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Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019 (2021)

Chapter: 2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership

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Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
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2
Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership

The Space Studies Board (SSB) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and its discipline committees provide strategic direction for and oversee activities of its ad hoc study committees (see Chapter 3), interact with sponsors, and serve as a communications conduit between the government and the scientific community. The board also functions at the U.S. National Committee for the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR). The board does not provide formal advice and recommendations and, therefore, is not subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Section 15.

During 2019, the SSB had five discipline committees, the Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Science (CAPS), the Committee on Astronomy and Astrophysics (CAA; jointly with the Board on Physics and Astronomy, BPA), the Committee on Earth Science and Applications from Space (CESAS), the Committee on Solar and Space Physics (CSSP), and the Committee on Biological and Physical Sciences in Space (CBPSS; jointly with the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board, ASEB), representing various disciplines. CBPSS started the year as a standing committee and was reformed as a discipline committee in March, enabling it to write brief reports on specific questions related to the implementation of the decadal report or its midterm review. A discipline committee functions the same as a standing committee, but the new status enables them to also draft publications containing consensus conclusions and findings on the implementation of their respective decadal surveys, which makes them subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Section 15.

SPACE STUDIES BOARD

HIGHLIGHTS OF SPACE STUDIES BOARD ACTIVITIES

The SSB met April 30-May 4, 2019, at the National Academies’ Keck Center in Washington, DC. The first day was joint with the ASEB. The boards received updates on the activities of the National Space Council (Ryan Whitley, director of Civil Space Policy); the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP; Kelvin Droegemeier, director); the NASA Human Exploration Mission Directorate (HEOMD; William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator); the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD; Therese Griebel, deputy associate administrator for Programs); the Department of Commerce, Office of Space Commerce (OSC; Kevin O’Connell, director); and the Federal Aviation Administration Commercial Space Transportation office (CST; Kelvin Coleman, deputy associate administrator). The boards also received an update on the National Academies’ Space Technology Industry-Government-University Roundtable (STIGUR) from its chair Wanda Sigur. Board member David McComas (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory) gave a science talk on “Our Heliospere’s Interstellar Interaction: Recent Observations and Discoveries.” Day 2 was devoted to the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD), the board’s internal discipline committees, and a panel discussion on Lunar Space Science and Exploration. The SSB received updates from and

Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
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had discussions with Thomas Zurbuchen (associate administrator for NASA SMD) and representatives from the four SMD divisions (Paul Hertz, Astrophysics Division director; Paula Bontempi, Earth Science Division [ESD] acting deputy division director; Nicola Fox, Heliophysics Division director; and Lori Glaze, Planetary Science Division [PSD] director). The board then received updates from co-chairs from its five discipline committees (Christopher House, CAPS; Steven Ritz and Vicki Kalogera, CAA; Robert Ferl, CBPSS; Chelle Gentemann, CESAS; and Sarah Gibson, CSSP). The board then had a panel discussion on lunar space science and exploration, moderated by board member Steve Mackwell, that included Jim Green (NASA Chief Scientist), Steve Clarke (SMD deputy associate administrator for exploration), Sarah Noble (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center), Amanda Hendrix (Planetary Science Institute), and Orethal Tucker (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center). The board also had a discussion with European Space Sciences Committee (ESSC) representatives Athena Coustenis (chair) and Nicolas Walter (staff). Day 3 was an executive session for closed committee discussions.

The SSB Executive Committee (XCOM) met via videoconference on August 26, 2019. The XCOM focuses on strategic discussions about the future of the board; this meeting did not include any outside participants.

The SSB fall meeting was held November 6-8, 2019, at the National Academies’ Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center in Irvine, California. The board was briefed on and had discussions about the NASA SMD program and budget (Michael New, NASA SMD). The board held a session on the challenges and opportunities identified by the discipline committees of the SSB and the ASEB (represented by the discipline committee co-chairs Vicky Kalogera and Tom Greene, CAA; Sarah Gibson and Maura Hagan, CSSP; Chelle Gentemann and Steve Running, CESAS; Chris House and Bill McKinnon, CAPS; and Rob Ferl and Dava Newman, CBPSS). Board member David McComas then moderated a conversation with the NASA Advisory Committee (NAC) chairs or their representatives on how the SSB could be of service (Meenakshi Wadhwa, Science Committee; Michael Liemohn, Heliophysics; Amy Mainzer, Planetary Science; Leonidas Moustakas, Astrophysics; David Saah, Applied Sciences; and James Marshall Shepherd, Earth Science). Open session on the first day concluded with an update from the ESSC (Athena Coustenis, chair). The second day included an update on the National Space Council (NSC) Users’ Advisory Group from NSC member General Lester Lyles. Christine Borgman (University of California, Los Angeles) gave a well-received keynote presentation on data, infrastructure, and stewardship. A panel discussion on utilizing big data to maximize scientific output was held, followed by a panel on the future of scientific journals. A session followed on humans and long-duration space missions, including an update and discussion on NASA planetary protection protocols (Alan Stern, Southwest Research Institute and chair of an external team reviewing NASA planetary protection protocols), NASA plans for planetary protection for human missions (Lisa Pratt, NASA planetary protection officer), and a panel on astronaut health during long-duration space missions.

SPACE STUDIES BOARD MEMBERSHIP

July 1, 2018-June 30, 2019

Margaret G. Kivelson, NAS, University of California, Los Angeles (chair)

James H. Crocker, NAE, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company (Retired) (vice chair)

Gregory P. Asner, NAS, Carnegie Institution for Science

Jeff M. Bingham, U.S. Senate (Retired)

Adam Burrows, NAS, Princeton University

Mary Lynne Dittmar, Coalition for Deep Space Exploration

Jeff Dozier, University of California, Santa Barbara

Joseph Fuller, Jr., Futron Corporation

Sarah Gibson, National Center for Atmospheric Research

Victoria Hamilton, Southwest Research Institute

Chryssa Kouveliotou, NAS, George Washington University

July 1, 2019-June 30, 2020

Margaret G. Kivelson, NAS, University of California, Los Angeles (chair)

James H. Crocker, NAE, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company (Retired) (vice chair)

Gregory P. Asner, NAS, Carnegie Institution for Science

Jeff M. Bingham, U.S. Senate (Retired)

Adam Burrows, NAS, Princeton University

Mary Lynne Dittmar, Coalition for Deep Space Exploration

Jeff Dozier, University of California, Santa Barbara

Victoria Hamilton, Southwest Research Institute

Chryssa Kouveliotou, NAS, George Washington University

Dennis P. Lettenmaier, NAE, University of California, Los Angeles

Rosaly M. Lopes, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×

Dennis P. Lettenmaier, NAE, University of California, Los Angeles

Rosaly M. Lopes, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Stephen J. Mackwell, Universities Space Research Association

David J. McComas, Princeton University

Larry J. Paxton, Johns Hopkins University

Eliot Quataert, NAS, 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

Stephen J. Mackwell, Universities Space Research Association

David J. McComas, Princeton University

Larry J. Paxton, Johns Hopkins University

Eliot Quataert, NAS, University of California, Berkeley

Mark P. Saunders, Independent Consultant1

Barbara Sherwood Lollar, University of Toronto

Howard J. Singer, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration*

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

Ex Officio and Liaison Participants

Charles F. Kennel, NAS, University of California, San Diego (liaison; U.S. Representative to COSPAR)

Alan H. Epstein, NAE, Pratt & Whitney (ex-officio; chair, Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board)

Athena Coustenis, National Centre for Scientific Research of France (liaison; chair, ESSC)

Membership of the SSB Executive Committee

July 1, 2018-June 30, 2019

Margaret G. Kivelson, NAS, University of California, Los Angeles (chair)

James H. Crocker, NAE, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company (Retired) (vice chair)

Jeff M. Bingham, U.S. Senate (Retired)

Mary Lynne Dittmar, Coalition for Deep Space Exploration

Joseph Fuller, Jr., Futron Corporation

Sarah Gibson, National Center for Atmospheric Research

Chryssa Kouveliotou, NAS, George Washington University

Rosaly M. Lopes, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Mark H. Thiemens, NAS, University of California, San Diego

July 1, 2019-June 30, 2020

Margaret G. Kivelson, NAS, University of California, Los Angeles (chair)

James H. Crocker, NAE, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company (Retired) (vice chair)

Jeff M. Bingham, U.S. Senate (Retired)

Mary Lynne Dittmar, Coalition for Deep Space Exploration

Chryssa Kouveliotou, NAS, George Washington University

Rosaly M. Lopes, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Mark H. Thiemens, NAS, University of California, San Diego

Staff

Colleen N. Hartman, Director for Space and Aeronautics

Arthur A. Charo, Senior Program Officer

Sandra J. Graham, Senior Program Officer

David H. Smith, Senior Program Officer

Dwayne A. Day, Senior Program Officer, ASEB

___________________

1 Joined July 25, 2019.

*Staff from other boards who are shared with SSB.

Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×

Abigail A. Sheffer, Senior Program Officer

Daniel Nagasawa, Associate Program Officer (from July)

Sarah Brothers, Associate Program Officer (through August)

Nathan Boll, Associate Program Officer (through April)

Meg A. Knemeyer, Financial Officer

Celeste A. Naylor, Information Management Associate

Tanja E. Pilzak, Manager, Program Operations

Nia Johnson, Senior Research Associate (May-October)

Mia Brown, Research Associate

Andrea Rebholz, Program Coordinator

Dionna Wise, Program Coordinator

Megan Chamberlain, Senior Program Assistant (from September)

Gaybrielle Holbert, Program Assistant (from February)

Anesia Wilks, Senior Program Assistant (through May)

Christine Mirzayan Fellow

Sara Crandall, Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellow

Space Policy Interns

Benjamin Cassese, 2019 Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Intern

Pheobe Kinzelman, 2019 Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Intern

Jordan McKaig, 2019 Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Intern

Sarah Moran, 2019 Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Intern

Osase Omoruyi, 2019 Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Intern

Stephen Tames, 2019 Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Intern

U.S. NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR COSPAR

COSPAR activities in 2019 began with its annual round of business meetings in Paris, France, on March 18-21, 2019, which included meetings of the COSPAR Bureau and the science program committees for the 2019 symposium in Israel and the 2020 scientific assembly in Australia. The March meeting also included a detailed briefing about the decisions made by COSPAR’s leadership during a strategic seminar held at Caron, in the south of France, on December 3-4, 2018. The strategic seminar was held to develop strategies whereby COSPAR can become financially sustainable and have increased impact. The output of the seminar was a plan describing a series of activities to be undertaken by the leaders and volunteers of COSPAR that will, “in fact and in perception establish COSPAR’s unique importance for each of its constituents and stakeholders. The actions also recognize that in certain cases there are opportunities for increased income, which will enable a sustainable financial future for COSPAR.”

COSPAR held its 4th Symposium in Herzliya, Israel, on November 4-8. Daniel Nagasawa, associate program officer, attended the meeting in Israel, which focused on small satellites for sustainable science and development. The next major events are the annual business meetings in Paris, France, on March 16-19, 2020, and the 43rd COSPAR Scientific Assembly in Sydney, Australia, on August 15-23, 2020. The Sydney meeting has been delayed until January 2021 and will be held mostly virtual. Additional information about COSPAR is available at https://cosparhq.cnes.fr/.

U.S. Representative to COSPAR

Charles F. Kennel, NAS, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego

Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×

Staff

David H. Smith, Senior Program Officer (Executive Secretary of U.S. National Committee for COSPAR) Andrea Rebholz, Program Coordinator

DISCIPLINE COMMITTEES

During the first quarter of 2019, the five discipline committees met in plenary and parallel at the March 26-28, 2019, Space Science Week. During the afternoon of March 26, all five committees met in plenary, which commenced with comments from Colleen Hartman (SSB director). Thomas Zurbuchen (NASA SMD associate administrator) provided an overview of the NASA SMD budget, lunar program, science at the gateway, and diversity and inclusion, and concluded by taking questions from the audience. The plenary session also included a focus session on “Areas of International Cooperation in the Program of Record and Near- to Long-term Challenges.” During the focus session, the committees heard talks from Fabio Favata (European Space Agency [ESA] Space Science), Xiaolong Dong (Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Space Science Center), Masaki Fujimoto (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency [JAXA] Institute of Space and Astronautical Science), Len Fisk (COSPAR), David Parker (ESA Human and Robotic Exploration), Steve Volz (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA], National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service [NESDIS]), and Thomas Zurbuchen (NASA SMD). Closing comments were provided by John Grunsfeld. On the evening of March 27, Eric Rignot from the University of California, Irvine, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory gave a well-received public lecture on “Sea Level Rise from Melting Ice Sheets.” A recording of the livestream is available at https://livestream.com/NASEM/SeaLevelRise.

COMMITTEE ON ASTROBIOLOGY AND PLANETARY SCIENCE

CAPS began 2019 with the release of two short reports addressing aspects of NASA’s lunar science and exploration initiative. Both short reports were commissioned by NASA’s SMD in 2018. Work on the first of these two reports, Review of the Planetary Science Aspects of NASA SMD’s Lunar Science and Exploration Initiative, was initiated during the CAPS meeting in March 2018. It addresses the following tasks:

  1. Review the Planetary Science Division portion of NASA’s plans for the lunar science and exploration initiative; and
  2. Determine if NASA’s plans are consistent with Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022 and other National Academies reports.

Work on the second of these two reports, Review of the Commercial Aspects of NASA SMD’s Lunar Science and Exploration Initiative, was initiated during the CAPS meeting in September 2018. It addresses the following tasks:

  1. Discuss how new commercial ventures could provide realistic opportunities to address meaningful lunar science and exploration objectives; and
  2. Suggest other activities that might be undertaken before the completion of the next planetary science decadal survey that could expand our lunar knowledge and capabilities and that are consistent with Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022.

The two reports were approved for release on January 17, 2019, and January 2, 2019, respectively, and publicly released the following month. The reports are reproduced in Chapter 5.

CAPS held its first meeting of 2019 on March 26-28 in Washington, DC, as part of the 2019 Space Science Week. The committee welcomed three new members: Katharine H. Freeman, NAS, Pennsylvania State University; Melissa A. McGrath, SETI Institute; and Clive R. Neal, University of Notre Dame. The committee heard updates from NASA’s Planetary Science Division and Astrobiology program, multiple missions that are in-progress, and missions currently in development. The principal items of discussion were four-fold. First, the role of functioning research coordination networks in the Astrobiology program. Second, cost overruns in the development of

Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×

the sample handling system and instrumentation for Mars 2020. Third, the deletion of the ICEMAG instrument from Europa Clipper and NASA’s plans to substitute a facility magnetometer in its place. Fourth, planning for the committee’s September meeting, devoted to organizational issues relating to the planned initiation of the next planetary science decadal survey in the first quarter of 2020.

CAPS held its second meeting on September 10-12, 2019, at the Keck Institute for Space Studies at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California. The meeting was devoted to organizational issues associated with the planned initiation of the next planetary science decadal survey in 2020. The meeting was organized around a series of panel discussions addressing issues such as input from the advisory/analysis groups; lessons learned from previous decadal surveys; survey organization; white papers; and community outreach and inclusion. CAPS also heard perspectives from NASA, the National Science Foundation (NSF), ESA, and JAXA. A major topic of discussion concerned alternative models for the organization of the decadal survey’s supporting panels.

In late September, CAPS received a request from Lori Glaze, director of NASA’ PSD, to draft a short report at its March 2020 meeting, addressing topics related to the mission options for the announcement of opportunity for the fifth New Frontiers mission.

Committee staff participated in the September 15-20, 2019, joint meeting of the American Astronomical Society’s Division for Planetary Science and the European Planetary Science Congress in Geneva, Switzerland. The activities at the event included a town hall to discuss the status of planning for the next decadal survey (committee staff with NASA PSD division director Lori Glaze), committee staff participation (with representatives from NASA, ESA, NSF, and COSPAR) during the Space Exploration Night, and participation of committee staff during the Ice Giants Mission Workshop and the Outer Planets Assessment Group (OPAG) splinter meeting.

More information on CAPS is available at https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/committee-onastrobiology-and-planetary-sciences.

A historical selection of SSB advisory publications on astrobiology and planetary protection is presented in Figure 2.1. A historical summary of a selection of SSB advisory publications on solar system exploration is presented in Figure 2.2.

Membership

Christopher H. House, Pennsylvania State University (co-chair)

William B. McKinnon, Washington University (co-chair)

Erik Asphaug, University of Arizona

Sushil K. Atreya, University of Michigan (through January)

Ronald Breaker, NAS, Yale University

John Clarke, Boston University (through January)

Bethany L. Ehlmann, California Institute of Technology

Katherine H. Freeman, NAS, Pennsylvania State University (from March 23)

Alexander G. Hayes, Cornell University

Sarah M. Hörst, Johns Hopkins University

James F. Kasting, NAS, Pennsylvania State University

Edwin S. Kite, University of Chicago

Melissa A. McGrath, SETI Institute (from March 23)

Clive R. Neal, University of Notre Dame (from March 23)

Alyssa Rhoden, Arizona State University (through May 29)

Nita Sahai, University of Akron

Mark P. Saunders, Independent Consultant

David J. Stevenson, NAS, California Institute of Technology

Staff

David H. Smith, Senior Program Officer

Mia Brown, Research Associate

Megan Chamberlain, Senior Program Assistant (from October)

Andrea Rebholz, Program Coordinator (through September)

Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Image
FIGURE 2.1 SSB advice associated with CAPS—astrobiology and planetary protection (1965-2019).
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Image
FIGURE 2.2 SSB advice associated with CAPS—solar system exploration (1969-2019). Origins of life topics are covered in Figure 2.1.
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×

COMMITTEE ON ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS

CAA held its spring meeting March 26-27, as part of the 2019 Space Science Week. The committee received programmatic updates from Paul Hertz, NASA Astrophysics Division, Richard Green, NSF’s Division of Astronomical Sciences, and Eric Linder, the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of High Energy Physics. The committee received status and schedule updates on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) from Gregory Robinson, NASA, Jonathan P. Gardner, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and a follow-up report from the JWST Independent Review Board by A. Thomas Young. Jamie Dunn and Jeffrey Kruk, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, presented a status report and science and technical update on Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST). In addition, Steve Kahn, Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) director, provided the committee with update on the project status and plans for operations for LSST. This was followed by Federica Bianco, University of Delaware, who provided an overview of LSST science collaborations. The final presentation was a science-focused talk from Karin Öberg, Harvard University, regarding the Astrochemical Origins of Planets and Planetary Habitability. The committee also heard a presentation and had a discussion with Astro2020 Co-Chairs Fiona Harrison and Robert Kennicutt.

CAA held its fall meeting as a half-day teleconference on November 26, 2019. Representatives from NASA, NSF, DOE, and the Astro2020 decadal survey provided updates. The next meeting of CAA will take place in Washington, DC, on March 31-April 2 as part of the 2020 Space Science Week. For additional information about CAA, including links to presentations and agendas, please go to https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/committee-on-astronomy-and-astrophysics.

A historical selection of SSB advisory publications on astronomy and astrophysics is presented in Figure 2.3.

Membership

Tom Greene, NASA Ames Research Center (co-chair from October, member prior)

Vassiliki (Vicky) Kalogera, NAS, Northwestern University (co-chair)

Steven M. Ritz, University of California, Santa Cruz (co-chair) (through October)

Megan Donahue, Michigan State University (through June)

Shaul Hanany, University of Minnesota

Lee W. Hartmann, University of Michigan

Elizabeth Hays, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Jason Kalirai, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

Jeffrey R. Kuhn, University of Hawaii, Manoa (from October)

Bruce Macintosh, Stanford University (through June)

Christopher F. McKee, NAS, University of California, Berkeley

Scott M. Ransom, National Radio Astronomy Observatory

Kate Scholberg, Duke University (from October)

Joseph Silk, NAS, Universite Pierre et Marie Curie (from October)

Alexey Vikhlinin, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

Alycia J. Weinberger, Carnegie Institution of Washington (from October)

Eric M. Wilcots, University of Wisconsin, Madison (through October)

A. Thomas Young, NAE, Lockheed Martin Corporation (retired)

Staff

Gregory Mack, Senior Program Officer, BPA

Mia Brown, Research Associate, SSB

Dionna Wise, Program Coordinator, SSB

Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Image
FIGURE 2.3 SSB advice associated with CAA—astronomy and astrophysics (1979-2019).
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×

COMMITTEE ON BIOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES IN SPACE

During this period, CBPSS was reformulated as a discipline committee, enabling it to write brief reports on specific questions related to the implementation of the decadal report or its midterm review. The membership of the committee was also reconstituted during this period, with appointments of both previously serving and new members, including Dava Newman (Massachusetts Institute of Technology [MIT]), who joined Rob Ferl as committee co-chair.

The new committee met on March 26-28 as part of the 2019 Space Science Week in Washington, DC. The meeting was designed to address several key questions, such as the role of non-NASA agencies, identified by the committee in prior discussions with NASA as crucial to planning the upcoming decadal study in life and physical sciences (LPS) in space. On the first day, the committee heard from Craig Kundrot on Space Life and Physical Sciences Research and Applications (SLPSRA) program activities, including the status of the International Space Station (ISS) transition planning, and Dominique Langevin provided an update from the ESSC panel on life and physical sciences. The committee also discussed its new charge and the status of decadal planning in preparation for the next day’s symposium. The day concluded in afternoon plenary with the other discipline committees of the SSB, where panelists discussed international programs and collaboration. CBPSS devoted its second day to a symposium titled “Issues Informing the Decadal Study.” Online access information for the symposium had been publicized to the relevant science community, which was able to follow the live discussions and presentations as well as ask questions. The morning session included a NASA technology leaders forum where the role of “technology pull” on the decadal was extensively discussed. A presentation was also given by Robert Hoyt of Tethers Unlimited on the role of in-space manufacturing in supporting and driving research relevant to the decadal. The early afternoon included a talk and an industry panel on commercial platforms and capabilities expected to be available to support orbital LPS research in the 2024-2034 timeframe. The committee also heard a presentation from Yusuf Khan of the University of Connecticut on the emerging field of regenerative medicine and engineering. This was followed by a panel of representatives from NSF, the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Defense, who talked about current joint activities with NASA and future research interests relevant to the decadal study. On the third morning, the committee discussed with SLPSRA representatives what had been learned, or confirmed, during the previous day and how this should be applied to the development of the decadal statement of task. It was also agreed that regular meetings would be scheduled between NASA and CBPSS staff in order to move the decadal task statement development forward.

During the summer, discussions continued with NASA and stakeholders on the details of tasks that should be incorporated into the next decadal survey on biological and physical sciences. Additional stakeholder input for this activity was collected during the July 29 to August 1, 2019, ISS Research and Development Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, which was attended by committee director Sandra Graham and co-chair Rob Ferl.

CBPSS met on October 29-31, 2019, in Irvine, California, for discussions about the upcoming decadal survey on life and physical sciences in space. SLPSRA Director Craig Kundrot began the first day of the meeting with an overview of recent SLPSRA accomplishments and organizational changes, future plans, and forecasts of program challenges and opportunities. Robyn Gatens, NASA, briefed the committee on NASA’s plans to foster the developing low Earth orbit (LEO) economy. Cindy Martin-Brennan, ISSNL, explained the role CASIS (now ISSNL) plays in catalyzing commercial LEO activities. Brad Carpenter, NASA, summarized the Fundamental Physics program’s current activities and goals, including the Cold Atom Laboratory. Fran Chiaramonte, NASA, explained how physical sciences benefits from ISS access and enables further scientific investigations in space, highlighting advancements in carbon dioxide removal and capillary flow research. David Tomko, NASA, presented current space biology investigations, emphasizing enabling the role of inter-agency collaboration and new capabilities at NASA centers. Bill Paloski, NASA, reviewed the Human Research Program (HRP) status and future plans, focusing on current ISS studies advancing human exploration of the Moon and Mars. The first day ended with a discussion of which specific discipline areas and challenges should be included in the scope of the next decadal survey. The second day began with presentations from additional NASA directorates and divisions. Jim Reuter, NASA, presented an update of STMD investigations relevant to the decadal survey, including cryogenics and synthetic biology, emphasizing STMD ties to the HRP and reliance on various flight opportunities and platforms. Chris Moore, NASA, explained NASA plans for lunar exploration, emphasizing areas for research community focus, including sustainable resource utilization and exploration, radiation protection, fire safety, planetary protection, and translating basic research into technology development. Lisa Pratt, NASA, discussed the need for planetary

Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×

protection in human exploration, and its associated scientific and political challenges. The rest of the open session consisted of discussion on the need to retain international and commercial partnerships, and a review of the decadal survey draft statement of task. Plans for a decadal town hall were also discussed.

Committee chairs and staff led a town hall at the November meeting of the American Society for Gravitational and Space Research, where plans for the decadal survey were described and input was sought from the community.

The CBPSS spring meeting will be held March 31-April 2 at the 2020 Space Science Week. For additional information about CBPSS, including links to presentations and agendas, please go to https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/committee-on-biological-and-physical-sciences-in-space.

A historical selection of SSB advisory publications on space biology and medicine is presented in Figure 2.4, and a historical summary of a selection of SSB advisory publications on microgravity research is presented in Figure 2.5.

Membership

Robert J. Ferl, University of Florida (co-chair)

Dava J. Newman, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (co-chair)

Mary L. Bouxsein, Harvard Medical School

Marianne Bronner, NAS, California Institute of Technology

Steven H. Collicott, Purdue University

Vijay K. Dhir, NAE, University of California, Los Angeles

Alain Karma, Northeastern University

Mohammad Kassemi, Case Western Reserve University

Douglas M. Matson, Tufts University

Wayne L. Nicholson, University of Florida

James A. Pawelczyk, Pennsylvania State University

Marylyn D. Ritchie, University of Pennsylvania

Jessica Scott, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Pol D. Spanos, NAE, Rice University

Jana Stoudemire, Space Tango

James T’ien, Case Western Reserve University

Krystyn J. Van Vliet, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Hai Wang, Stanford University

David A. Weitz, NAS/NAE, Harvard University

Staff

Sandra J. Graham, Senior Program Officer

Dionna Wise, Program Coordinator

COMMITTEE ON EARTH SCIENCE AND APPLICATIONS FROM SPACE

CESAS held its spring meeting March 26-27, 2019, in Washington, DC, as part of the 2019 Space Science Week. At the meeting, the committee engaged with decadal survey sponsors from NASA, NOAA, and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and received briefings from Sandra Cauffman, acting director, NASA ESD; Steve Volz, head of NOAA NESDIS; and Tim Newman, National Land Imaging Program Coordinator/USGS. The committee also discussed a potential workshop on uncertainty quantification for Earth observations with David Higdon, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Jeffrey Anderson, National Center for Atmospheric Research; and Peter Challenor, University of Exeter. A session titled “Enhancing the Influence of the Earth Science Decadal” included a roundtable discussion with Bethany Johns, American Institute of Physics; Kasey White, Geological Society of America; Brittany Webster, American Geophysical Union; and Karl Anderson, American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America. Other sessions included a discussion with Jack Kaye, NASA ESD, on planning for key data sets currently derived from instruments on EOS Terra, Aqua, and Aura, which are all well past their nominal lifetimes, and an update on the PACE mission by

Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Image
FIGURE 2.4 SSB advice associated with CBPSS—space biology and medicine (1960-2019).
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Image
FIGURE 2.5 SSB advice associated with CBPSS—microgravity research (1978-2019).
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×

committee member Ivona Cetinić. The committee remains interested in cloud computing issues as they intersect with data analysis and data stewardship; in addition, the committee remains interested in issues related to the use of commercial data for Earth remote sensing and technology on-ramps for NOAA and USGS operational programs.

Committee Co-Chair Chelle Gentemann testified on June 11, 2019, before the House Science, Space and Technology’s Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics. Details of the hearing, including Dr. Gentemann’s written testimony, are available at https://science.house.gov/hearings/discovery-on-the-frontiers-of-space-exploring-nasas-science-mission (and also reprinted in Chapter 6).

The committee was asked by the National Academies’ Board on Atmospheric Science and Climate, ahead of its late July workshop, to comment on the impending rollout of fifth-generation cellular network technology (5G) and its potential to interfere with remote sensing telemetry. CESAS staff is engaged informally with this activity. Dr. Gentemann and staff have had discussions on potential activities with Sandra Cauffman, acting director of NASA ESD; Jack Kaye, associate director of ESD; and Neil Jacobs, acting head of NOAA.

CESAS held its fall meeting on December 17-18, 2019, in Washington, DC. The first day of the meeting was devoted to sessions on emerging capabilities for unmanned aircraft systems for Earth observations, especially in support of the NASA airborne science program. The UAS sessions helped inform a NASA-requested workshop to be held in Spring 2020 to further assess the potential role of UAS in addressing the priorities of the 2018 decadal survey, Thriving on Our Changing Planet: A Decadal Strategy for Earth Observation from Space (https://www.nap.edu/catalog/24938/) along with an examination of the need for an airborne platform like the aging NASA DC-8. CESAS will assist in the organization of that workshop; however, it will be led by the National Academies’ Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate. On the second day of the meeting, the committee received briefings from officials from NASA ESD and from NOAA NESDIS regarding program status and progress in implementing the decadal survey. The next meeting of CESAS will be held March 31-April 2 as part of the 2020 Space Science Week. For additional information about CESAS, including links to presentations and agendas, please go to https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/committee-on-earth-sciences-and-applications-from-space.

A historical selection of SSB advisory publications on Earth science and applications from space is presented in Figure 2.6.

Membership

Chelle L. Gentemann, Earth and Space Research (co-chair)

Steven W. Running, University of Montana (co-chair)

Nancy L. Baker, Naval Research Laboratory

Molly Brown, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Otis B. Brown, Jr., North Carolina State University

Ivona Cetinic, Universities Space Research Association

William E. Dietrich, NAS, University of California, Berkeley

Everette Joseph, National Center for Atmospheric Research

George J. Komar, Retired

Anna M. Michalak, Carnegie Institution for Science

R.Steven Nerem, University of Colorado, Boulder

Eric Rignot, University of California, Irvine

Christopher Ruf, University of Michigan

Duane E. Waliser, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Eric F. Wood, NAE, Princeton University

Ping Yang, Texas A&M University

Staff

Arthur A. Charo, Senior Program Officer

Daniel Nagasawa, Associate Program Officer (from July)

Gaybrielle Holbert, Program Assistant

Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Image
FIGURE 2.6 SSB advice associated with CESAS—Earth science and applications from space (1979-2019).
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×

COMMITTEE ON SOLAR AND SPACE PHYSICS

CSSP held its spring meeting March 26-28 as part of the 2019 Space Science Week. CSSP heard updates from NASA Heliophysics Division, NSF Geospace Section, NSF Division of Astronomical Sciences, NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, and the NASA Heliophysics Advisory Council. CSSP also received an update from the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) on the activities of the Space Weather Operations, Research, and Mitigation (SWORM) working group. CSSP held two focus sessions, one on demographics collection from the 2013 decadal survey and one on agile responses to rideshare opportunities for NASA Heliophysics. The committee also heard an update on the Parker Solar Probe, and they joined CAPS for a briefing on the intersection of the interstellar probe mission concept with planetary science. Finally, the committee held discussions on a statement of task for a future short report on the agile responses to the rideshare opportunities concept.

Members of CSSP gave presentations on the topic of a short report, agile responses to short-notice rideshare opportunities, at summer meetings of the CEDAR, GEM, and SHINE solar and space physics research communities. General community input was requested on these topics at the summer meetings and via submission to the CSSP website.

CSSP held its fall meeting on October 22-24, 2019, in Washington, DC, where it held data-gathering sessions for its short report on agile responses to short-notice rideshare opportunities. The report includes the kinds of solar and space physics science enabled by an agile response to rideshare opportunities; types of payloads suited to ridesharing; and considerations for the development and implementation of a new NASA program. CSSP will hold its next meeting on March 31 to April 2, 2020, as part of the 2020 Space Science Week. For additional information about CSSP, including links to presentations and agendas and the statement of task for the short report, please go to https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/committee-on-solar-and-space-physics.

A historical selection of SSB advisory publications on space and solar physics is presented in Figure 2.7.

Membership

Sarah Gibson, National Center for Atmospheric Research (co-chair)

Maura E. Hagan, NAS, Utah State University (co-chair)

Brian J. Anderson, Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory

Steven J. Battel, NAE, Battel Engineering, Inc., and University of Michigan

Rebecca L. Bishop, The Aerospace Corporation (from March)

Mark C. M. Cheung, Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center (from March)

Christina M. Cohen, California Institute of Technology (from March)

Yue Deng, University of Texas, Arlington

Tai D. Phan, University of California, Berkeley

Tuija Pulkkinen, NAS, University of Michigan (from March)

Jiong Qiu, Montana State University

Howard J. Singer, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Leonard Strachan, Jr., Naval Research Laboratory

Barbara J. Thompson, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Gary P. Zank, NAS, University of Alabama, Huntsville (through October)

Staff

Abigail A. Sheffer, Senior Program Officer

Mia Brown, Research Associate

Megan Chamberlain, Senior Program Assistant

Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Image
FIGURE 2.7 SSB advice associated with CSSP—solar and space physics (1980-2019).
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Page 8
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Page 9
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Page 10
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Page 11
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Page 12
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Page 13
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Page 14
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Page 15
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Page 16
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Page 17
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Page 18
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Page 19
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Page 20
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Page 21
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Page 22
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Page 23
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
Page 24
Suggested Citation:"2 Board and Discipline/Standing Committees: Activities and Membership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26073.
×
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The Space Studies Board (SSB) is a unit of the Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. SSB provides an independent, authoritative forum for information and advice on all aspects of space science and applications and serves as the focal point within the National Academies for activities on space research.

Space Studies Board Annual Report 2019 describes the projects and activities of SSB; explains the SSB's collaboration with other National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine units; and assures the quality of the SSB reports.

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