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NASA Agency OverviewNASA’s Vision and Fundamental Physics in Space

Paul HertzChief Scientist, Science Mission Directorate

NASA

International Workshop onFundamental Physics Research in Space

May 22-24, 2006

The NASA Mission:To pioneer the future in space exploration,

scientific discovery, and aeronautics research.

The Vision for Space Exploration:To advance U.S. scientific, security, and economic interests through a robust space exploration program.

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NASA’s Strategic Goals*• Strategic Goal 1: Fly the Shuttle as safely as possible until its retirement,

not later than 2010.• Strategic Goal 2: Complete the International Space Station in a manner

consistent with NASA’s International Partner commitments and the needs of human exploration.

• Strategic Goal 3: Develop a balanced overall program of science, exploration, and aeronautics consistent with the redirection of the human spaceflight program to focus on exploration.

• Strategic Goal 4: Bring a new Crew Exploration Vehicle into service as soon as possible after Shuttle retirement.

• Strategic Goal 5: Encourage the pursuit of appropriate partnerships with the emerging commercial space sector.

• Strategic Goal 6: Establish a lunar return program having the maximum possible utility for later missions to Mars and other destinations.

* 2006 NASA Strategic Plan

Science

Aeronautics Research

Space Operations

Exploration Systems

The Science Mission DirectorateThe Science Mission Directorate

What Powered the Big Bang?What Powered the Big Bang?

What is the Dark Energy Pulling the Universe Apart?What is the Dark Energy Pulling the Universe Apart?

What Happens at the Edge of a Black Hole?What Happens at the Edge of a Black Hole?

Where do Planets Come From?Where do Planets Come From?

Are There Other Habitable Worlds?Are There Other Habitable Worlds?

Where Do the Elements of Life Come From?

Where Do the Elements of Life Come From?

Current Missions

WMAP Glimpses the Universe’sFirst Trillionth of a Second

New Horizons is Off to PlutoMESSENGER is on its Way to Mercury

Swift Uncovers the Origin of Gamma Ray Bursts

Gravity Probe B Searches for Frame Dragging

Hubble and Chandra observe Black Holes

and Dark Energy

Future Missions

Joint Dark Energy Mission (with DOE)

Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (with ESA)

Constellation-X

Planck (with ESA)

The Beyond Einstein Program

Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (with DOE)

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Strategic Decisions

Budget

&

Priorities

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Science Budget Strategy

• To support Space Operations Mission Directorate requirements within a fixed Agency budget, reductions to previous Science planning are necessary

• Science gets 1.5% growth from FY06 to 07, 1% per year thereafter–$3.1B decrease from FY06 Budget runout

• Strategy for Adjustments–Develop an executable program based on strategic National

Academy science priorities

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Science Priority Strategy

Priorities set through Dialog with the Science Community • Strategic recommendations on science priorities via the NRC

–Decadal surveys–Focused questions of a strategic nature–Review of strategic plans

• Tactical advice on implementation of strategic priorities via–Science committee of the NAC and subordinate groups–Workshops with science investigator community–Participation in major professional societies (AGU, AMS, AAS, etc)

• Technical interchange on detailed requirements and engineering trades via funded Principal Investigators and Science Teams

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NASA Science Plan

• SMD has two upcoming strategic planning requirements–Must implement NASA Strategic Plan goals for science–2005 NASA Authorization Act requires NASA to deliver a Science

Plan through 2016 to Congress in December 2006

• SMD intends to meet both requirements with one document: NASA Science Plan –Will create a Science Plan developed with the community,

analogous to the old Enterprise Strategic Plan architecture–Drawn from community-based Roadmaps and National Academy

Decadal Surveys–SMD to engage both NASA Advisory Council (Science Committee

and Science Subcommittees) and NRC Space Studies Board through this process

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NASA Advisory Council (25 members)Science Committee

(5 members)

Science Subcommittees Executive Panel(chairs of SMD subcommittees)

Astrophysics Subcommittee

Heliophysics Subcommittee

Planetary Science Subcommittee

Earth Science Subcommittee

Each Subcommittee has about 15 members

Planetary Protection

Subcommittee

Exploration AeronauticsAudit & Finance

Human Capital

NASA Advisory Council

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Essentials for Science Planning

• Science organization and planning at NASA has undergone considerable change over the past year, and there is more to come

• But the essentials remain the same–Science questions drive mission and technology investment–Science priorities are set through dialog with the science

community–Science and technology research will be selected based on

open and competitive processes–The pace of scientific progress will demand continuous

technological advancement–A vast web of partnerships in science, technology, and

applications are required to conduct Earth and space science

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Backup

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*

Science Mission Directorate

Planetary Science Division

Astrophysics Division

Heliophysics Division

Earth ScienceDivision

New Frontiers

Mars Exploration

Discovery

Solar System Research

Living with a Star

Solar Terrestrial Probes

Explorers

Earth System Science Pathfinder

Earth SystematicMissions

New Millennium

Deep SpaceMission Systems

Ground Network

Hubble SpaceTelescope

Navigator

James WebbSpace Telescope

SOFIA

GLAST

ISSC: Herschel/Planck

DivisionProgram

Earth Science Research

Universe Research

Beyond Einstein

Applied Sciences

Heliophysics Research

Other Agency Support Programs

ESS Multimission OpsCassini

SMD Programs

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Role of Fundamental Physics

• NASA uses space observatories, laboratory tests, and theoretical modeling to examine nature, expand scientists’ understanding of the contents of the universe and the physical processes that govern their behavior, and answer fundamental questions.–Cosmic Rays–Cosmology–Dark Energy–Black Holes–Gravitational Radiation–General Relativity–Etc.

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Venues for Fundamental Physics

• International Space Station–NASA use dedicated to understanding the effects of the space

environment on human performance, and testing new technologies and countermeasures for long-duration human space exploration.

– International partners conducting broader research program.• Satellites

–Prioritized against other science opportunities within NASA’s science program.

–Most concepts fall within NASA’s astrophysics division.–Solar system texts of General Relativity possible as experiments of

opportunity within NASA’s planetary sciences division.• Lunar Surface

–Prioritized against other science opportunities within NASA’s science and exploration programs.

–Possibility of leveraged opportunities enabled by human exploration program.