# Presentation: 009868

## The Explorer AO andSelection Process

- Paul Hertz
- Explorer Program Scientist
- Office of Space Science

- Explorer Workshop
- March 12, 2002
- Washington, DC

## MIDEX 2001 AO Evaluation Flow  

**Program Requirements**
**Schedule, Budget &**
** ****Cost Considerations**

**11/18/01 Public Version**

## Creating the AOUsing preliminary MIDEX 2001 schedule as an example

- Milestone	Date	Months
**Explorer Team Meeting Discussion****	****28-Sep-00**	-9.25
**Initial Draft to HQ ****	****19-Dec-00****	**-6.50
**Release Draft AO for community review****	****21-Feb-01****	**-4.25
**Release AO****	****01-Jul-01****	**0.00
**Proposals due****	****29-Sep-01****	**3.00
**Target Date for Selection for Phase A****	****19-Jan-02****	**6.75
**Target Date for Selection for Flight****	****17-Sep-02****	**14.75
- First Launch	16-Sep-06	63.50

## Creating the AO

- Milestone	Date	Months
**Explorer Team Meeting Discussion****	****28-Sep-00**	-9.25
- Resolve Key Issues with OSS Senior Management	01-Nov-00	-8.00
**Initial Draft to HQ ****	****19-Dec-00****	**-6.50
- Deadline for HQ comments 	09-Jan-01	-5.75
- Community Draft version to HQ 	30-Jan-01	-5.00
**Release Draft AO for community review****	****21-Feb-01****	**-4.25
- Community comments due	23-Mar-01	-3.25
- AO to HQ for Approval	13-Apr-01	-2.75
- AO approved by AA/OSS	08-Jun-01	-0.75
**Release AO****	****01-Jul-01****	**0.00
- Preproposal Briefing	15-Jul-01	0.50
- Notice of Intent due 	31-Jul-01	1.00
**Proposals due****	****29-Sep-01****	**3.00
- Non-U.S. Letters of Endorsement due	29-Oct-01	4.00

## Creating the AO

- Milestone	Date	Months
**Proposals due****	****29-Sep-01****	**3.00
- Non-U.S. Letters of Endorsement due	29-Oct-01	4.00
- TMCO Review	10-Nov-01	4.50
- Science Review	28-Nov-01	5.00
- Categorization	19-Dec-01	5.75
- Steering	09-Jan-02	6.50
**Target Date for Selection for Phase A****	****19-Jan-02****	**6.75
- Phase A Kickoff	18-Feb-02	7.75
- Concept Study Report due	18-Jun-02	11.75
- TMCO Review	30-Jul-02	13.25
- Site Visits Complete	20-Aug-02	13.75
- TMCO Review	03-Sep-02	14.25
**Target Date for Selection for Flight****	****17-Sep-02****	**14.75
- First Launch	16-Sep-06	63.50

## AO Requirements Matrix Using preliminary MIDEX 2001 matrix as an example

## AO Requirements Matrix Using preliminary MIDEX 2001 schedule as an example

## AO Requirements Matrix Using preliminary MIDEX 2001 schedule as an example

## AO Requirements Matrix Using preliminary MIDEX 2001 schedule as an example

## Cost Cap vs. Launch Rate

- Explorer development budget is ~$150M/yr
- Does not include MO&DA (~15%)
- Budget must support
- MIDEX is ~$160M (excludes MO&DA)
- SMEX is ~$75M (excludes MO&DA)
- Program overhead (AO’s, concept studies, etc.) is ~$10M
- So current budget supports 2 MIDEX and 2 SMEX every 3.4 years (an AO every 1.7 years)
- MO’s delay AO’s
- Raise cost cap by 20%
- Reduces launch rate to 2 MIDEX and 2 SMEX every 4.0 years (an AO every 2.0 years)

## Missions of Opportunity

- Traditional
- OSS contribution to international or non-OSS mission
- Small ISS Attached
- Long Duration Balloons
- Astrobiology Flight Experiments
- Indoor science
- Data Buys
- Other??

## Other Constraints

- Contributions limit
- Science enhancement options
- GSFC services
- E/PO proposals
- Evaluation criteria (deferred discussion)
- Mission design requirements (deferred discussion)
- Launch options (deferred discussion)
- International partnering (deferred discussion)
- Other??

## MIDEX Downselect Schedule/Evaluation Flow

- Evaluate Science as Required

- 6/29/99

- 6/21-29/99

- 6/21-29/99

- 6/29/99 - 9/2/99

- 6/18/99

- 7/19-23/99

- 8/1-20/99

- 8/30/99 - 9/2/99

- 9/3-9/99

- Target: 9/10/99

- TBD

- TBD

- Science Changed

- Science Unchanged

- TBD

- TBD

- Use Form A from Phase-1 Proposal Review

- Target: 9/14/99

## MIDEX Downselect Site Visit Schedule

- 7/30/99

- 8/1/99

- 8/3/99

- Swift
- Site Visit

- 8/12/99

- Travel Home

- Travel to GSFC,
- Greenbelt, MD

- 8/11/99

- 8/16/99

- 8/18/99

- 8/20/99

- 1/13/99

- 8/2/99

- FAME Site Visit Evaluation

- 8/6/99

- Swift Site Visit Evaluation

## Downselect Options

- One Stage vs. Two Stage
- Competitive downselect or not
- Format of site visit for downselect
- At team site, at NASA
- Science evaluation
- Reevaluate or not
- Science briefings to AA & Board
- PI presents to HQ or not