  • james webb
  • strategic missions
  • william gail

  • cost growth
  • science community
  • mars science
  • webb space
  • charles elachi

  • earth sciences
  • involves international
  • managing missions
  • international missions
  • mcnutt commented

  • draw public
  • science based
  • true cost
  • technical complexity
  • survey process


    • This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
    More information on Chapter Skim is available.