Assessment Of Planetary Protection Requirements For Spacecraft Missions To Icy Solar System Bodies

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Assessment of Planetary Protection Requirements for Spacecraft Missions to Icy Solar System Bodies

Author : National Research Council
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 030925678X
Total Pages : 94 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (92 download)

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Book Synopsis Assessment of Planetary Protection Requirements for Spacecraft Missions to Icy Solar System Bodies by : National Research Council

Download or read book Assessment of Planetary Protection Requirements for Spacecraft Missions to Icy Solar System Bodies written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2012-07-10 with total page 94 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NASA's exploration of planets and satellites during the past 50 years has led to the discovery of traces of water ice throughout the solar system and prospects for large liquid water reservoirs beneath the frozen ICE shells of multiple satellites of the giant planets of the outer solar system. During the coming decades, NASA and other space agencies will send flybys, orbiters, subsurface probes, and, possibly, landers to these distant worlds in order to explore their geologic and chemical context. Because of their potential to harbor alien life, NASA will select missions that target the most habitable outer solar system objects. This strategy poses formidable challenges for mission planners who must balance the opportunity for exploration with the risk of contamination by Earth's microbes, which could confuse the interpretation of data obtained from these objects. The 2000 NRC report Preventing the Forward Contamination of Europa provided a criterion that was adopted with prior recommendations from the Committee on Space Research of the International Council for Science. This current NRC report revisits and extends the findings and recommendations of the 2000 Europa report in light of recent advances in planetary and life sciences and, among other tasks, assesses the risk of contamination of icy bodies in the solar system.

Assessment of Planetary Protection Requirements for Spacecraft Missions to Icy Solar System Bodies

Author : National Research Council
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309256755
Total Pages : 94 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (92 download)

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Book Synopsis Assessment of Planetary Protection Requirements for Spacecraft Missions to Icy Solar System Bodies by : National Research Council

Download or read book Assessment of Planetary Protection Requirements for Spacecraft Missions to Icy Solar System Bodies written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2012-08-10 with total page 94 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NASA's exploration of planets and satellites during the past 50 years has led to the discovery of traces of water ice throughout the solar system and prospects for large liquid water reservoirs beneath the frozen ICE shells of multiple satellites of the giant planets of the outer solar system. During the coming decades, NASA and other space agencies will send flybys, orbiters, subsurface probes, and, possibly, landers to these distant worlds in order to explore their geologic and chemical context. Because of their potential to harbor alien life, NASA will select missions that target the most habitable outer solar system objects. This strategy poses formidable challenges for mission planners who must balance the opportunity for exploration with the risk of contamination by Earth's microbes, which could confuse the interpretation of data obtained from these objects. The 2000 NRC report Preventing the Forward Contamination of Europa provided a criterion that was adopted with prior recommendations from the Committee on Space Research of the International Council for Science. This current NRC report revisits and extends the findings and recommendations of the 2000 Europa report in light of recent advances in planetary and life sciences and, among other tasks, assesses the risk of contamination of icy bodies in the solar system.

Review and Assessment of Planetary Protection Policy Development Processes

Author : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309478650
Total Pages : 139 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (94 download)

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Book Synopsis Review and Assessment of Planetary Protection Policy Development Processes by : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Download or read book Review and Assessment of Planetary Protection Policy Development Processes written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2018-10-17 with total page 139 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Protecting Earth's environment and other solar system bodies from harmful contamination has been an important principle throughout the history of space exploration. For decades, the scientific, political, and economic conditions of space exploration converged in ways that contributed to effective development and implementation of planetary protection policies at national and international levels. However, the future of space exploration faces serious challenges to the development and implementation of planetary protection policy. The most disruptive changes are associated with (1) sample return from, and human missions to, Mars; and (2) missions to those bodies in the outer solar system possessing water oceans beneath their icy surfaces. Review and Assessment of Planetary Protection Policy Development Processes addresses the implications of changes in the complexion of solar system exploration as they apply to the process of developing planetary protection policy. Specifically, this report examines the history of planetary protection policy, assesses the current policy development process, and recommends actions to improve the policy development process in the future.

Report Series: Committee on Planetary Protection

Author : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309162009
Total Pages : 63 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

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Book Synopsis Report Series: Committee on Planetary Protection by : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Download or read book Report Series: Committee on Planetary Protection written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2020-12-29 with total page 63 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Under U.S. policy and international treaty, the goals of planetary protection are to avoid both adverse changes in Earthâ€™s environment caused by introducing extraterrestrial matter and harmful contamination of solar system bodies in order to protect their biological integrity for scientific study. The United States has long cooperated with other countries and relevant scientific communities through the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) of the International Council for Science in developing planetary protection guidance for different categories of space missions. In the past, achieving planetary protection objectives through science-based, international-consensus guidelines proved relatively straightforward because a small number of spacefaring nations explored the solar system, predominantly through government-led and scientifically focused robotic missions. However, interest in, and the capabilities to undertake, exploration and uses of outer space are evolving and expanding. More countries are engaging in space activities. Private-sector involvement is increasing. Planning is under way for human as well as robotic missions. As recent advisory reports have highlighted, the changes in the nature of space activities create unprecedented challenges for planetary protection. This publication responds to NASAâ€™s request for â€œa short report on the impact of human activities on lunar polar volatiles (e.g., water, carbon dioxide, and methane) and the scientific value of protecting the surface and subsurface regions of the Earthâ€™s Moon from organic and biological contamination.â€ It provides an overview of the current scientific understanding, value, and potential threat of organic and biological contamination of permanently shadowed regions (PSRs), lunar research relevant to understanding prebiotic evolution and the origin of life, and the likelihood that spacecraft landing on the lunar surface will transfer volatiles to polar cold traps. It also assesses how much and which regions of the Moonâ€™s surface and subsurface warrant protection from organic and biological contamination because of their scientific value.

The Goals, Rationales, and Definition of Planetary Protection

Author : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309461626
Total Pages : 35 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (94 download)

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Book Synopsis The Goals, Rationales, and Definition of Planetary Protection by : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Download or read book The Goals, Rationales, and Definition of Planetary Protection written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2017-09-19 with total page 35 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Solar system exploration is in an extraordinary state of expansion. Scientific capabilities to search for evidence of extant or relic life outside Earthâ€"among the principal goals of solar system explorationâ€"are advancing rapidly. In this time of rapid transition in exploring solar system bodies, the importance of reexamining planetary protection policies, including the need for clarity in how NASA establishes such policies, has become more urgent. Overall, this study seeks to review the current state of planetary protection policy development, assess the responsiveness of the policy development process to contemporary and anticipated needs, and recommend actions that might assure the effectiveness of NASA's future coordination and execution of planetary protection. This interim report focuses on the goals of and rationales for planetary protection policies and suggests a working definition of planetary protection consistent with those goals. It does not address future commercial planetary missions, human missions to planetary bodies, or roles and responsibilities for implementing policies, but these issues will be addressed in the final report.

Planetary Protection Considerations for Missions to Solar System Small Bodies: Report Series-Committee on Planetary Protection

Author : National Academies Of Sciences Engineeri
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 9780309693721
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (937 download)

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Book Synopsis Planetary Protection Considerations for Missions to Solar System Small Bodies: Report Series-Committee on Planetary Protection by : National Academies Of Sciences Engineeri

Download or read book Planetary Protection Considerations for Missions to Solar System Small Bodies: Report Series-Committee on Planetary Protection written by National Academies Of Sciences Engineeri and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2023-06-15 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The ultimate goal of planetary protection for outbound missions is to prevent harmful contamination that would inhibit future measurements designed to search for evidence of the existence or evolution of extraterrestrial life. Preventing harmful contamination is achieved by following specific guidelines based on existing scientific knowledge about the destination and the type of mission. This report responds to NASA's request for a study on planetary protection categorization of missions to small bodies, including whether there are particular populations of small bodies for which contamination of one object in the population would not be likely to have a tangible effect on the opportunities for scientific investigation using other objects in the population. In addressing NASA's request, the authoring committee considered surface composition of target bodies and their importance for prebiotic chemistry, along with size of the small-body populations, the current state of knowledge on the types of objects, the likelihood of a future scientific mission returning to any specific object, active object surface processes, and the size.

Evaluating the Biological Potential in Samples Returned from Planetary Satellites and Small Solar System Bodies

Author : National Research Council
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309061369
Total Pages : 117 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (9 download)

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Book Synopsis Evaluating the Biological Potential in Samples Returned from Planetary Satellites and Small Solar System Bodies by : National Research Council

Download or read book Evaluating the Biological Potential in Samples Returned from Planetary Satellites and Small Solar System Bodies written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1998-10-14 with total page 117 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For the first time since the Apollo program, NASA and space agencies abroad have plans to bring samples to Earth from elsewhere in the solar system. There are missions in various stages of definition to gather material over the next decade from Mars, an asteroid, comets, the satellites of Jupiter, and the interplanetary dust. Some of these targets, most especially Jupiter's satellites Europa and Ganymede, now appear to have the potential for harboring living organisms. This book considers the possibility that life may have originated or existed on a body from which a sample might be taken and the possibility that life still exists on the body either in active form or in a form that could be reactivated. It also addresses the potential hazard to terrestrial ecosystems from extraterrestrial life if it exists in a returned sample. Released at the time of the Internationl Committee on Space Research General Assembly, the book has already established the basis for plans for small body sample retruns in the international space research community.

Space Studies Board Annual Report 2017

Author : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 030947762X
Total Pages : 129 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (94 download)

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Book Synopsis Space Studies Board Annual Report 2017 by : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Download or read book Space Studies Board Annual Report 2017 written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2018-12-19 with total page 129 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The original charter of the Space Science Board was established in June 1958, three months before the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) opened its doors. The Space Science Board and its successor, the Space Studies Board (SSB), have provided expert external and independent scientific and programmatic advice to NASA on a continuous basis from NASA's inception until the present. The SSB has also provided such advice to other executive branch agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Department of Defense, as well as to Congress. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2017 covers a message from the chair of the SSB, David N. Spergel. This report also explains the origins of the Space Science Board, how the Space Studies Board functions today, the SSB's collaboration with other National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine units, assures the quality of the SSB reports, acknowledges the audience and sponsors, and expresses the necessity to enhance the outreach and improve dissemination of SSB reports. This report will be relevant to a full range of government audiences in civilian space research - including NASA, NSF, NOAA, USGS, and the Department of Energy, as well members of the SSB, policy makers, and researchers.

Space Studies Board Annual Report 2014

Author : National Research Council
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309368049
Total Pages : 83 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (93 download)

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Book Synopsis Space Studies Board Annual Report 2014 by : National Research Council

Download or read book Space Studies Board Annual Report 2014 written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2015-04-10 with total page 83 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The original charter of the Space Science Board was established in June 1958, 3 months before the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) opened its doors. The Space Science Board and its successor, the Space Studies Board (SSB), have provided expert external and independent scientific and programmatic advice to NASA on a continuous basis from NASA's inception until the present. The SSB has also provided such advice to other executive branch agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Department of Defense, as well as to Congress. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2014 covers a message from the chair of the SSB, David N. Spergel. This report also explains the origins of the Space Science Board, how the Space Studies Board functions today, the SSB's collaboration with other National Research Council units, assures the quality of the SSB reports, acknowledges the audience and sponsors, and expresses the necessity to enhance the outreach and improve dissemination of SSB reports. This report will be relevant to a full range of government audiences in civilian space research - including NASA, NSF, NOAA, USGS, and the Department of Energy, as well members of the SSB, policy makers, and researchers.

Space Studies Board Annual Report 2013

Author : National Research Council
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309302862
Total Pages : 83 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (93 download)

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Book Synopsis Space Studies Board Annual Report 2013 by : National Research Council

Download or read book Space Studies Board Annual Report 2013 written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2014-04-09 with total page 83 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The original charter of the Space Science Board was established in June 1958, 3 months before the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) opened its doors. The Space Science Board and its successor, the Space Studies Board (SSB), have provided expert external and independent scientific and programmatic advice to NASA on a continuous basis from NASA's inception until the present. The SSB has also provided such advice to other executive branch agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Department of Defense, as well as to Congress. Space Studies Board Annual Report 2013 covers a message from the chair of the SSB, Charles F. Kennel. This report also explains the origins of the Space Science Board, how the Space Studies Board functions today, the SSB's collaboration with other National Research Council units, assures the quality of the SSB reports, acknowledges the audience and sponsors, and expresses the necessity to enhance the outreach and improve dissemination of SSB reports. This report will be relevant to a full range of government audiences in civilian space research - including NASA, NSF, NOAA, USGS, and the Department of Energy, as well members of the SSB, policy makers, and researchers.

Handbook of Space Resources

Author : Viorel Badescu
Publisher : Springer Nature
ISBN 13 : 303097913X
Total Pages : 1201 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (39 download)

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Book Synopsis Handbook of Space Resources by : Viorel Badescu

Download or read book Handbook of Space Resources written by Viorel Badescu and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2023-04-27 with total page 1201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Earth has limited material and energy resources, while these resources are virtually unlimited in space. It is only a matter of time, before planetary resources are mined and used in-situ to sustain human and robotic exploration or returned to Earth for commercial gain. This book covers a number of aspects related to space resources. In particular, subjects related to mission concepts, exploration approaches, mining and extraction technologies, commercial potential, and regulatory aspects of space resources are covered in detail. This book is therefore a good resource for readers who seek background and deeper understanding of space resources related activities.

Review of the MEPAG Report on Mars Special Regions

Author : European Science Foundation
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309379040
Total Pages : 81 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (93 download)

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Book Synopsis Review of the MEPAG Report on Mars Special Regions by : European Science Foundation

Download or read book Review of the MEPAG Report on Mars Special Regions written by European Science Foundation and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2016-01-15 with total page 81 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Planetary protection is a guiding principle in the design of an interplanetary mission, aiming to prevent biological contamination of both the target celestial body and the Earth. The protection of high-priority science goals, the search for life and the understanding of the Martian organic environment may be compromised if Earth microbes carried by spacecraft are grown and spread on Mars. This has led to the definition of Special Regions on Mars where strict planetary protection measures have to be applied before a spacecraft can enter these areas. At NASA's request, the community-based Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) established the Special Regions Science Analysis Group (SR-SAG2) in October 2013 to examine the quantitative definition of a Special Region and proposed modifications to it, as necessary, based upon the latest scientific results. Review of the MEPAG Report on Mars Special Regions reviews the conclusions and recommendations contained in MEPAG's SR-SAG2 report and assesses their consistency with current understanding of both the Martian environment and the physical and chemical limits for the survival and propagation of microbial and other life on Earth. This report provides recommendations for an update of the planetary protection requirements for Mars Special Regions.

Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022

Author : National Research Council
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309224640
Total Pages : 399 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (92 download)

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Book Synopsis Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022 by : National Research Council

Download or read book Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022 written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2012-01-30 with total page 399 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In recent years, planetary science has seen a tremendous growth in new knowledge. Deposits of water ice exist at the Moon's poles. Discoveries on the surface of Mars point to an early warm wet climate, and perhaps conditions under which life could have emerged. Liquid methane rain falls on Saturn's moon Titan, creating rivers, lakes, and geologic landscapes with uncanny resemblances to Earth's. Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022 surveys the current state of knowledge of the solar system and recommends a suite of planetary science flagship missions for the decade 2013-2022 that could provide a steady stream of important new discoveries about the solar system. Research priorities defined in the report were selected through a rigorous review that included input from five expert panels. NASA's highest priority large mission should be the Mars Astrobiology Explorer Cacher (MAX-C), a mission to Mars that could help determine whether the planet ever supported life and could also help answer questions about its geologic and climatic history. Other projects should include a mission to Jupiter's icy moon Europa and its subsurface ocean, and the Uranus Orbiter and Probe mission to investigate that planet's interior structure, atmosphere, and composition. For medium-size missions, Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022 recommends that NASA select two new missions to be included in its New Frontiers program, which explores the solar system with frequent, mid-size spacecraft missions. If NASA cannot stay within budget for any of these proposed flagship projects, it should focus on smaller, less expensive missions first. Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022 suggests that the National Science Foundation expand its funding for existing laboratories and establish new facilities as needed. It also recommends that the program enlist the participation of international partners. This report is a vital resource for government agencies supporting space science, the planetary science community, and the public.

Assessment of the Report of NASA's Planetary Protection Independent Review Board

Author : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309676495
Total Pages : 89 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (96 download)

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Book Synopsis Assessment of the Report of NASA's Planetary Protection Independent Review Board by : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Download or read book Assessment of the Report of NASA's Planetary Protection Independent Review Board written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2020-11-19 with total page 89 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The goal of planetary protection is to control, to the degree possible, the biological cross-contamination of planetary bodies. Guidelines developed by the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) are used by all spacefaring nations to guide their preparations for encounters with solar system bodies. NASA's Science Mission Directorate has convened the Planetary Protection Independent Review Board (PPIRB) to consider updating the COSPAR guidelines given the growing interest from commercial and private groups in exploration and utilization of Mars and other bodies in space. At the request of NASA, this publication reviews the findings of the PPIRB and comments on their consistency with the recommendations of the recent National Academies report Review and Assessment of the Planetary Protection Policy Development Processes.

Solar and Space Physics

Author : National Research Council
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309164281
Total Pages : 454 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

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Book Synopsis Solar and Space Physics by : National Research Council

Download or read book Solar and Space Physics written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2013-09-26 with total page 454 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the interior of the Sun, to the upper atmosphere and near-space environment of Earth, and outward to a region far beyond Pluto where the Sun's influence wanes, advances during the past decade in space physics and solar physics-the disciplines NASA refers to as heliophysics-have yielded spectacular insights into the phenomena that affect our home in space. Solar and Space Physics, from the National Research Council's (NRC's) Committee for a Decadal Strategy in Solar and Space Physics, is the second NRC decadal survey in heliophysics. Building on the research accomplishments realized during the past decade, the report presents a program of basic and applied research for the period 2013-2022 that will improve scientific understanding of the mechanisms that drive the Sun's activity and the fundamental physical processes underlying near-Earth plasma dynamics, determine the physical interactions of Earth's atmospheric layers in the context of the connected Sun-Earth system, and enhance greatly the capability to provide realistic and specific forecasts of Earth's space environment that will better serve the needs of society. Although the recommended program is directed primarily at NASA and the National Science Foundation for action, the report also recommends actions by other federal agencies, especially the parts of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration charged with the day-to-day (operational) forecast of space weather. In addition to the recommendations included in this summary, related recommendations are presented in this report.

The Effects of Solar Variability on Earth's Climate

Author : National Research Council
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309265649
Total Pages : 70 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (92 download)

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Book Synopsis The Effects of Solar Variability on Earth's Climate by : National Research Council

Download or read book The Effects of Solar Variability on Earth's Climate written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2012-12-12 with total page 70 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On September 8-9, 2011, experts in solar physics, climate models, paleoclimatology, and atmospheric science assembled at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado for a workshop to consider the Sun's variability over time and potential Sun-climate connections. While it does not provide findings, recommendations, or consensus on the current state of the science, The Effects of Solar Variability on Earth's Climate: A Workshop Report briefly introduces the primary topics discussed by presenters at the event. As context for these topics, the summary includes background information on the potential Sun-climate connection, the measurement record from space, and potential perturbations of climate due to long-term solar variability. This workshop report also summarizes some of the science questions explored by the participants as potential future research endeavors.

Earth Science and Applications from Space

Author : National Research Council
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309257026
Total Pages : 124 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (92 download)

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Book Synopsis Earth Science and Applications from Space by : National Research Council

Download or read book Earth Science and Applications from Space written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2012-09-03 with total page 124 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Understanding the effects of natural and human-induced changes on the global environment and their implications requires a foundation of integrated observations of land, sea, air and space, on which to build credible information products, forecast models, and other tools for making informed decisions. The 2007 National Research Council report on decadal survey called for a renewal of the national commitment to a program of Earth observations in which attention to securing practical benefits for humankind plays an equal role with the quest to acquire new knowledge about the Earth system. NASA responded favorably and aggressively to this survey, embracing its overall recommendations for Earth observations, missions, technology investments, and priorities for the underlying science. As a result, the science and applications communities have made significant progress over the past 5 years. However, the Committee on Assessment of NASA's Earth Science Program found that the survey vision is being realized at a far slower pace than was recommended, principally because the required budget was not achieved. Exacerbating the budget shortfalls, NASA Earth science programs experienced launch failures and delays and the cost of implementing missions increased substantially as a result of changes in mission scope, increases in launch vehicle costs and/or the lack of availability of a medium-class launch vehicle, under-estimation of costs by the decadal survey, and unfunded programmatic changes that were required by Congress and the Office of Management and Budget. In addition, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has made significant reductions in scope to its future Earth environmental observing satellites as it contends with budget shortfalls. Earth Science and Applications from Space: A Midterm Assessment of NASA's Implementation of the Decadal Survey recommends a number of steps to better manage existing programs and to implement future programs that will be recommended by the next decadal survey. The report also highlights the urgent need for the Executive Branch to develop and implement an overarching multiagency national strategy for Earth observations from space, a key recommendation of the 2007 decadal survey that remains unfulfilled.