Posted on Apr 20, 2022
NASA advisers call for a visit to Uranus, plus more science during moon landings
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https://www.npr.org/2022/04/19/ [login to see] /nasa-advisors-call-for-a-visit-to-uranus-plus-more-science-during-moon-landings
A robotic mission to orbit Uranus. A probe that can land on a potentially life-supporting moon of Saturn. And a better plan for astronauts to do high-quality science on the moon.
These are among the top priorities outlined in a new report from an influential group that's advising NASA on where to boldly go in the next decade, from 2023 to 2032.
Every ten years, the prestigious National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine brings together committees of space experts to survey the field of planetary science and reach a consensus on the best way for NASA to explore strange new worlds.
Some of the items on their latest wishlist sound familiar, but others are brand new. And while the report paints an optimistic picture of the field overall, there are hints of concern about future budget constraints.
A robotic mission to orbit Uranus. A probe that can land on a potentially life-supporting moon of Saturn. And a better plan for astronauts to do high-quality science on the moon.
These are among the top priorities outlined in a new report from an influential group that's advising NASA on where to boldly go in the next decade, from 2023 to 2032.
Every ten years, the prestigious National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine brings together committees of space experts to survey the field of planetary science and reach a consensus on the best way for NASA to explore strange new worlds.
Some of the items on their latest wishlist sound familiar, but others are brand new. And while the report paints an optimistic picture of the field overall, there are hints of concern about future budget constraints.
NASA advisers call for a visit to Uranus, plus more science during moon landings
Posted from npr.org
Space
Science
NASA
Posted 2 y ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Retrieving Mars rocks is "highest scientific priority"
The last time around, in 2011, expert advisers told NASA to gather an interesting selection of rocks on Mars and then work to bring those pristine samples back to Earth for chemical analyses. This could show whether the red planet ever had life. They also argued for a mission to Europa, a moon of Jupiter that seems to have an ocean of water beneath its icy surface.
NASA embraced those goals and has been making progress, but planetary scientists have started to worry that cost overruns might threaten the ability to visit other places in the solar system that beckon.
"Right now in planetary science in the U.S., we're at record levels of funding," says Casey Dreier, senior space policy adviser for The Planetary Society, a nonprofit that promotes space exploration. "But I think at the same time, we are being squeezed by two major missions, Mars Sample Return and Europa Clipper."
Bringing home rocks from the red planet should remain "the highest scientific priority of NASA's robotic exploration efforts this decade," according to the new, 780-page report on the expert group's findings."...
..."Retrieving Mars rocks is "highest scientific priority"
The last time around, in 2011, expert advisers told NASA to gather an interesting selection of rocks on Mars and then work to bring those pristine samples back to Earth for chemical analyses. This could show whether the red planet ever had life. They also argued for a mission to Europa, a moon of Jupiter that seems to have an ocean of water beneath its icy surface.
NASA embraced those goals and has been making progress, but planetary scientists have started to worry that cost overruns might threaten the ability to visit other places in the solar system that beckon.
"Right now in planetary science in the U.S., we're at record levels of funding," says Casey Dreier, senior space policy adviser for The Planetary Society, a nonprofit that promotes space exploration. "But I think at the same time, we are being squeezed by two major missions, Mars Sample Return and Europa Clipper."
Bringing home rocks from the red planet should remain "the highest scientific priority of NASA's robotic exploration efforts this decade," according to the new, 780-page report on the expert group's findings."...
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