Assessment of NASA's Draft 2003 Earth Science Enterprise Strategy: Letter Report (2003)

February, 2003

Space Studies Board

NASA has begun to revise and streamline its strategic plan so that the agency's programs are organized under a set of four "mission-driven" strategic enterprises, which are supported by several "enabling capabilities" areas. Earth science constitutes one of the four enterprises.

The Office of Earth Science is currently working to update the Earth Science Enterprise Strategic Plan, with the objective of issuing a new version in September 2003. The updated plan will reflect significant developments since the current plan was released in 2000, especially including the President's Climate Change Research Initiative, NASA's new strategic direction, and evolution of the program strategy inside the Earth Science Enterprise. The strategic plan will constitute one of the principal elements of NASA's response to requirements mandated by the Government Performance and Results Act.

According to NASA, the Earth Science Enterprise strategic plan will be based on a mission statement to "understand and protect our home planet by advancing Earth system science to enable improved prediction of climate, weather, and natural hazards using the vantage point of space." The strategy will be to achieve enterprise goals by integrating research, applications, technology, and education programs. The plan will build on prior SSB reviews of a NASA science plan (in 2000) and an applications program plan (in 2002). NASA now seeks an independent review of the new strategic plan, which will be intended to present an integrated strategy for the program as a whole.

The Space Studies Board will organize an independent review of the draft strategic plan for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise. The NASA plan will be evaluated in term's of recent research strategies and other relevant reports of the National Academies and will provide comments in the following areas:

1. Does the draft Strategic Plan clearly and compellingly convey the direction of the Enterprise?

2. Does it effectively respond to the NASA Strategic Plan?

3. Does it describe an endeavor that stands as an important scientific program and makes needed contributions to broader national priorities?

4. Does it provide appropriate attention to interdisciplinary aspects, integration of technology development, and overall scientific balance?