# Presentation: 452767

## Joint Workshop Applied Sciences Objectives

**Ed Sheffner **
**Applied Sciences Program**
**NASA HQ**

## Presentation Topics

- • Where and how the Applied Sciences Program fits in NASA’s 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.

##      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.

- 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.

**NASA and Applied Sciences**

## NASA Strategic Goals*

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

- *NASA 2006 *Strategic Plan*

## 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.

## 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

## 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.

## Applied Sciences ProgramGuidelines

- 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.

## Applied Sciences ProgramProcesses

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

## 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.

## 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.

## 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.

## Integrated System Solution

**Example**

- NASA/FAS partnership

## 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.

## Current NASAEarth 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

## Planned NASAEarth Observing Systems

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

## Applications Areas Defined byNASA, NRC and GEOSS

## 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.

## 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.

## Contact Information

- Ed Sheffneredwin.j.sheffner@nasa.gov202-358-0239
- At this workshop: 202-253-9953