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Letter Report
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From page 1... ... on a number of issues concerning the Science and Mission Roadmapl recently prepared as part of the Solar System Exploration science theme's contribution to strategic-planning activities conducted by NASA' s Office of Space Science. In particular, you asked that COMPLEX provide you with the following: .Perspecltives on the degree to which the Roadmap addressesthe priorities outlined in past COMPLEX reports; and .Recom[[lendations for strengthening the scientific rationale and mission priorities contained in the Roadmap. Read the entire page →
From page 2... ... Finally, the Roadmap appearsto strike an appropriate balance b(:tween the broad thematic goals of understanding origins and understanding planets advocated in COMPLEX's Integrated Strategy.2 These positives aside, COMPLEX has a number of serious concerns about particular aspectsof the Roadmap and the program of solar system exploration it advocates. These concerns are, in approximate order of priority, as follows: .The Roadmap does not clearly indicate the scientific objectives of solar system exploration and the critical measurementsthat must be made to meet these objectives, nor does it describe how existing or proposed missions will make these measurements. Read the entire page →
From page 3... ... In its 1996 assessmentof the Solar System Exploration Roadmap, COMPLEX commented that it is "important for the Roadmap's scientific objectives to be brought into sharper focus with some'indication of priorities for study and critical measurementsto be made."3 Through a combination of the factors listed above, the new Roadmap's scientific objectives have become even more diffuse than they were in the 1996 edition. Given the structural deficiencies in the current Roadmap, COMPLEX reiterates its 1996 recommendation that this document must clearly indicate scientific objectives and the critical measurementsthat mu:~tbe made to meet these objectives, describe how existing or proposed missions will make the'semeasurements,and indicate relative priorities. Read the entire page →
From page 4... ... ~ Sincerely, Claude Canizares John A .Wood Chair Chair Space Studies Board COMP LEX 4 Read the entire page →
From page 5... ... missions are indicated. The Roadmap also includes material explaining how solar system exploration activities relate to activities within the purview of OSS' s Astronomical Search for Origins and Sun-Earth Connection science themes. Read the entire page →
From page 6... ... GOAJLS, PRIORITIES, AND SCIENTIFIC FOUNDATIONS While the Roadmap appearsto strike an appropriate balance between the brQadthematic goals ofunderstandinj~ origins and understanding planets advocated in COMPLEX's Integrated Strategy,3 the style of presentation is inadequateto convey the detailed goals, priorities, or scientific foundations motivating solar system exploration. Sciencejustification for both existing and proposed mission lines is thin or missing and, as a result, does not substantiateNASA's goals and priorities in solar system exploration. Read the entire page →
From page 7... ... Additionally, with the exception of the Mars Surveyor line, the rationale for prioritization of goals and missions is absent both within and between mission lines. This apparent anonymity of the text is in marked contrast to the previous edition of the Roadmap, which expli,citly included material on how the document was created and by whom it was written, a factor COMPLEX regarded as a plus in its 1996 review.5 Without more information on the process used to draft the Roadmap, COMPLEX cannot comment on its fairness or credibility. Read the entire page →
From page 8... ... These considerations might not, however, be apparentto all readers. The Roadmap does not clearly describe the relationship between the proposed missions and their logical precursors. Read the entire page →
From page 9... ... 18COMPLEX: also supports the high priority given to the proposed Mars Sample Handling and Analysis program, since such an initiative is essential both to ensurethe scientific integrity of returned saJmples to maximize the scientific information gleaned from the and analysis of the samples.19The necessaryfacilities and protocols are required to be in place well in advance of the return of the martian samples.2°The description of the Mars Surveyor line does perhaps the best job of linking scientific objectives to specific missions and their sciencegoals. Given the recenltfailures of Mars Polar Lander and Mars Climate Orbiter, it is not clear to what extent the contents of this part of the Roadmap will stand the test of time. Read the entire page →
From page 10... ... 7 COMPLEX's most serious problem with this new line is that the suite of proposed missions lacks coherenceand sc~ems be a catchall for large missions. to While the origins and justification for a comet nucleus sample-return mission are well documented, the same'cannot be said for the other two missions proposed for this line, the Saturn Ring Observer and V t~nusSurface Sample Return. Read the entire page →
From page 11... ... Almost 25% of the earlier document was devoted to discussion of the key technologies and other capabilities necessaryto enable the featured missions, whereas disc:ussionof technological issues occupies less than 10% of the current document. What discussion there is is divided among the text devoted to the Outer Planets Read the entire page →
From page 12... ... statesthat "a companion technology roadmap will be published early in the year 2000." Nevertheless, the apparent decoupling of science and missions from technology is unfortunate in that it negates what COMPLEX vie~'ed as one of the strengths of the Roadmap's 1996 edition:3 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS COMPLEX finds that many of the missions and other activities identified in the current Roadmap addresskey priorities identified in reports issued by COMPLEX and other NRC committees. In particular, COMPLEX offers strong support for the Europa Orbiter, Pluto/Kuiper Express, and the Mars Surveyor and Discovery programs. Read the entire page →
From page 13... ... Given the deficilencies in the current Roadmap, COMPLEX reiterates the recommendation made in its assessmentof the Roadmap's 1996 edition that this document must clearly indicate scientific objectives and the critical measurementsthat must be made to meet these objectives, must describe how existing or proposed missions will make these measurements,and mu:stindicate relative priorities.34 Therefore COMPLEX recommendsthat the next Roadmap team be tasked to define a more scientifically compelling rationale for solar system exploration thaJl that currently provided by the three Quests. Such a restructtLfing is far beyond the scope of this brief report. Read the entire page →
From page 14... ... Addition of this material will help make the existing Roadmap more substantive until such time as a full revision can be undertaken. Read the entire page →
From page 15... ... APPENDIX Derived Outline of the December 1999 Roadmap Introduction 2 Executive Summary: 3 The Solar Syst(~m Exploration Program: 4 The Search for Origins in Our Solar System: 5 "Ground Truth" for the Astronomical Search for Origins: 6 The Quests Three Quests for Knowledge: 8 Quest I-Goals: 9 Process/Key Destinations: 11 Researchand Plllalysis: 12 Researchand Analysis Contributions to Quest 1: 14 Astrobiology and Solar System Exploration/Quest 1: 15 Quest 2-Goals: 17 Process/Key Destinations: 18 Researc:h and Analysis Contributions to Quest 2: 20 Astrobiology and Solar System Exploration/Quest 2: 21 Quest 3-Goals: 23 Process/Key Destinations: 25 Researc:h and Analysis Contributions to Quest 3: 26 Astrobiology and Solar System Exploration/Quest 3: 27 Education and Publi4= Outreach 29 Infusing Education and Public Outreach into Space Science Programs: 31 Space Science Education and Public Outreach "Ecosystem": 32 Space Education Standards and Benchmarks: 33 Solar System E~xploration Quests: 34 Quest 1-Standard and Benchmarks: 35 Quest 2-Standard and Benchmark: 36 Quest 3-Standard and Benchmarks: 37 The Programs 38 Continuing Programs: 40 Critical New Elements: 41 Why "To Build a Planet..."? : 42 Outer Planets Program-Exploring Organic-Rich Environments: 43 Current Missions: 45 Europa Lander Mission: 46 Titan Explorer Mission: 48 Neptune Orbiter Mission: 50 II Read the entire page →
From page 16... ... : 81 Formation and Evolution of Planetary Environments: 82 Comet Nucleus Sample Return: 84 Key Capabilities/Critical Questions: 85 Science Objectives: 86 New Technologies: 87 Venus Surface Sample Return: 88 Key Capabilities/Critical Questions: 89 Saturn Ring Observer Mission: 90 Key Capabilities/Critical Questions: 91 Other High-Priority Missions: 92 Technology ReadinessSummary: 96 Future Concepts: 98 Summary 99 Summary of R.ecommendations: lOO Critical New I~lements: 102 Top Priorities for Continuing Programs: 103 Key Capabilities for Recommended Missions: 104 Mission Timelines: 106 Integration of Space Science 107 Solar System ] ~xploration and Astronomical Search for Origins: 108 Solar System ] Read the entire page →
From page 17... ... 10SpaceStudies Board, National ResearchCouncil, An Integrated Strategy for the Planetary Sciences: 1995-2010, National Academy Press,Washington, D.C., 1994, pages 193-194. 1 Space Studies Board, National Research Council, Space Science in the Twenty-First Century J Imperatives for the Decades 1995-2015-So1ar and Space Physics, National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 19~:8, pages 41-43. Read the entire page →
From page 18... ... 18SpaceStudies Board, National ResearchCouncil, A Scientific Rationale for Mobility in Planetary Environments, National Academy Press,Washington, D.C., 1999, page 3. 19SpaceStudies Boarcl, National ResearchCouncil, "COMPLEX's AssessmentofNASA 's Mars Exploration Architect\lfe," letter report to Carl Pilcher, November 11, 1998, page 8. Read the entire page →
From page 19... ... 32Space Studies Board., National Research Council, Supporting Research and Data Analysis in NASA 's Science Programs-Enginesfor Innovation and Synthesis, National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 19~»8,pages 3-4. 33Space Studies Boardl,National ResearchCouncil, "Scientific AssessmentofNASA's Solar System Exploration Roadmap," letter report to Jurgen Rahe, August 23, 1996, pages 5 and 10. Read the entire page →

From page 1...

... on a number of issues concerning the Science and Mission Roadmapl recently prepared as part of the Solar System Exploration science theme's contribution to strategic-planning activities conducted by NASA' s Office of Space Science. In particular, you asked that COMPLEX provide you with the following: .Perspecltives on the degree to which the Roadmap addressesthe priorities outlined in past COMPLEX reports; and .Recom[[lendations for strengthening the scientific rationale and mission priorities contained in the Roadmap.

Letter Report Pages 1-19

Letter Report
Pages 1-19