Input requested on NASA’s R&A Programs in the Planetary Science Division

As the Chair of the Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG), I have been asked by the Space Studies Board (SSB) of the National Academies <http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/CurrentProjects/SSB_169563> to present the perspective of the lunar science community to an ad hoc committee on the efficacy of NASA’s Planetary Science Division (PSD) restructured Research and Analysis (R&A) programs as they currently exist after the reorganization. These elements are in Appendix C of the 2016 ROSES <https://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/viewrepositorydocument/cmdocumentid=492459/solicitationId=%7B68C12087-132D-3814-9A87-5323BCE6CAB6%7D/viewSolicitationDocument=1/Table%203%202016%20temporary.html> solicitation.

The SSB has asked that the following questions be addressed:

  • Are the PSD R&A program elements appropriately linked to, and do they encompass the range and scope of activities needed to support the NASA Strategic Objective for Planetary Science and the Planetary Science Division Science Goals, as articulated in the 2014 NASA Science Plan?
  • Are the PSD R&A program elements appropriately structured to develop the broad base of knowledge and broad range of activities needed both to enable new spaceflight missions and to interpret and maximize the scientific return from existing missions?

In conducting its task, the committee will:

  • Not examine the PSD R&A programs as they were prior to the restructuring;
  • Conduct its review in the context of current budgetary realities that have differed from projections assumed prior to the release of the most recent planetary science Decadal Survey; and
  • Not comment on the strategic science goals and objectives of PSD, SMD, or NASA.

In order to solicit specific answers from the lunar community, the two questions listed above have been split to allow more specific answers, and your input is requested by going to http://tinyurl.com/LEAG-NASA-R-A-Survey. This survey will be available until 5 PM US Eastern Time on 10 May.

I urge you to give your input and please include concise comments. This is our chance to get input to NASA’s Planetary Science Division about R&A through the NAS process.

Many thanks, in advance, for your time and input.

Sincerely,

Clive R. Neal
LEAG Chair
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>