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NASA Lacks Resources Needed to Sustain Vigorous Science Program
http://www4.nationalacademies.org/ne...9?OpenDocument
Read Full Report http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11644.html Date: May 4, 2006 Contacts: Maureen O'Leary, Director of Public Information Michelle Strikowsky, Media Relations Assistant Office of News and Public Information 202-334-2138; e-mail FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NASA Lacks Resources Needed to Sustain Vigorous Science Program WASHINGTON --- NASA does not have the resources necessary to maintain a vigorous science program, complete the International Space Station, and return humans to the moon, says a new congressionally mandated report from the National Academies' National Research Council. "There is a mismatch between what NASA has been assigned to do and the resources with which it has been provided," said Lennard A. Fisk, chair of the committee that wrote the report and Thomas M. Donahue Collegiate Professor of Space Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. "We are particularly concerned that the shortfall in funding for science has fallen disproportionately on small missions and on funding for basic research and technology. These actions run the risk of disrupting the pipeline of human capital and technology that is essential for the future success of the space program." The committee reviewed NASA's plan for research programs for the next five years in space science, which includes astrophysics, heliophysics, planetary science, and astrobiology; earth science; and microgravity life and physical sciences. The committee found that the program proposed for space and earth sciences is neither robust nor sustainable, and that it is not properly balanced to support a healthy mix of small, moderate-sized, and large missions. The report recommends that NASA restore small missions, research and analysis programs, and technology investment in the future missions. The agency also should preserve the ground-based and flight research required to support long-duration human space flight. For space and earth sciences, the committee concluded that the short-term resource allocation problem is modest, probably slightly more than 1 percent of the total NASA budget. To revive the microgravity life and physical sciences, the short-term allocation of resources needed is also modest -- less than 1 percent of the total NASA budget. The National Research Council is the principal operating arm of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering. It is a private, nonprofit institution that provides science advice under a congressional charter. A committee roster follows. Copies of An Assessment of Balance in NASA's Science Programs http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11644.html are available from the National Academies Press; tel. 202-334-3313 or 1-800-624-6242 or on the Internet at http://www.nap.edu. Reporters may obtain a pre-publication copy from the Office of News and Public Information (contacts listed above). NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences Space Studies Board Committee on an Assessment of Balance in NASA's Science Programs Lennard A. Fisk[1] (chair) Thomas M. Donahue Collegiate Professor of Space Science Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences University of Michigan Ann Arbor George A. Paulikas (vice chair) Executive Vice President Aerospace Corp. (retired) El Segundo, Calif. Spiro K. Antiochos Head, Solar Theory Section Space Science Division Naval Research Laboratory Washington, D.C. Daniel N. Baker Professor and Director Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Reta F. Beebe Professor, Department of Astronomy New Mexico State University Las Cruces Roger D. Blandford[1] Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology Stanford University Stanford, Calif. Radford Byerly Jr. Research Scientist Center for Science and Technology Policy Research University of Colorado Boulder Judith A. Curry Professor and Chair School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta Jack D. Farmer Professor, Department of Geological Sciences Arizona State University Tempe Jacqueline N. Hewitt Professor of Physics and Director Kavli Center for Astrophysics & Space Research Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge Donald E. Ingber Judah Folkman Professor of Vascular Biology Departments of Pathology and Surgery Harvard Medical School and Children's Hospital Boston Bruce M. Jakosky Professor of Geology and Associate Director for Science Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Klaus Keil Interim Dean, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu Debra S. Knopman Vice President and Director Infrastructure, Safety and Environment Division RAND Corp. Arlington, Va. Calvin W. Lowe President Bowie State University Bowie, Md. Berrien Moore III Director Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space University of New Hampshire Durham Frank E. Muller-Karger Professor of Biological Oceanography, and Director, Institute for Marine Remote Sensing College of Marine Science University of South Florida St. Petersburg Suzanne Oparil[2] Director, Vascular Biology and Hypertension Program., and Professor of Medicine, Physiology, and Biophysics University of Alabama Birmingham Ronald F. Probstein[1,3] Ford Professor of Engineering, Emeritus Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge Dennis W. Readey Herman F. Coors Distinguished Professor of Ceramic Engineering Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department Colorado School of Mines Golden Harvey D. Tananbaum[1] Director Chandra X-ray Center Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Cambridge J. Craig Wheeler Professor of Astronomy Department of Astronomy University of Texas Austin A. Thomas Young[3] Executive Vice President Lockheed Martin (retired) Onancock, Va. RESEARCH COUNCIL STAFF Joseph K. Alexander Study Director 1 Member, National Academy of Sciences 2 Member, Institute of Medicine 3 Member, National Academy of Engineering |
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