Scientists give NASA their wish list for the next 30 years

[absolutezero]

Below is the article. If you all were approached by NASA to come up with a 30 year plan, what types of missions would you like to see and why?<br /><br />---------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />(http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/politics/11941709.htm)<br />WASHINGTON - (KRT) - At NASA's request, scientists have given the space agency a detailed wish list of missions they hope to see conducted over the next 30 years.<br /><br />The proposals range from something as down to earth as a satellite to measure all the rain that falls on our world to a far-out mission looking back to the dawn of time.<br /><br />That venture would send a spaceship named the Big Bang Observer to study the explosion that astronomers believe gave birth to the universe 13.7 billion years ago. The goal is to "determine what powered the big bang and how the universe began and evolved," said Paul Hertz, a senior scientist in NASA's Office of Space Science.<br /><br />Another deep-space mission would use a "solar sail," propelled only by light rays from the sun, to explore interstellar space beyond our solar system.<br /><br />Another project would station "sentinels" between the Earth and the sun to watch for solar storms that affect our atmosphere and threaten astronauts' safety. The aim is to "forecast all-clear periods for space explorers near Earth," said Tim Killeen, the director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo.<br /><br />These proposals and dozens more are in a set of six "road maps" prepared by scientific and technical advisory committees drawn from within NASA, the commercial space industry and universities. (There were supposed to be 13 maps, but NASA's new administrator, Michael Griffin, reduced them to save time.)<br /><br />The Space Studies Board of the National Academy of Sciences is analyzing the road maps. NASA will put them together in a Strategic Science Plan this summer, in time for next year's federal budge

 

[toymaker]

The link to NASA doesn't work.<br />this is the correct one:<br /><br />http://www.nasa.gov/about/strategic_roadmaps.html

 

[absolutezero]

I would personally like to see another mission to Titan, this time with a rover and perhaps a weather ballon that would be launched as well. <br /><br />Do you guys think a mission to Titan would be more beneficial then missions to Mars?

 

[spacester]

Wow. There has to be more to the story. Griffin pared it down from 13 roadmaps to 6 roadmaps. Does anybody know which 6 still apply? The NASA site still shows all 13.<br /><br />What's going on here? Which roadmap does the story refer to? What's Griffin's schedule for sorting this all out? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[toymaker]

"Do we really need to know if there are planets circling stars 150 ly away right now? (TPF) <br />"<br />I think finding habitable earthlike planets would one of the most breakthrough achievements of space science.<br />In fact I think TPF should our top priority.Not going for a couple more of moon rocks/which won't happen anyway probably/ <br /><br />

 

[no_way]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>I think finding habitable earthlike planets would one of the most breakthrough achievements of space science.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br />Yea, and the thing is you cant tell whether its habitable before you go there, put the foot down and smell the atmosphere.<br />Which is not gonna happen in next hundred years and therefore is irrelevant right now. Besides, once you have begun to conquer the inner solar system ( which we havent), possibilities and capabilities for exoplanet search become inevitably tens and hundreds of times better than we have now. Think VLA in deep space and extrapolate from there.<br />

 

[toymaker]

"Yea, and the thing is you cant tell whether its habitable before you go there, put the foot down and smell the atmosphere. <br />Which is not gonna happen in next hundred years"<br /><br />Actually we are able to construct telescopes to determine atmosphere and biomarkers in the time of a decade or so.<br /><br />"Besides, once you have begun to conquer the inner solar system ( which we havent)"<br />I think you have been reading too much SF.Besides small scientific bases doing the same work for much more cost then robotic missions their will be no conquest of solar system in the forseable future.<br />Of course finding habitable planets would motivate people more to explore space... <br /><br />"Besides, once you have begun to conquer the inner solar system ( which we havent), possibilities and capabilities for exoplanet search become inevitably tens and hundreds of times better than we have now. "<br />Actually we already have the ability to do that.We don't have to wait 200 years for infrastucture that is 100 % unnecessary.

 

[absolutezero]

kadetken,<br /><br />Thank you for taking the time to make that list! Very interesting. However, why do you feel studying asteriods are more valuable then moons such as Titan, Europa, Tritan, Io. The think the fact of these satellites active geology make them more of a candidate then asteriods.

 

[wvbraun]

"What's going on here? Which roadmap does the story refer to? What's Griffin's schedule for sorting this all out?"<br /><br />I think Griffin has killed *all* roadmapping activities that were underway under O'Keefe because they were no use in his opinion (too slow to aid in decision making, no focus). All roadmapping (at least regarding manned exploration) will be done by the team that is conducting the ESAS (Exploration Systems Architecture Study) initiated by Griffin in April. Their report is due in July.

 

[spacester]

<font color="yellow">I think Griffin has killed *all* roadmapping avtivites that were underway under O'Keefe . . .</font><br /><br />Ah, OK that makes sense and is consistent with what I'd read previously. The "six roadmaps" comment came out of left field for me.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[spacester]

<font color="yellow">But that's just me.</font><br /><br />No it's not just you. I totally agree. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[absolutezero]

kadetken,<br /><br />Again, thanks for the great information. You make excellent points, so I do not have many more questions. I guess my only real thought is this. Why do you feel NASA has largely ignored the items you have mentioned? All political?<br /><br />Since you mentioned the moon below. What is your thoughts on a moon colony and future explorations there? A waste of time or something NASA should invest in within this century?