Joint Workshop Applied Sciences Objectives

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Joint Workshop Applied Sciences Objectives

• Ed Sheffner
• Applied Sciences Program
• NASA HQ

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Presentation Topics

• Where and how the Applied Sciences Program fits
  in NASAs mandate and strategic plan.
• Programmatic objectives and approach of Applied
  Sciences.
• Objectives of the agricultural efficiency,
  carbon management and invasive species program
  elements in this workshop.

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NASA and Applied Sciences

• NASA is a research and development agency
  formed in 1958 with responsibility for all US
  government, non-military aeronautic and space
  activities. Agency objectives (from 1958)
• Expansion of knowledge of atmospheric phenomena
• Development and operation of vehicles carrying
  instruments in space
• Establishment of long range studies of the
  potential benefits accrued through the
  utilization of space for scientific purposes
• Assurance of US leadership in space science and
  technology and the application of that technology
  in peaceful activities within and outside the
  atmosphere and,
• Cooperation with other nations in the pursuit of
  peaceful application of NASA developed
  technology.

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NASA Strategic Goals

1. Fly the Shuttle as safely as possible until its
   retirement, not later than 2010.
2. Complete the International Space Station in a
   manner consistent with NASAs international
   partner commitments and the need of human
   exploration.
3. Develop a balanced overall program of science,
   exploration, and aeronautics consistent with the
   redirection of the human spaceflight program to
   focus on exploration.
4. Bring a Crew Exploration Vehicle into service as
   soon as possible after Shuttle retirement.
5. Encourage the pursuit of appropriate partnerships
   with the emerging commercial space sector.
6. Establish a lunar return program having the
   maximum possible utility for later missions to
   Mars and other destinations.

NASA 2006 Strategic Plan
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Strategic Goal 3

• Study Earth from space to advance scientific
  understanding and meet societal needs.
• Understand the Sun and its effects on Earth and
  the solar system.
• Advance scientific knowledge of the origin and
  history of the solar system, the potential for
  life elsewhere, and the hazards and resources
  present as humans explore space.
• Discover the origin, structure, evolution and
  destiny of the universe, and search for
  Earth-like planets.
• Advance knowledge in the fundamental disciplines
  of aeronautics, and develop technologies for
  safer aircraft and higher capacity airspace
  systems.
• Understand the effects of the space environment
  on human performance, and test new technologies
  and countermeasures for long duration space
  exploration.

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NASA Organization

• Four Mission Directorates
• Aeronautics
• Exploration Systems
• Space Operations
• Science (four divisions)
• 1. Astrophysics
• 2.Earth Science
• Flight/missions
• Research
• Applied Sciences
• 3. Heliophysics
• 4. Planetary Science

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Goals of the Applied Sciences Program

• Extend NASA Earth science capabilities and
  results to maximize return-on-investment by
  addressing issues with substantial social and
  economic benefits.
• Enhance the decision making process of
  operational agencies through the incorporation of
  NASA capabilities - observations, m,easurements,
  predictive models and Earth sciecne research
  results.

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Applied Sciences ProgramGuidelines

• Select projects through open, competitive
  solicitations.
• Use existing infrastructure for data archiving,
  distribution and product generation.
• Define projects, and identify decision support
  tools, through partnerships with organizations
  with operational responsibilities.

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Applied Sciences ProgramProcesses

• Solutions networks (identification)
• Rapid prototyping (evaluation)
• Integrated systems solutions (implementation)

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Solutions Networks Consider the results from
NASA funded research in the six science focus
areas of the Earth Science Division -
Atmospheric composition - Carbon cycle and
ecosystems - Climate variability and change -
Earth surface and interior - Water and energy
cycle - Weather Identify potential improvements
in the decision support tools within the
portfolio of projects in the Applied Sciences
Program.
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Rapid Prototyping Use specific research results
in simulated operational environments to evaluate
components and/or configurations for integrated
systems solutions with the specific decision
support tools within the portfolio of projects in
the Applied Sciences Program.
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Integrated System Solution A rigorous systems
engineering process that describes
(evaluates) the state of a decision support
tool/system, verifies and validates new data
products and other enhancements in the decision
making process, and, benchmarks the
performance of the assimilation of NASA
research results and capabilities in the
decision making process.
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Integrated System Solution Example
NASA/FAS partnership
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What the Applied Sciences Program Prefers Not to
Do

• Develop new algorithms
• Create new decision support tools
• Provide long term support for infrastructure
• Provide support for operational activities
• Fund the research of other agencies
• The Program may participate in projects in which
  these activities occur, but those tasks will be
  supported by someone other than NASA, e.g., the
  user/partner.

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Current NASAEarth Observing Systems

• Aqua Aura
• CALIPSO Cloudsat
• CHAMP Cluster (with ESA)
• EO-1 FAST
• Geotail (with Japan GOES-M
• GRACE ICESat
• JASON-1 Landsat-7
• NOAA-M(POES) Polar
• QuickSCAT SAGE III (with Russia)
• SeaWinds (with Japan) SORCE
• TERRA TIMED
• TRMM (with Japan)
• Land observations

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Planned NASAEarth Observing Systems

• Aquarius (2009)
• GPM (2010)
• LDCM (under review)
• NPP (under review)
• NPOESS (under review)
• OSTM (2008)
• OCO (2008)
• Land observations

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Applications Areas Defined byNASA, NRC and GEOSS
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Workshop Objectives

• Foster communication between the research and
  applied sciences communities
• For agricultural efficiency, carbon management
  and invasive species
• - Consider the program element objectives as
  described in the current Roadmap.
• - Consider the goals for the next 5 years for
  the program element in light of community
  requirements and NASA Earth science
  capabilities and research results.
• - Provide comments and recommendations to
  NASA.

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Workshop Objectives (cont.)

• Communication
• - Presentations
• - Poster sessions
• - Break-out group discussions
• - Special sessions
• - Person-to-person
• - Written notes
• - On-line comments The success of the
  workshop is dependent on the capture of the
  comments and recommendations.

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Contact Information

• Ed Sheffneredwin.j.sheffner_at_nasa.gov202-358-0239
  
• At this workshop 202-253-9953