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PSD Capability Management Rall V8 Planetary Science Division Research Capability Management Jonathan A. R. Rall Planetary Research Director Charge Coordinated with • Ames Research Center • Glenn Research Center • Goddard Space Flight Center • Jet Propulsion Laboratory • Johnson Space Center • Marshall Space Flight Center 2 Why Planetary Science? Ascertain the content, origin, and evolution of the solar system and the potential for life elsewhere • Explore and observe the objects in the solar system to understand how they formed and evolve • Advance the understanding of how the chemical and physical processes in our solar system operate, interact and evolve • Explore and find locations where life could have existed or could exist today. • Improve our understanding of the origin and evolution of life on Earth to guide our search for life elsewhere • Identify and characterize objects in the solar system that pose threats to Earth, or offer resources for human exploration Understanding the Planetary System Strategies for Exploring the Solar System Planetary Decadal Reports from the National Academy of Science Next update: Mid-Term Report late 2017/Planning for 2021 Decadal Survey 5 Overview (1 of 2) • Planetary Science Division (PSD) R&A program has broad objectives – Spans many disciplines (atmosphere, magnetosphere, geology, geophysics, geochemistry/composition, physics/dynamics, astrobiology; …) – PI-led/team focused research, experimental/laboratory, sample science, analogue field campaigns, modeling, data analysis, facilities and instrument development, … – Vibrant in-house activities primarily at three centers (GSFC, ARC, JSC) + JPL and smaller efforts at MSFC & GRC – Vibrant/growing external community – Directed and competed approaches • PSD organization, guiding documents, and plans (near to long-term) are clear and stable – Decadal Survey recommendations (2011) address research as well as for future missions – SMD Science Plan (2014) – details PSD research organization, structure, objectives, and approaches (durable strategic objectives) • Sustained, multipronged communication pathways are essential management foundation – Annual ROSES call lists planned future solicitations along with those in current year – PSD presence/presentations at most science team and community meetings (AG’s) – Planetary Town Hall’s at major conferences (AAS-DPS, AGU, LPSC) Overview (2 of 2) • No single, algorithmic management approach for optimizing R&A capabilities at the Division (PSD) level is possible – Broad (and interacting) scientific objectives – Multitude of approaches, Centers, and communities (academic, non-profit, for-profit) – Interagency and international context/coordination (DoE, USGS, ESA, JAXA, ISRO, etc.) – NASA’s governance structure allows direct Center input to, and decisions by, the AA – bypassing PSD and SMD • Guiding Principles/Approaches – Accomplishments – Balance – Communications – Collaboration and leveraging (PSD R&A Capability Management leads and coordinates) • Capability Management Examples – Gaps – Developing needed capabilities that didn’t exist for planetary research – Under-utilized Resources – taking greater advantage of Center capabilities – Apparent Duplication – Ensuring complementarity, not overlap • Success is demonstrated when we make progress against our strategic objectives (GPRM-MA), Decadal priorities, and recognize advances by the general planetary science community Capability Leadership Roles • Advises Agency and ensures proper alignment across Missions and Centers. • Establishes plans & roadmaps to provide technical guidance to the Agency. • Determine gap areas for advancement and strategic investment. • Advises on capability sizing and strategic hiring, including contracting, across all Centers. • Determines investments and divestments within capability scope, including advising Centers on assets. • Solicits innovative ideas from outside the capability area. • Establishes standards and specifications within capability scope Managing Capability • Restructure of R&A program – to better align with PSD strategic goals (2014 Science Plan) • PSD is the primary funding source for planetary science in the US, presents unique challenges • Recent baseline review of PSD funded facilities & RPIFs • How are we coordinating across the divisions – Joint R&A program elements (Origins -> Exoplanets, Habitable Worlds, Living With a Star) – Overlapping mission science (MAVEN, Juno, MESSENGER, ARTEMIS/THEMIS, Kepler) – Comparative Climatology Workshops (2012 & 2015) • PSD will release a new R&A program element, Emerging Topics in Planetary Science (ETIPS) to cover comparative climatology/planetology in ROSES 2017 – NEXSS NASA’s Nexus for Exoplanet System Science • All four science divisions in SMD participate NExSS Implementation – novel approach Astrophysics PSD Astrobiology Exoplanet Detection Comparative Planetology Star Characterization Planetary atmospheres Existing Mission Data Exoplanet Detection Analysis Biosignatures JWST Habitability Earth Sciences PSD Exoplanet Research Heliophysics Detection Program (XRP) of planetary Exoplanet characterization magnetospheres Protoplanetary Disks Stellar winds Planet Formation Radiative Habitability Comparative Planetology Review of Planetary Science Division funded Facilities • Two separate reviews – NASA facilities • Ames Vertical Gun Range (AVGR) • Planetary Aeolian Lab (PAL) • Glenn Extreme Environments Rig (GEER) • Reflectance Lab (Relab) – Brown University – Regional Planetary Image Facilities • No serious, external peer-review of either the Facilities or the RPIF’s in decades • Review outcomes – Possible divestment of facilities – Possible future solicitation for new, needed facilities (sample return analysis labs?) www.lpi.usra.edu/psd-facilities/ NASA Regional Planetary Image Facilities (RPIF) • A system of planetary image libraries, • Established in 1977 • Each facility's general holding contains images and maps of planets and their satellites taken by solar system exploration spacecraft. – Maintain photographic & digital data – Mission documentation – Cartographic data. • Primarily reference centers for browsing, studying, and selecting lunar and planetary photographic and cartographic materials. • Experienced staff can assist scientists, educators, students, media, and the public in ordering materials for their own use. **Review completed awaiting final report and path forward** NASA REGIONAL PLANETARY IMAGE FACILITIES 2014 Arizona State University, Ronald Greeley Center for National Air and Space Museum (Smithsonian), Planetary Studies Center for Earth and Planetary Studies Director: Dr. David Williams Director: Dr. Thomas Watters Manager: David Nelson Manager: Rosemary Aiello Brown University, Northeast Regional Planetary Data University of Arizona, Space Imagery Center Center Director: Dr. Shane Byrne Director: Dr. Pete Schultz Manager: Maria Schuchardt Manager: Peter Neivert Cornell University, Spacecraft Planetary Imaging Facility University of Hawaii, Pacific Regional Planetary Director: Dr. Alex Hayes Data Center Manager: Rick Kline Director: Dr. Peter Mouginis-Mark Manager: Dr. Chris Peterson Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Regional Planetary Image Facility USGS Astrogeology Science Center, Regional Director: Dr. Bob Anderson Planetary Information Facility Manager: Jeffrey Schroeder Director: Dr. Justin Hagerty Manager: David Portree Lunar and Planetary Institute, Center for Information and Research Services Director: Dr. Paul Spudis Manager: Mary Ann Hager Planetary Program Architecture Recommended by the Planetary Decadal Survey Large Missions (“Flagship”-scale) “Recommended Program” “Cost Constrained Program” “Less favorable” budget (budget increase for JEO new start) (based on FY11 Request) picture than assumed 1) Mars Astrobiology Explorer-Cacher – (e.g., outyears in FY12 request) descoped 1) Mars Astrobiology Explorer- 2) Jupiter Europa Orbiter (JEO) – descoped Cacher – descoped Descope or delay 3) Uranus Orbiter & Probe (UOP) 2) Uranus Orbiter & Probe (UOP) Flagship mission 4/5) Enceladus Orbiter & Venus Climate Mission Discovery $500M (FY15) cap per mission (exclusive of launch vehicle) and 24 month cadence for selection New Frontiers $1B (FY15) cap per mission (exclusive of launch vehicle) with two selections during 2013-22 Research & Analysis (5% above final FY11 amount then ~1.5%/yr) Technology Development (6-8%) Current Commitments (ie: Operating Missions) 15 Findings from the NRC report: An Enabling Foundation for NASA’s Earth and Space Science Missions (2010) • NASA should ensure that SMD mission-enabling activities are linked to the strategic goals of the agency and of SMD. • NASA’s SMD should develop and implement an approach to actively managing its portfolio of mission-enabling activities. • NASA should increase the number of scientifically and technically capable program officers so that they can devote an appropriate level of attention to the tasks of actively managing the portfolio of research… [we have addressed this concern, but not through reorganization of the portfolio] • NASA response was in agreement with these recommendations “By explicitly tying the ROSES solicitations…to the SMD Science Plan research objectives, SMD ensures that sponsored research contributes directly and substantially to Agency goals.” 16 Role of NASA Centers in Planetary Research • NASA centers are significant participants in the PSD R&A programs • Universities are the largest participant in PSD R&A program • Non-profit institutes play as large a role in PSD R&A as do NASA Centers
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