ASSESSMENT OF THE USEFULNESS AND AVAILABILITY OF NASA’S EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE MISSION DATA SPACE STUDIES BOARD BOARD ON EARTH SCIENCES AND RESOURCES NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL Other Reports of the Space Studies Board Toward New Partnerships: Government, the Private Sector, and Earth Science Research (2002) The Quarantine and Certification of Martian Samples (2001) U.S. Astronomy and Astrophysics: Managing an Integrated Program (2001) Readiness Issues Related to Research in the Biological and Physical Sciences on the International Space Station (2001) “The Next Generation Space Telescope” (2001) Assessment of Mars Science and Mission Priorities (2001) The Mission of Microgravity and Physical Sciences Research at NASA (2001) Transforming Remote Sensing Data into Information and Applications (2001) Signs of Life: A Report Based on the April 2000 Workshop on Life Detection Techniques (2001) Assessment of Mission Size Trade-offs for Earth and Space Science Missions (2000) “Assessment of NASA’s Office of Space Science Strategic Plan 2000” (2000) “Assessment of Scientific Aspects of the Triana Mission” (2000) “Continuing Assessment of Technology Development in NASA’s Office of Space Science” (2000) Ensuring the Climate Record from the NPP and NPOESS Meteorological Satellites (2000) Future Biotechnology Research on the International Space Station (2000) Issues in the Integration of Research and Operational Satellites for Climate Research: I. Science and Design (2000) Microgravity Research in Support of Technologies for the Human Exploration and Development of Space and Planetary Bodies (2000) Preventing the Forward Contamination of Europa (2000) Review of NASA’s Biomedical Research Program (2000) Review of NASA’s Earth Science Enterprise Research Strategy for 2000-2010 (2000) The Role of Small Satellites in NASA and NOAA Earth Observation Programs (2000) “Assessment of NASA’s Plans for Post-2002 Earth Observing Missions” (1999) Institutional Arrangements for Space Station Research (1999) Radiation and the International Space Station: Recommendations to Reduce Risk (1999) A Science Strategy for the Exploration of Europa (1999) A Scientific Rationale for Mobility in Planetary Environments (1999) Size Limits of Very Small Microorganisms: Proceedings of a Workshop (1999) U.S.-European-Japanese Workshop on Space Cooperation: Summary Report (1999) Assessment of Technology Development in NASA’s Office of Space Science (1998) Development and Application of Small Spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radars (1998) Evaluating the Biological Potential in Samples Returned from Planetary Satellites and Small Solar System Bodies: Framework for Decision Making (1998) The Exploration of Near-Earth Objects (1998) Exploring the Trans-Neptunian Solar System (1998) Failed Stars and Super Planets: A Report Based on the January 1998 Workshop on Substellar-Mass Objects (1998) Ground-based Solar Research: An Assessment and Strategy for the Future (1998) Readiness for the Upcoming Solar Maximum (1998) A Strategy for Research in Space Biology and Medicine in the New Century (1998) Supporting Research and Data Analysis in NASA’s Science Programs: Engines for Innovation and Synthesis (1998) U.S.-European Collaboration in Space Science (1998) Copies of these reports are available free of charge from: Space Studies Board National Research Council 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20418 (202) 334-3477 [email protected] www.nationalacademies.org/ssb/ssb.html Assessment of the Usefulness and Availability of NASA’s Earth and Space Science Mission Data Task Group on the Usefulness and Availability of NASA’s Space Mission Data Space Studies Board Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences Board on Earth Sciences and Resources Division on Earth and Life Studies National Research Council NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS Washington, D.C. NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the task group responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance. This study was supported by Contract NASW 96013 between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project. Copies of this report are available free of charge from: Space Studies Board National Research Council 2101 Constitution Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20418 Copyright 2002 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts is president of the National Academy of Sciences. The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Wm. A. Wulf is president of the National Academy of Engineering. The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Kenneth I. Shine is president of the Institute of Medicine. The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts and Dr. Wm A. Wulf are chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the National Research Council. TASK GROUP ON THE USEFULNESS AND AVAILABILITY OF NASA’S SPACE MISSION DATA SIDNEY C. WOLFF, National Optical Astronomy Observatories, Tucson, Chair THOMAS A. HERRING, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Vice-Chair JOEL BREGMAN, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MICHAEL J. FOLK, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign RICHARD G. KRON, University of Chicago JAMES F.W. PURDOM, Colorado State University DONNA L. SHIRLEY, University of Oklahoma, Norman WALTER H.F. SMITH, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NICK VAN DRIEL, U.S. Geological Survey/EROS Data Center DONALD J. WILLIAMS, Johns Hopkins University ROGER V. YELLE, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff JAMES R. ZIMBELMAN, Smithsonian Institution National Research Council Staff ANNE M. LINN, Study Director MONICA R. LIPSCOMB, Assistant Program Officer JOSEPH K. ALEXANDER, Director, Space Studies Board ANTHONY R. DE SOUZA, Director, Board on Earth Sciences and Resources CLAUDETTE BAYLOR-FLEMING, Senior Program Assistant EDMUND M. REEVES, Consultant iv SPACE STUDIES BOARD JOHN H. McELROY, University of Texas at Arlington (retired), Chair ROGER P. ANGEL, University of Arizona JAMES P. BAGIAN, National Center for Patient Safety, Veterans Health Administration JAMES L. BURCH, Southwest Research Institute RADFORD BYERLY, JR., Boulder, Colorado ROBERT E. CLELAND, University of Washington HOWARD M. EINSPAHR, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute STEVEN H. FLAJSER, Loral Space and Communications Ltd. MICHAEL H. FREILICH, Oregon State University DON P. GIDDENS, Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University RALPH H. JACOBSON, The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory (retired) CONWAY LEOVY, University of Washington JONATHAN I. LUNINE, University of Arizona BRUCE D. MARCUS, TRW, Inc. (retired) RICHARD A. McCRAY, University of Colorado HARRY Y. McSWEEN, JR., University of Tennessee GARY J. OLSEN, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign GEORGE A. PAULIKAS, The Aerospace Corporation (retired) ROBERT J. SERAFIN, National Center for Atmospheric Research EUGENE B. SKOLNIKOFF, Massachusetts Institute of Technology MITCHELL SOGIN, Marine Biological Laboratory C. MEGAN URRY, Yale University PETER W. VOORHEES, Northwestern University JOSEPH K. ALEXANDER, Director v BOARD ON EARTH