Suborbital Science in the Planetary Science Division

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Suborbital Science in thePlanetary Science
Division

• Philippe Crane
• Planetary Atmospheres Discipline Scientist
• LCANS Meeting
• 28 April 2007

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Overview

• Currently Planetary Science Division does not
  have a program to support directly research
  programs that require either balloons or rockets.
  A previous program was cancelled several years
  ago. There are currently no active suborbital
  programs in Planetary science! (That I am aware
  of!)
• Topics for today
• Overview of Planetary Science Goals
• Current Research Opportunities in Planetary
  Science
• Research Carriers Programs--Access for Planetary
  Science
• Potential Avenues to new science opportunities

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Strategic Planning Goals

• Several levels of Planning Documents
• Official
• NRC Decadal Reviews
• NASA Science Strategy (Delivered to Congress in
  Jan 2007
• Division Roadmaps
• Un-official
• Planning documents from OPAG, VEXAG, MEPAG etc
• White papers from MOWGs etc

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Current Goals

• How did the Suns family of planets and minor
  bodies originate?
• How did the Solar System evolve to its current
  diverse state?
• What are the characteristics of the Solar System
  that led to the origin of life?
• How did life begin and evolve on Earth and has it
  evolved elsewhere in the Solar System?
• What are the hazards and resources in the Solar
  system environment that will affect the extension
  of human presence in space?

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PSD RA Program for ROSES 2007

• Astrobiology Exobiology And Evolutionary Biology
  (pending)
• Astrobiology Science Technology Instrument
  Development Mission Concept (pending)
• Astrobiology Science And Technology For Exploring
  Planets
• Cassini Data Analysis
• Cosmo-chemistry
• Discovery Data Analysis
• Early Career Fellowships
• In-Space Propulsion (pending)
• Lunar Advanced Science and Exploration Research
• Near Earth Object Observations --- Funded by
  ESMD -- to be release in ROSES 2007
• New Horizons at Jupiter Data Analysis
• Origins of the Solar System
• Outer Planets Research
• Participating Scientist Program for LRO to be
  released in an upcoming amendment
• Planetary Astronomy
• Planetary Atmospheres
• Planetary Geology And Geophysics
• Planetary Instrument Definition And Development
• Planetary Major Equipment

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Planetary Access to Near Space

• Suborbital Rockets
• Managed by Heliophysics Division
• Funded Research Programs in other divisions can
  get manifested
• Cost of Rocket and Launch Support is supplied
• Balloons (Vernon Jones knows all!)
• Managed by the Astrophysics Division
• Funded Research Programs in other divisions can
  get manifested
• Cost of Balloon, Helium, and Launch Support is
  supplied.
• Currently Planetary Science Division
• Relevant Research elements may accept balloon and
  rocket proposals
• Check with Discipline Chief
• Planetary atmospheres expects to receive at least
  one proposal for a UV rocket flight.

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Potential Goals of Near Space Opportunities

• Purely Scientific Goals
• Access to a spectral window
• IR
• UV
• Enhanced opportunities
• Occultations of Pluto(!)
• Selection based on scientific merit, feasibility,
  and cost!
• Enhanced technical capabilities (J Ralls talk)
• Instruments
• Techniques

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A Charge to the Organizers

• In order to help NASA Planetary Science Division
  to offer enhanced opportunities for sub-orbital
  research,
• Read the relevant portions of the ROSES-07 NRA
  Announcement,
• Consider how the structure or language could best
  be adapted to encourage and allow proposals that
  utilize sub-orbital facilities
• Is a separate research element the best way, or
• Could the individual elements be adapted
• What are the pros and cons of each approach??

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PATM Workshop

• Date 6-7 November 2007
• Place TBD( within 1 sigma of BWI and APL)
• In conjunction with OPAG and VEXAG
• VEXAG 4-5 November
• OPAG 8-9 November
• All in the same place

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Planetary Atmospheres in the Next Decade A Look
Forward

• Purpose
• This professional workshop will highlight the
  planetary atmospheres research enabled primarily
  by the NASA Planetary Atmospheres program. The
  overarching goal of the workshop is to
  facilitate communication between researchers and
  to provide the opportunity for cross-disciplinary
  interaction.
• Goals
• Enhance communication between planetary
  atmospheres researchers. Stimulate theoretical,
  laboratory, and observational activities in
  planetary atmospheric research in the next
  decade. Identify particular fields of critical
  interest if any.

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SOC and LOC

• Science Organizing Committee
• Don Banfield
• Philippe Crane (ex officio LOC liason)
• Heidi Hammel
• Jay Bergstralh
• David Huestis
• Julianne Moses
• Adam Showman
• Amy Simon-Miller
• Carey Lisse

• Local Organizing Committee
• Philippe Crane
• Amy Simon-Miller
• More TBD

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Themes

• Atmospheres Around Solid Surfaces
• Giant Planets
• Talk content in all cases should include
• Focus on current outstanding questions
• Look toward future capabilities
• critical lab needs of the future
• critical modeling needs of the future
• critical data needs in the future