National Academies Press: OpenBook

Exoplanet Science Strategy (2018)

Chapter: Front Matter

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×

EXOPLANET
SCIENCE
STRATEGY

Committee on Exoplanet Science Strategy

Space Studies Board

Board on Physics and Astronomy

Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences

A Consensus Study Report of

images

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
Washington, DC
www.nap.edu

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001

This study is based on work supported by Contract NNH11CD57B with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of any agency or organization that provided support for the project.

International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-47941-7
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-47941-X
Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.17226/25187

Cover design by Tim Warchocki

Copies of this publication are available free of charge from

Space Studies Board
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Keck Center
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001

Additional copies of this publication are available from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Keck 360, Washington, DC 20001; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313; http://www.nap.edu.

Copyright 2018 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

Suggested citation: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25187.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×

Image

The National Academy of Sciences was established in 1863 by an Act of Congress, signed by President Lincoln, as a private, nongovernmental institution to advise the nation on issues related to science and technology. Members are elected by their peers for outstanding contributions to research. Dr. Marcia McNutt is president.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to bring the practices of engineering to advising the nation. Members are elected by their peers for extraordinary contributions to engineering. Dr. C. D. Mote, Jr., is president.

The National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) was established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to advise the nation on medical and health issues. Members are elected by their peers for distinguished contributions to medicine and health. Dr. Victor J. Dzau is president.

The three Academies work together as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions. The National Academies also encourage education and research, recognize outstanding contributions to knowledge, and increase public understanding in matters of science, engineering, and medicine.

Learn more about the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine at www.nationalacademies.org.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×

Image

Consensus Study Reports published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine document the evidence-based consensus on the study’s statement of task by an authoring committee of experts. Reports typically include findings, conclusions, and recommendations based on information gathered by the committee and the committee’s deliberations. Each report has been subjected to a rigorous and independent peer-review process and it represents the position of the National Academies on the statement of task.

Proceedings published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine chronicle the presentations and discussions at a workshop, symposium, or other event convened by the National Academies. The statements and opinions contained in proceedings are those of the participants and are not endorsed by other participants, the planning committee, or the National Academies.

For information about other products and activities of the National Academies, please visit www.nationalacademies.org/about/whatwedo.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×

COMMITTEE ON EXOPLANET SCIENCE STRATEGY

DAVID CHARBONNEAU, NAS,1 Harvard University, Co-Chair

B. SCOTT GAUDI, Ohio State University, Co-Chair

FABIENNE A. BASTIEN, Pennsylvania State University

JACOB BEAN, University of Chicago

JUSTIN R. CREPP, University of Notre Dame

ELIZA KEMPTON, University of Maryland

CHRYSSA KOUVELIOTOU, NAS, The George Washington University

BRUCE A. MACINTOSH, Stanford University

DIMITRI P. MAWET, California Institute of Technology

VICTORIA S. MEADOWS, University of Washington

RUTH MURRAY-CLAY, University of California, Santa Cruz

EVGENYA L. SHKOLNIK, Arizona State University

IGNAS SNELLEN, Leiden University

ALYCIA J. WEINBERGER, Carnegie Institution of Washington

Staff

NATHAN J. BOLL, Associate Program Officer, Study Director (after May 2018)

DAVID B. LANG, Senior Program Officer, Study Director (until May 2018)

ARTHUR A. CHARO, Senior Program Officer

CHRISTOPHER J. JONES, Program Officer

DIONNA WISE, Program Coordinator

LAURA J. CUMMINGS, Berkner Space Policy Intern

MICHAEL H. MOLONEY, Director, Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board and Space Studies Board (until April 2018)

RICHARD ROWBERG, Interim Director, Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board and Space Studies Board (April 2018 through July 2018)

COLLEEN HARTMAN, Director, Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board and Space Studies Board (after July 2018)

JAMES C. LANCASTER, Director, Board on Physics and Astronomy

___________________

1 Member, National Academy of Sciences.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×

SPACE STUDIES BOARD

FIONA A. HARRISON, NAS,1 California Institute of Technology, Chair

JAMES H. CROCKER, NAE,2 Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company (Retired), Vice Chair

GREGORY P. ASNER, NAS, Carnegie Institution for Science

JEFF M. BINGHAM, Consultant

ADAM BURROWS, NAS, Princeton University

MARY LYNNE DITTMAR, Dittmar Associates, Inc.

JOSEPH FULLER, JR., Futron Corporation

SARAH GIBSON, National Center for Atmospheric Research

VICTORIA HAMILTON, Southwest Research Institute

CHRYSSA KOUVELIOTOU, NAS, The George Washington University

DENNIS P. LETTENMAIER, NAE, University of California, Los Angeles

ROSALY M. C. LOPES, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

STEPHEN J. MACKWELL, Universities Space Research Association

DAVID J. McCOMAS, Princeton University

LARRY PAXTON, Johns Hopkins University

ELIOT QUATAERT, University of California, Berkeley

BARBARA SHERWOOD LOLLAR, University of Toronto

HARLAN E. SPENCE, University of New Hampshire

MARK H. THIEMENS, NAS, University of California, San Diego

ERIKA B. WAGNER, Blue Origin, LLC

PAUL D. WOOSTER, Space Exploration Technologies

EDWARD L. WRIGHT, NAS, University of California, Los Angeles

Staff

MICHAEL H. MOLONEY, Director (until April 2018)

RICHARD ROWBERG, Interim Director (April 2018 through July 2018)

COLLEEN HARTMAN, Director (after July 2018)

CARMELA J. CHAMBERLAIN, Administrative Coordinator (until June 2018)

TANJA PILZAK, Manager, Program Operations

CELESTE A. NAYLOR, Information Management Associate

MARGARET A. KNEMEYER, Financial Officer

ANTHONY BRYANT, Financial Associate (until August 2018)

___________________

1 Member, National Academy of Sciences.

2 Member, National Academy of Engineering.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×

BOARD ON PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY

BARBARA V. JACAK, NAS,1 Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Chair

ABRAHAM LOEB, Harvard University, Vice Chair

LOUIS F. DIMAURO, The Ohio State University

FRANCIS J. DISALVO, NAS, Cornell University

NATHANIEL J. FISCH, Princeton University

DANIEL S. FISHER, NAS, Stanford University

WENDY L. FREEDMAN, NAS, University of Chicago

TIMOTHY M. HECKMAN, NAS, Johns Hopkins University

WENDELL T. HILL III, University of Maryland

ALAN HURD, Los Alamos National Laboratory

BARBARA A. JONES, IBM Almaden Research Center

ANDREW J. LANKFORD, University of California, Irvine

NERGIS MAVALVALA, NAS, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

LYMAN A. PAGE, JR., NAS, Princeton University

STEVEN M. RITZ, University of California, Santa Cruz

Staff

JAMES C. LANCASTER, Director

DONALD SHAPIRO, Senior Scholar

CHRISTOPHER J. JONES, Program Officer

NEERAJ GORKHALY, Associate Program Officer

HENRY KO, Research Associate

LINDA WALKER, Program Coordinator

BETH DOLAN, Financial Associate

___________________

1 Member, National Academy of Sciences.

Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×

This page intentionally left blank.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×

Preface

The NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2017 directed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to engage the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in the development of a science strategy for the study and exploration of extrasolar planets in preparation for, and as an input to, the upcoming decadal surveys in astronomy and astrophysics and in planetary science. The NASA Science Mission Directorate then enlisted the Space Studies Board (SSB) and the Board on Physics and Astronomy to establish the Committee on Exoplanet Science Strategy. This committee was charged with surveying the status of the field and outlining key scientific questions for future research, as well as identifying opportunities for coordination with international, commercial, and not-for-profit partners. The complete statement of task is reprinted in Appendix A.

To address its task, the committee convened three in-person meetings and numerous teleconferences during its work from December 2017 through August 2018. The meetings included extensive conversations with the exoplanet science community, including leadership from NASA and the National Science Foundation, and featured presentations from a broad range of stakeholders, including mission scientists, individual investigators, international representatives, and philanthropic organizations. In addition, the committee issued a broad call for white papers that was targeted at the astronomy community, but open to anyone who wished to provide input to the study process. The complete white paper call and a list of the submitted white papers are reprinted in Appendix B. The full text of the submitted white papers is also available on the committee’s website. Throughout this process, the committee coordinated its work with the concurrent National Academies Committee on the State of the Science of Astrobiology.

The committee would like to thank the many generous individuals throughout the exoplanet science community and its supporting institutions who contributed to the study process through presentations, written input, and discussions. A special thanks goes to the staff from the National Academies: David Lang, Nathan Boll, Chris Jones, Art Charo, Dionna Wise, Jim Lancaster, Richard Rowberg, Colleen Hartman, and former SSB director Michael Moloney.

Dave Charbonneau and Scott Gaudi, Co-Chairs
Committee on Exoplanet Science Strategy

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×

This page intentionally left blank.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×

Acknowledgment of Reviewers

This Consensus Study Report was reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in making each published report as sound as possible and to ensure that it meets the institutional standards for quality, objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process.

We thank the following individuals for their review of this report:

Although the reviewers listed above provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommendations of this report nor did they see the final draft before its release. The review of this report was overseen by Marcia J. Rieke, NAS, University of Arizona. She was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with the standards of the National Academies and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content rests entirely with the authoring committee and the National Academies.

___________________

1 Member, National Academy of Engineering.

2 Member, National Academy of Sciences.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×

This page intentionally left blank.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×
Page R1
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×
Page R2
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×
Page R3
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×
Page R4
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×
Page R5
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×
Page R6
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×
Page R7
Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×
Page R8
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×
Page R9
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×
Page R10
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×
Page R11
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×
Page R12
Page xiii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×
Page R13
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Exoplanet Science Strategy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25187.
×
Page R14
Next: Summary »
Exoplanet Science Strategy Get This Book
×
Buy Paperback | $65.00 Buy Ebook | $54.99
MyNAP members save 10% online.
Login or Register to save!
Download Free PDF

The past decade has delivered remarkable discoveries in the study of exoplanets. Hand-in-hand with these advances, a theoretical understanding of the myriad of processes that dictate the formation and evolution of planets has matured, spurred on by the avalanche of unexpected discoveries. Appreciation of the factors that make a planet hospitable to life has grown in sophistication, as has understanding of the context for biosignatures, the remotely detectable aspects of a planet's atmosphere or surface that reveal the presence of life.

Exoplanet Science Strategy highlights strategic priorities for large, coordinated efforts that will support the scientific goals of the broad exoplanet science community. This report outlines a strategic plan that will answer lingering questions through a combination of large, ambitious community-supported efforts and support for diverse, creative, community-driven investigator research.

  1. ×

    Welcome to OpenBook!

    You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

    Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features?

    No Thanks Take a Tour »
  2. ×

    Show this book's table of contents, where you can jump to any chapter by name.

    « Back Next »
  3. ×

    ...or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one.

    « Back Next »
  4. ×

    Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Also, you can type in a page number and press Enter to go directly to that page in the book.

    « Back Next »
  5. ×

    Switch between the Original Pages, where you can read the report as it appeared in print, and Text Pages for the web version, where you can highlight and search the text.

    « Back Next »
  6. ×

    To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter.

    « Back Next »
  7. ×

    Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email.

    « Back Next »
  8. ×

    View our suggested citation for this chapter.

    « Back Next »
  9. ×

    Ready to take your reading offline? Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available.

    « Back Next »
Stay Connected!