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Solar and Space Physics: A Science for a Technological Society
RECOMMENDATIONS
81
the opportunity to work on projects that could produce real results within the time frame of a graduate
thesis was a great attraction to the field (see Appendix D, “Education and Workforce Issues in Solar and
Space Physics”).
NSF’s CubeSat initiative 5 promotes science done by very small satellites and provides prime educational opportunities for young experimenters and engineers. The education and training value of these
programs has been strongly recognized by the university research community, an endorsement that is itself
an argument for an increased launch cadence (more than one per year). As CubeSat grows, it is critical
to develop best-in-class educational projects and track the impacts of investments in these potentially
game-changing assets.
Recommendation: NSF’s CubeSat program should be augmented to enable at least two new starts per
year. Detailed metrics should be maintained, documenting the accomplishments of the program in terms
of training, research, technology development, and contributions to space weather forecasting.
NASA’s Low-Cost Access to Space (LCAS) program supports suborbital science missions, and it also
provides a unique avenue for graduate-student training and technology development. An increase in
the present cadence of sounding rocket investigations and an augmentation by a tiny satellites program,
complementary to NSF’s CubeSats, will strengthen LCAS and capitalize on new capabilities.
Recommendation: A NASA tiny-satellite grants program should be implemented, augmenting the current Low-Cost Access to Space (LCAS) program, to enable a broadened set of observations, technology
development, and student training. Sounding rocket, balloon, and tiny-satellite experiments should be
managed and funded at a level to enable a combined new-start rate of at least six per year, requiring the
addition of $9 million per year (plus an increase for inflation) to the current LCAS new-start budget of
$4 million per year for all of solar and space physics.
Realize: Realize Scientific Potential by Sufficiently Funding Operations and Data Analysis
The value of a mission or ground-based investigation is fully realized, and science goals achieved, only
if the right measurements are performed over the mission’s lifetime and new data are analyzed fully (Figure
4.3). Realizing the full scientific potential of solar and space physics assets therefore requires investment
in their continuing operation and in effective exploitation of data (Box 4.1). Furthermore, a successful
investigation should also include a focused data analysis program (Box 4.2) that supports science goals
that might span platforms or might change throughout a mission. The following program augmentations
expand the potential for new discoveries from data.
Advanced Technology Space Telescope (ATST) Operations
Starting in 2018, NSF’s ATST will provide the most highly resolved measurements of the Sun’s plasma
and magnetic field ever obtained. The ATST is currently under construction, funded as a large project by
NSF’s MREFC program. To fully realize this investment, funding for its operations and for data analysis
has to be identified. In particular, ATST requires adequate, sustained funding from NSF for operation, data
processing and analysis, development of advanced instrumentation, and research grant support for ATST
users. The National Solar Observatory (NSO) FY 2001-2015 long-range budget estimate for annual ATST
operations and data services is approximately $18 million. This amount, in addition to a required $4 mil5 Formally known as the CubeSat-based Science Missions for Space Weather and Atmospheric Research.
Solar and Space Physics: A Science for a Technological Society
RECOMMENDATIONS
81
the opportunity to work on projects that could produce real results within the time frame of a graduate
thesis was a great attraction to the field (see Appendix D, “Education and Workforce Issues in Solar and
Space Physics”).
NSF’s CubeSat initiative 5 promotes science done by very small satellites and provides prime educational opportunities for young experimenters and engineers. The education and training value of these
programs has been strongly recognized by the university research community, an endorsement that is itself
an argument for an increased launch cadence (more than one per year). As CubeSat grows, it is critical
to develop best-in-class educational projects and track the impacts of investments in these potentially
game-changing assets.
Recommendation: NSF’s CubeSat program should be augmented to enable at least two new starts per
year. Detailed metrics should be maintained, documenting the accomplishments of the program in terms
of training, research, technology development, and contributions to space weather forecasting.
NASA’s Low-Cost Access to Space (LCAS) program supports suborbital science missions, and it also
provides a unique avenue for graduate-student training and technology development. An increase in
the present cadence of sounding rocket investigations and an augmentation by a tiny satellites program,
complementary to NSF’s CubeSats, will strengthen LCAS and capitalize on new capabilities.
Recommendation: A NASA tiny-satellite grants program should be implemented, augmenting the current Low-Cost Access to Space (LCAS) program, to enable a broadened set of observations, technology
development, and student training. Sounding rocket, balloon, and tiny-satellite experiments should be
managed and funded at a level to enable a combined new-start rate of at least six per year, requiring the
addition of $9 million per year (plus an increase for inflation) to the current LCAS new-start budget of
$4 million per year for all of solar and space physics.
Realize: Realize Scientific Potential by Sufficiently Funding Operations and Data Analysis
The value of a mission or ground-based investigation is fully realized, and science goals achieved, only
if the right measurements are performed over the mission’s lifetime and new data are analyzed fully (Figure
4.3). Realizing the full scientific potential of solar and space physics assets therefore requires investment
in their continuing operation and in effective exploitation of data (Box 4.1). Furthermore, a successful
investigation should also include a focused data analysis program (Box 4.2) that supports science goals
that might span platforms or might change throughout a mission. The following program augmentations
expand the potential for new discoveries from data.
Advanced Technology Space Telescope (ATST) Operations
Starting in 2018, NSF’s ATST will provide the most highly resolved measurements of the Sun’s plasma
and magnetic field ever obtained. The ATST is currently under construction, funded as a large project by
NSF’s MREFC program. To fully realize this investment, funding for its operations and for data analysis
has to be identified. In particular, ATST requires adequate, sustained funding from NSF for operation, data
processing and analysis, development of advanced instrumentation, and research grant support for ATST
users. The National Solar Observatory (NSO) FY 2001-2015 long-range budget estimate for annual ATST
operations and data services is approximately $18 million. This amount, in addition to a required $4 mil5 Formally known as the CubeSat-based Science Missions for Space Weather and Atmospheric Research.