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Review of the Draft 2019 Science Mission Directorate Science Plan (2019) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 1-4

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From page 1...
... , the Committee on the NASA Science Mission Directorate Science Plan was charged to comment on the following specific areas: 1. Level of ambition of the specified strategies in light of current and emerging opportunities to advance Earth and space science over the next 5 years (see Chapter 3, "Level of Ambition")
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From page 2...
... Recommendation: Consistently frame the guiding principles, either as declarations of a desired state or as near-term directions or tasks. ABILITY TO MEET SCIENCE OBJECTIVES The draft document provides a solid framework for carrying out SMD's mission; the leadership priorities and guiding principles highlight the need to tackle the science objectives outlined in the decadal surveys relevant to each of SMD's four divisions, as well as participate in human exploration and technological innovation.
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From page 3...
... Although there is no doubt that leadership is required to deliver on NASA's four core values, its addition to SMD's list of core values risks the appearance of challenging the smaller list of core values that NASA has adopted at the highest level. The mix of finite objectives and states of being that SMD wants to achieve could be better rationalized to support the establishment of these as enduring principles, as does the use of the term "strategies" instead of "guiding principles" and "focus areas" instead of "leadership priorities." In addition, the draft document does not address how the presented principles might be pursued, which in turn hinders an understanding of how SMD will determine whether progress has been made.
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From page 4...
... Instead, it focuses on guiding principles and leadership priorities that could effectively lead to fulfillment of recommendations in decadal surveys and in the development and deployment of human capital. If the draft document can be revised as recommended here, the divisional commitment to the stated leadership priorities and guiding principles made more explicit, and the writing overall imbued with language equal to the magnitude of the vision, the draft document could guide SMD to a future that is ambitious, forward looking, and inspiring.
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Key Terms

  • guiding principles
  • leadership priorities
  • science objectives
  • core values
  • science plan

  • decadal surveys
  • additional guiding
  • nasa science
  • science mission
  • meet science

  • science strategies
  • science divisions
  • workforce development
  • mission directorate
  • smd science

  • stated guiding
  • space science
  • broader science
  • foundational science
  • science community

  • guiding principle
  • traditional science
  • science portfolio
  • fundamental science
  • directorate science

  • leadership priority
  • nasa smd
  • stated leadership
  • unlike earlier
  • document provides


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