Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the - Solar System ...

9
Recommended Flight Investigations: 2013-2022
JUDGING MISSION AND RELATED PRIORITIES
The statement of task for this study (Appendix A) called for creation of a prioritized list of flight
investigations for the decade 2013-2022. This chapter addresses that request. A prioritized list implies
that the elements of the list have been judged and ordered with respect to a set of appropriate criteria.
Four criteria were used. The first and most important was science return per dollar. Science return was
judged with respect to the key scientific questions described in Chapter 3; costs were estimated via a
procedure described below. The second was programmatic balance—striving to achieve an appropriate
balance among mission targets across the solar system and an appropriate mix of small, medium, and
large missions. The other two criteria were technological readiness and availability of trajectory
opportunities within the 2013-2022 time period.
The recommendations in this chapter are also informed by key findings and recommendations of
Chapters 4-8. These are summarized in Table 9.1.
UNDERLYING PROGRAMMATIC REQUIREMENTS
The individual flight projects for the coming decade must be considered within the context of the
broader program of planetary exploration. The goal is to develop a fully integrated strategy of flight
projects, technology development, and supporting research that maximizes the value of scientific
knowledge gained over the decade. All of the recommendations that follow assume the following
programmatic requirements:
• Continue missions currently in flight, subject to approval via the appropriate senior review
process. These missions include the Cassini mission to the Saturn system, several ongoing Mars
missions, the New Horizons mission to Pluto, ongoing Discovery missions, and others. Ensure a level of
funding that is adequate for successful operation, analysis of data, and publication of the results of these
missions, and for extended missions that afford rich new science return.
• Continue missions currently in development. These include the GRAIL Discovery mission,
the Juno New Frontiers mission, and the MSL and MAVEN missions to Mars.
• Increase funding for fundamental research and analysis grant programs, beginning with a 5
percent increase above the total finally approved fiscal year (FY) 2011 expenditures and then growing at
an additional 1.5 percent per year above inflation for the remainder of the decade (Chapter 10). This
increase will enable the full scientific benefits of ongoing and future flight projects to be reaped.
• Establish and maintain a significant and steady level of funding (6 to 8 percent of the
planetary exploration budget) for development of technologies that will enable future planetary flight
projects.
• Continue to support and upgrade the technical expertise and infrastructure in implementing
organizations that support solar system exploration missions.
Continue to convey the results of planetary exploration to the general public via a robust program of
education and public outreach.
PREPUBLICATION COPY—SUBJECT TO FURTHER EDITORIAL CORRECTION
9-1