Founded in March 2007, the OSEWG is a collaborative effort of NASA’s Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) and the Science Mission Directorate (SMD), with participation of the Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD). The working group is led by co-chairs from ESMD and SMD, who report to the ESMD and SMD Deputy Associate Administrators.

Scope: The purpose of the OSEWG is to guide exploration and science
investigations during lunar sortie and outpost missions, with extensibility to future Mars
missions, so that synergies may be exploited. Its charge is to facilitate:

• the identification and communication of science interests for incorporation into
  the Constellation architecture and mission planning, and
• the prioritization of science objectives, including their assessment and
  disposition, for becoming architecture development requirements.

Strategy: The OSEWG has established a Surface Science Scenarios Team (SSST) to develop design reference scenarios that will ensure that the architecture can support a wide range of science objectives on the moon, and eventually on Mars.  The other focus areas are:  mission analogs, lunar data integration, and science objectives.  The OSEWG engages industry, academia, and the science community for input, peer review, and participation in planning, prioritizing, and development of products.