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Committee to Assess Beyond Einstein Missions

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Committee to Assess Beyond Einstein Missions CommitteeCommittee toto AssessAssess BeyondBeyond EinsteinEinstein Missions:Missions: StudyStudy WorkWork PlanPlan andand ScheduleSchedule Pamela Whitney, Space Studies Board Brian Dewhurst, Board on Physics and Astronomy OriginOrigin ofof thethe BeyondBeyond EinsteinEinstein ProgramProgram § 2000 release of “Astronomy and Astrophysics in the New Millennium” § 2002 release of “Connecting Quarks with the Cosmos” § 2003 NASA SEU Roadmap entitled “Beyond Einstein” § 2004 OSTP releases “Physics of the Universe” BeyondBeyond EinsteinEinstein MissionsMissions § Einstein Great § Einstein Probes Observatories § Joint Dark Energy § Constellation-X Mission (JDEM) (Con-X) § Inflation Probe § Laser Interferometer § Black Hole Finder Space Antenna (LISA) Probe NASA Astronomy Program Levels (FY 2001-2011) 1800 Con-X and LISA JWST 1600 SIM 1400 HST 1200 Herschel/Planck SWIFT 1000 SPITZER 800 GLAST WISE $ (in Millions) 600 Keck Interferometer 400 TPF 200 KEPLER SOFIA 0 Research Total FY 2001FY 2002FY 2003FY 2004* FY 2007^FY 2008^FY 2009^FY 2010^FY 2011^ FY 2005**FY 2006*** Fiscal Year StudyStudy OriginsOrigins § Committee Report, Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Bill, 2007 § The Committee is concerned that the joint mission between the Department of Energy and NASA is untenable because of NASA’s reorganization and change in focus toward manned space flight. The Committee directs the Department to immediately begin planning for a single-agency space-based dark energy mission….. § Committee Report, House Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill, 2007 § …NASA has failed to budget and program for launch services for JDEM. Unfortunately, in spite of best intentions, the multi-agency aspect of this initiative poses insurmountable problems that imperil its future. Therefore, the Committee directs the Department to begin planning for a single-agency dark energy mission with a launch in fiscal year 2013. § OSTP Meeting, August 2006 § Dr. Marburger calls meeting with NASA Administrator, DOE Science Undersecretary, SSB Chair, BPA Chair, and AAAC Chair to encourage a fair, joint-agency process for going forward on a Beyond Einstein mission. § NASA and DOE request NRC to assess the Beyond Einstein missions and produce report by September 8, 2007 CommitteeCommittee ChargeCharge 1. Assess the five proposed Beyond Einstein missions (Constellation- X, Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, Joint Dark Energy Mission, Inflation Probe, and Black Hole Finder probe) and recommend which of these five should be developed and launched first, using a funding wedge that is expected to begin in FY 2009. The criteria for these assessments include: § Potential scientific impact within the context of other existing and planned space-based and ground-based missions; and § Realism of preliminary technology and management plans, and cost estimates. 2. Assess the Beyond Einstein missions sufficiently so that they can act as input for any future decisions by NASA or the next Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey on the ordering of the remaining missions. This second task element will assist NASA in its investment strategy for future technology development within the Beyond Einstein Program prior to the results of the Decadal Survey. CommitteeCommittee MembersMembers § Charles Kennel, UCSD, co-chair § Radio Astronomy § Joseph Rothenberg, Universal Space § James Ulvestad, NRAO Network, co-chair § Cosmology Elementary Particle Physics § Joel Primack, UC Santa Cruz § Michael Witherell, UC Santa Barbara § Lisa Randall, Harvard § Thomas Appelquist, Yale X-Ray Astronomy § Fiona Harrison, Caltech Project Management/ Systems § Craig Sarazin, U Virginia Engineering § James Barrowman, NASA (retired) General Astrophysics § David Bearden, Aerospace Corp. § Edward Wright, UCLA § Dennis McCarthy, Swales (retired) Andrew Lankford, UC Irvine Gravity Waves § § Eric Adelberger, U Washington § Clifford Will, Washington University Policy § William Adkins, Adkins Strategies, LLC Optical/ Infrared § Joseph Fuller, Futron Corp. § Karl Gebhardt, U Texas ProcessProcess forfor CommunityCommunity InputInput § 5 Town Hall meetings will allow science community to express comments and interests about BE missions § Exploring how to enable remote access to each Town Hall meeting § Academy website will provide information on study for the public § Statement of task § Agendas § Meeting presentations ScheduleSchedule andand Milestones:Milestones: OverviewOverview § November – January 2007 Data Gathering § February – June Data Gathering & Writing § January – March Town Hall Meetings § June Finalize Draft for Review § July NRC Review § August Response to Review and Editing § September 2007 Delivery to NASA & DOE MeetingsMeetings andand TownTown HallsHalls § 4 Committee Meetings § CM 1: November 6-8, 2006, Washington, DC (Data Gathering) § CM 2:January xx-xx, 2007, Irvine, CA (Data Gathering) § CM 3: April x-x, 2007, TBD (Data Gathering/ Writing) § CM 4: June x-x, 2007, TBD (Writing) § Possible writing splinter groups § 5th Response to Review meeting if necessary (July/August) § 5 Town Hall Meetings § TH 1: January 2007, Irvine (after Irvine meeting) § TH 2: February TBD § TH 3: February/March TBD § TH 4: March, TBD § TH 5: April, (before April meeting) Ground Rules for Beyond Einstein Missions § Some missions are well-defined, others are concepts - how to compare? § Science assessment of “platonic ideal” of the missions § Assessment of specific projects to evaluate technical, cost, and schedule risk to achieving science goals § Cost estimates § NRC expects to acquire independent cost estimates § Uniformity across missions and projects § Assessment needs to be fair and balanced § Consistent approach to assessment of each mission § Others? Committee Meeting 1 November 2006 § Goals § Dialog with sponsors on Statement of Task § Clear understanding of NASA/DOE, OSTP expectations § Broad science overview presentations § Mission introductions § Establish ground rules for study with committee § Discuss consistent questions for future mission concept presentations § Agree on TH subgroups and assignments § Agree on schedule and milestones § Preliminary outline of report, writing group assignments? SomeSome KeyKey IssuesIssues §§ Commensurability §§ Common analysis of projects at different stages of development §§ Perception of conflict of interest §§ Balanced community input ContactContact InformationInformation §§ Pam Whitney, SSB Study Director § 202/ 334-3477 or [email protected] §§ Brian Dewhurst, BPA Study Director § 202/ 334-2998 or [email protected] §§ Marcia Smith, SSB Director § 202/334-3477 or [email protected] §§ Don Shapero, BPA Director § 202/334-3520 or [email protected].
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