thomas h. zurbuchen associate administrator · •includes support for europa flyby mission and...

Thomas H. Zurbuchen

Associate Administrator @Dr_ThomasZ

May 3, 2017

An Integrated Program Enabling Great Science

Innovation & Discovery

NASA SCIENCE MISSION DIRECTORATE

Safeguarding and

Improving Life on Earth

Searching for

Life Elsewhere

Expanding our Knowledge

KEY SCIENCE THEMES

SCIENCE BY THE NUMBERS

Balloon Payloads 13 science payloads

13 piggyback/

student payloads

Spacecraft 105 missions*

88 spacecraft

CubeSats 17 science missions*

11 technology demonstrations

Earth-Based Investigations 25 major airborne missions

8 global networks

Technology Development ~$400M invested annually

Sounding Rocket Flights 14 science missions

3 technology/student

missions

Research 10,000+ U.S. scientists funded

3,000+ competitively selected awards

~$600M awarded annually

*122 space-based missions As of April 27, 2017

https://science.nasa.gov/missions

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SAFEGUARDING & IMPROVING LIFE ON EARTH

Texas February 14, 2017

NOAA/NASA GOES-16

Geostationary

Lightning Mapper

Credit: NASA Goddard/SWRC/CCMC/SWMF

SAFEGUARDING & IMPROVING LIFE ON EARTH

SEARCHING FOR LIFE ELSEWHERE

CASSINI diving through

Saturn’s Moon Enceladus

Artistic Rendering

HST: Plumes on

Jupiter’s Moon

Europa

10

Credit: ESA/Hubble, NASA, Sloan Digital Sky Survey,

Palomar Observatory/California Institute of Technology

EXPANDING OUR KNOWLEDGE

Gravitationally Lensed Supernova iPTF16geu

• Technology and continued technological progress are critical for the

future of SMD and future missions

• SMD is focused on technology investment and pathways to flight as

strategic elements of SMD’s programs

• SMD is actively developing flight opportunities for new technologies

as part of AOs

- Continually adjust based on experience, performance metrics

and feedback

SMD AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION

Technolo

gy P

rogre

ss

Market Impact

Low

High

Low High

Breakthrough

Incremental

Game Changer

Disruptive Modest upgrades to existing capabilities

Large advances in existing

capabilities Radical change to the market;

societal transformation

Cheaper, underperforming technologies that

have potential to be performance-

competitive in the future

ROLE OF TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION

CONCEPT TECHNOLOGY IMPLEMENTATION

Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) Mission

Enabling Technology

Result

BREAKTHROUGH INNOVATION

Unprecedented swath measurements of terrestrial water

heights and sea surface heights (SWOT to launch in 2020)

Investments in Ka-band interferometer and

precision antenna mast

Technolo

gy P

rogre

ss

Market Impact

Low

High

Low High

Breakthrough

Incremental

Game Changer









Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS)

Enabling Technology

Result

POTENTIALLY DISRUPTIVE INNOVATION

Existing technology (delay mapping receiver) deployed in

an unique constellation of 8 LEO spacecraft.

Frequent and accurate measurement of ocean surface

winds will improve tropical cyclone forecasting


Delay Mapping Receiver (DMR)

Technolo

gy P

rogre

ss

Market Impact

Low

High

Low High

Breakthrough

Incremental

Game Changer









Hyperspectral Infrared Imager (HyspIRI)

Enabling Technology

Result

High mass, high power New Spectrometer enables a lower-cost,

small satellite constellation mission 25% mass, 50% power

GAME CHANGING INNOVATION

Investment in new spectrometer (Dyson replaces Offner)

Small satellite constellations are the new paradigm for

future hyper spectral imaging missions


TRL 3-5 TRL 5-8 TRL 6-9

Ground, Suborbital &

In-Space Validation

SMD Technology

Programs

Announcements of

Opportunity

ENHANCED TECH INFUSION

Coordination with STMD Technology

Demonstration Mission (TDM)

Program

+ Enhanced technology

demonstrations

+ Increased technology infusions

+ Expanded rideshare opportunities

Coordination with STMD Game-

Changing Development (GCD)

Program

GREAT OBSERVATORIES

WFIRST Discovery Science WFIRST SCIENCE

DARK ENERGY EXOPLANETS CORONAGRAPH

• WFIRST is the highest priority large space mission from the 2010 Decadal

Survey in Astronomy and Astrophysics

– The 2016 Astrophysics Midterm Assessment recognized the continued compelling

science value of WFIRST

– After several years of mission concept studies and technology investments, NASA

began formulation of WFIRST in 2016

• Two National Academies studies recommended NASA conduct an independent

technical/management/cost (TMC) review of WFIRST before beginning Phase B

and proceeding to the Preliminary Design review

– Both reports expressed concern that mission cost growth could endanger the balance

of NASA's astrophysics program and the alignment of its scientific priorities with those

put forward by the Decadal Survey

– The studies are the 2014 WFIRST/AFTA study (F. Harrison et al.) and the 2016

Astrophysics Midterm Assessment (J. Hewitt et al.)

WFIRST ACADEMY RECOMMENDATIONS

WFIRST NEXT STEPS

• NASA is implementing the Academy recommendations and establishing the

WFIRST Independent External TMC Review (WIETR)

• The WIETR will conduct an assessment of the WFIRST project that addresses

the following:

– Are the technical requirements understood and reasonable?

– Are the scope and cost/schedule understood and aligned?

– Are the management processes in place adequate for a project of this scope and

complexity?

– Are the benefits of the coronagraph to NASA objectives commensurate with the cost

and cost risk of development?

• The WIETR will begin after the panel members are identified and will take ~2

months to complete

• The WFIRST SRR/MDR and the start of Phase B will be deferred until after the

WIETR so any findings and recommendations can be incorporated

Solar Probe Plus

Safeguarding and Improving Life on Earth

Searching for Life Elsewhere

Expanding Knowledge

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

Europa Clipper Mars2020

WFIRST PACE

ICESat-2

NICER

TESS

JPSS-1

GOLD

GRACE-FO

ICON

GOES-T

GOES-S

JWST

InSight

Landsat 9

NISAR Psyche IXPE

Lucy

LOOKING AHEAD

2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Calendar Year

JPSS-2

CREAM

SOC

XARM Sentinel-6A JUICE

MMX

ExoMars 2020

BACKUP

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2017 NASA AUTHORIZATION ACT

• The President signed the NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2017 into

law on March 22, 2017

– First enacted NASA Authorization in seven years, with bipartisan support

– Sets authorization levels and policy for FY2017

– Advocates for a balanced science portfolio

• The legislation levies significant reporting requirements on SMD; some to be

accomplished through the National Academies:

– Develop a science strategy for the study and exploration of extrasolar planets

– Develop a science strategy for astrobiology

– Assess NASA’s Mars exploration architecture

– All three reports are due 18 months after enactment (~September 2018)

– In total, NASA was directed to supply 10 SMD-specific reports to Congress

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• SMD reporting requirements (NOT including NAS studies):

• Sec. 510 requires NASA to submit a report on how NASA plans to expand public-private partnerships in

astrobiology; due 180 days after enactment (~Sept 2017)

• Sec. 511 also requires NASA, with other relevant agencies, to do an assessment of how to accelerate

and expand the NEO search activities; due 270 days after enactment (~Dec 2017)

• Sec. 511 requires OSTP & NASA to submit a report on how the Administration will accomplish the

George Brown survey of NEOs larger than 140 meters in size; due 1 yr after enactment (~Mar 2018);

• Sec. 511 also requires annual progress reports on the George Brown survey of NEOs larger than 140

meters in size (starting ~ Mar 2019 and annually after that)

• Sec. 512 requires NASA to submit a report on how we plan to expand public-private partnerships in

NASA’s NEO search program; due 180 days after enactment (~Sept 2017)

• Sec. 513 that would require we submit an annual report to Congress (at the same time as we submit the

annual budget request), reporting on the results of any senior reviews conducted in the previous year.

(~Feb 2018, and annually after that)

• Sec. 515 requires OSTP & NASA, working with other agencies, to analyze the requirements and risks

associated with our Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS); due 180 days after enactment (~Sept 2017)

2017 NASA AUTHORIZATION ACT

FY18 BUDGET UPDATE

• FY17 (Oct 1, 2016 - Sept 30, 2017) funding at FY16 level through

April 28, 2017

• President’s FY18 budget proposal blueprint/overview released

March 16, 2017

– Proposes Planetary Science funding at $1.9B

• Includes support for Europa flyby mission and Mars 2020 rover; however, does not include

funding for a Europa lander

– Proposes Earth Science funding at $1.8B

• Proposes termination of analysis activities for DSCOVR EO instruments EPIC, NISTAR and

development activities for OCO-3, PACE, CLARREO-PF

• Proposes reduction of Earth Science research activities

– Heliophysics and Astrophysics not specifically mentioned

– Proposes elimination of NASA’s Office of Education and proposes more

focused education effort through Science Mission Directorate

FY18 BUDGET UPDATE

• President’s detailed FY18 budget proposal to Congress expected May 2017

– Expected to be consistent with top-line level and direction in the March blueprint

• Congress must pass an appropriation for FY18, and it must be signed by

the President, by October 1, 2017 (or short-term continuing resolutions must

be passed and signed)

– Actual passed/signed appropriation is informed by - but possibly modified

from - the President’s detailed budget proposal

• SMD‘s goal is to raise the bar on scientific discovery:

identity a larger number of technologies of high mission

impact and put them into space

• Collaboration with NASA Centers along with commercial

and academic partners is key to achieve this goal


• Utilize AOs and SMD missions proactively for

technology infusion and flight

• Prioritize technologies of high impact for the

SMD portfolio

• Measure needs, impact and effectiveness of our

technology investments, and pivot where needed

SMD TECHNOLOGY RELATED EMPHASES

thomas h. zurbuchen associate administrator · •includes support for europa flyby mission and...

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