edge in many other areas as well, they were selected explicitly to address one or more of the important themes listed above.

In addition, the committee believes that astronomers can make important contributions to education. Building on widespread interest in astronomical discoveries, astronomers should:

• Use astronomy as a gateway to enhance the public’s understanding of science and as a catalyst to improve teachers’ education in science and to advance interdisciplinary training of the technical work force.

The United States has been generous in its support of astronomy and astrophysics and as a result enjoys a leading role in almost all areas of astronomy and astrophysics. So that the nation can continue to obtain maximum scientific return on its investment, the committee makes several recommendations to optimize the system of support for astronomical research.

An effective program of astronomy and astrophysics research must balance the need for initiatives to address new opportunites with completion of projects accorded high scientific priority in previous surveys.

• The committee reaffirms the recommendations of the 1991 Astronomy and Astrophysics Survey Committee (NRC, 1991) by endorsing the completion of the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF), the Millimeter Array (MMA; now part of the Atacama Large Millimeter Array, or ALMA), the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), and the Astrometric Interferometry Mission (now called the Space Interferometry Mission, or SIM). Consistent with the recommendations of the Task Group on Space Astronomy and Astrophysics (NRC, 1997), the committee stresses the importance of studying the cosmic

Front Matter (R1-R24)

Executive Summary (1-16)

1. Recommendations (17-50)

2. The Science Behind the Recommendations (51-94)

3. The New Initiatives: Building on the Current Program (95-136)

4. Benefits to the Nation from Astronomy (137-158)

5. The Role of Astronomy in Education (159-176)

6. Policy for Astronomy and Astrophysics (177-208)

References (209-212)

Appendix: Definitions (213-228)

Index (229-246)