Latest news with #PlanetaryScienceDivision
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Trump's proposed 2026 NASA budget cuts will cede our space 'position of leadership to other nations', top scientists say
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Call it an SOSS message – a Save Our Solar System planetary science community communiqué. It is unquestionably a "wait-a-minute" concern running through the space science research groups. Given the considerable uncertainty about the future NASA Science budget given projected Trump Administration funding considerations, the chairs of analysis/assessment groups (AGs), linked to the space agency's Planetary Science Division, issued a statement on May 12 titled "To members of the planetary science community." The letter explains that by abandoning our most ambitious efforts, such as Mars Sample Return, which already have substantial investment, "will cede this position of leadership to other nations, such as China." Lastly, the communiqué concludes that science at NASA deserves "full-throated support from our community and the public." The statement has been stirred up by the President's top-level recommendations on discretionary funding levels for fiscal year (FY) 2026, or so-called "skinny budget." The term skinny budget means that the document contains brief descriptions of programs and recommended financial reductions or increases. Still to come is the "Full Monty" of budget specificity that's expected shortly. That skinny budget was released on May 2 and noted major cuts to NASA's Science Mission Directorate budget, such as cancelling the top Decadal priority flagship mission, Mars Sample Return. "The extent of the proposed cuts to, or cancellation of, missions and programs, including research and analysis, will not be known until the full budget is released," the AG chairs' statement observes. "That budget will make its way through Congress, where changes of unknown magnitude are likely to be made and we won't know the final FY26 budget for some time to come." As reiterated in the statement, the positive impact of science at NASA and crucial role it plays in broad societal terms include: Exploration and research in planetary science enables us to better understand the history of the solar system, as well as our planet and origins; Deep space exploration is a tremendous source of innovation in science and technology having applications well beyond space science research, including in the commercial sector, where over 60 years of investment and development have placed the US at the forefront of research and technological advancements in general; Planetary and space science research has served as an inspiration for generations of present and future scientists and engineers. NASA's science and exploration contribute to our national posture, where US leadership in planetary science is a source of geopolitical soft power; NASA's spaceflight missions and associated scientific research are thoughtfully developed and carefully prioritized, being guided by reports from the independent National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine; these reports are written by top scientists and engineers and represent the consensus view of their respective communities as to the activities that will be of greatest value to science and the American taxpayer over decadal timespans; Science at NASA engages some of the brightest minds of the nation to develop solutions to problems of human survival and growth based on fact-based inquiry and analysis – although life and civilization are robust, the geologic record shows the Earth's and the Solar System's history of catastrophe and global change, from extinction-level impacts to solar storms to ice ages and hot-houses and science enables us to understand these better; and At the broadest level, science everywhere represents fundamental human curiosity, helping us to understand the world around us and develop innovative solutions to problems, enabling us to become more productive, and make informed decisions about societal concerns. In closing, the statement signed by AG officials reminds the reader of an observation of noted space scientist, Carl Sagan: "Cutting off fundamental, curiosity-driven science is like eating the seed corn," Sagan advised. "We may have a little more to eat next winter but what will we plant so we and our children will have enough to get through the winters to come?" For their part, the AG chairs are working diligently to represent the PSD community in this time of change, "but we encourage you to make your voice heard, and the more voices, the more powerful the impact will be."
Broadcast Pro
25-02-2025
- Science
- Broadcast Pro
NASA selects SpaceX to launch NEO Surveyor mission
NEO Surveyor will launch on a Falcon 9 from Florida as soon as September 2027. NASA has awarded SpaceX a contract to provide launch services for the Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor mission, a space telescope designed to detect and track asteroids and comets that could pose a threat to Earth. The mission is set to launch no earlier than September 2027 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida. The contract, valued at approximately $100m, falls under NASAs Launch Services II agreement and covers all mission-related costs. NEO Surveyor will carry a nearly 20-inch (50 cm) infrared telescope capable of detecting both bright and dark asteroidsespecially those difficult to identify with current observation methods. The mission aims to advance NASAs planetary defence strategy by identifying and studying potentially hazardous near-Earth objects (NEOs) within 30m miles of Earth's orbit. Over a five-year survey, the mission seeks to locate at least two-thirds of undiscovered NEOs larger than 140 meters (460 ft), which are large enough to cause significant regional damage if they were to impact Earth. By utilising infrared imaging, the telescope will provide precise measurements of asteroid sizes, compositions, shapes, rotation patterns, and orbits. The mission is managed by NASAs Planetary Science Division and the Planetary Defense Coordination Office, with programme oversight from NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center. NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is leading development, with contributions from various aerospace and research organizations, including BAE Systems SMS, Space Dynamics Laboratory and Teledyne. The University of Colorado Boulder will oversee operations, while Caltechs Infrared Processing and Analysis Center will manage survey data. NASAs Launch Services Programme at Kennedy Space Center will oversee the launch, marking another significant step in the agencys efforts to enhance planetary defence and mitigate potential asteroid impact risks. Tags: NASASpaceXFalcon 9NEO SurveyorNEO Surveyor missionEarth's orbit
