Marc Weiser, Acting Chair

January 18, 2023

NAC Science Committee
NAC Science Committee Members

• Dr. Ellen Williams, Chair, University of Maryland

• Dr. Noël Bakhtian, Berkeley National Laboratory

• Dr. Vinton Cerf, Google

• Dr. Serina Diniega, Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Acting Chair, Planetary Science 

Advisory Cmte (PAC)

• Dr. Linda M. Godwin, University of Missouri

• Dr. Willie E. May, Morgan State University

• Dr. Therese Moretto-Jorgensen, Ames Space Flight Center; Chair, Heliophysics

Advisory Cmte (HPAC)

• Dr. Sara Tucker, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.; Chair, Earth Science 

Advisory Cmte (ESAC)

• Mr. Marc Weiser, RPM Ventures

• Dr. Charles “Chick” E. Woodward, University of Minnesota; Chair, Astrophysics 

Advisory Cmte (APAC)

• Incoming Chair of new Biological and Physical Sciences Advisory Committee 

(BPAC) joining soon 2
SMD Updates & Highlights

3
Thomas Zurbuchen

Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate, 2016-2023

• Longest continuous service as AA for Science in NASA history

4

33 108 47

MISSIONS 

LAUNCHED

HIRES MISSIONS 

SELECTED

CLPS 

SELECTED

~31.9%

TOTAL BUDGET 

INCREASE

FY17: 5.76B 

FY22: 7.6B

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5
6
NASA Science Leadership Accomplishments During 

Zurbuchen Tenure

Organizational Leadership

• Built SMD Leadership team to perform at highest standard 

• Prioritized and committed to creating the best teams we can, which requires a diverse and 

inclusive workforce

• Committed to innovation as a guiding value to achieve global leadership in science

• Integrated Biological and Physical Sciences division into SMD

Prioritized a culture of Innovation, high risk-high impact science, and partnerships

• Established novel partnerships with commercial entities, enabling new science and better 

science value (CLPS, Commercial data buys, service models, small launch, etc.)

• Strengthened partnerships with established and emerging space agencies by implementing a 

strategic vision for international collaboration that advances science

• Increased emphasis on High-Risk / High-Impact Science within the R&A Program and 

technology demonstrations

• Infused SmallSat capabilities into science missions 

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NASA Science Leadership Accomplishments During 

Zurbuchen Tenure

Global leadership in robotic science

• Launched 18+ novel Earth Science missions, focused on ice, sea level, CO2, etc.

• Parker Solar Probe, Heliophysics Observatory

• Perseverance and Ingenuity, successful start of Mars Sample Return

• James Webb Space Telescope in operation, Roman on track 

• Planetary defense, including DART and NEO-Surveyor 

Opportunities to build upon for the next AA

• Continue to collaborate with human exploration and space tech towards an integrated Artemis 

program driving both exploration and science

• Further expand support and missions for the Earth Systems Observatory developing the next 

generation of integrated capability further driving US leadership on the earth on and its climate

• Maintain leadership in robotic exploration through programs like DRAGONFLY, PHSYCE, 

VERITAS (Venus), DIVINCI (Venus) and future missions, like the Habitable Worlds 

Observatory with similarly august goals.

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*Acquisition activity in 2021

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DART – Double Asteroid Redirection Test 25 January 2023 11

Pre-impact orbital period:

11 hours, 55 minutes

Post-impact orbital period:

11 hours, 23 minutes
DART – Double Asteroid Redirection Test 25 January 2023

Credit: ASI/NASA

LICIACube
NAC Science Committee Hybrid Meeting

November 15-16

• SMD Update – Committee Report in Progress

• Discipline Advisory Committee Reports

• Beyond ISS for Biological and Physical Sciences 

Discussion: Next steps following Decadal Survey

• Cross-cutting Lessons from SMD’s Independent Review 

Boards 

Discussion: Impacts across the SMD portfolio

• Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) 

Discussion: Value of risk and innovation in SMD projects

• SMD Bridge Program 

Discussion: Vast benefits of diversity in science

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Findings and Recommendations

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Science Committee Resolution of Thanks to Thomas Zurbuchen

The NASA Advisory Council Science Committee wishes to express its highest gratitude to Thomas Zurbuchen for his 

extraordinarily successful and productive six-year term as Associate Administrator of NASA’s Science Mission 

Directorate. He is the longest serving AA in this position and brought to the job insight, energy, commitment and 

passion. In the midst of a global pandemic, missions such as the James Webb Space Telescope, the Double Asteroid 

Redirection Test, the start of Mars Sample Return with the Perseverance rover, the Ingenuity Mars helicopter, the 

Parker Solar Probe, amongst several others, were brought to fruition with dramatically successful results. 

Beyond the strikingly successful series of missions executed during his tenure, Zurbuchen brought to NASA and SMD 

a deep commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and growth of internal leadership. His quotes: “DEI is not the icing on 

the cake; it’s the cake!” and “The entire nation should feel it is welcomed to work at NASA” offer evidence of his 

passionate belief in the value of inclusion and accessibility. His management style serves as a model for strong, 

pragmatic, empathetic and collaborative leadership. 

Zurbuchen brought to his work and to NASA a deep appreciation of service to science and to the country and 

articulated this idea in powerful and evocative terms. His sense of balance in management practice drew our 

appreciation. His lived experience as a leader illustrates his feeling that working at NASA has been a privilege. The 

NAC Science Committee offers to Thomas Zurbuchen its great appreciation for his service, successes, and its 

warmest wishes for similar results in the next phase of an already stellar career. 

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DART

The Science Committee finds that: 

• DART is an exemplary example of a high-risk, high-reward mission, which included multiple technology 

demonstrations. The risk was in science and technology, with costs kept to a minimum. This project was a good 

investment of NASA resources.

• The decision to add the Italian Space Agency LICIACube to the DART mission added international cooperation and 

enhanced public interest.

The Science Committee recommends that: 

• NASA should maintain an intentional balance of this type of high-risk, high-reward missions in its portfolio.

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Science Mission Directorate

The Science Committee finds that: 

• Following AA Zurbuchen’s initiative, maintaining continuity in focus is critical to success in SMD’s IDEA program and 

NASA’s overall DEIA goals.

• SMD’s Modality Strategic Principles provide a good basis for integrating Science and Human Exploration. 

The Science Committee recommends that: 

• SMD and NASA should continue to develop clear communication of the benefits, goals and metrics aligned with 

IDEA and DEIA principles, and their intrinsic importance to NASA’s mission

• Including integration of human space flight in science planning (e.g. Decadal Surveys) should be mandatory to 

provide effective Scientific focus in human space flight

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Beyond ISS for BPS 

The Science Committee finds that: 

• BPS has recently been moved to SMD and is positioned to plan strategically for a quick and effective response to 

the upcoming Decadal Survey.

• The Science Committee recommends that: 

• SMD should support BPS in planning for increased turn-around time on science missions, including developing 

modular science packages. 

• SMD should support BPS in further integrating IDEA principles in planning. 

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IRBs

The Science Committee finds that: 

• The IRB assessments for Psyche and GDC were effective strategic interventions, and inclusion of the SRB chairs 

on the IRB was a useful approach that should be continued as a future good practice. 

• The Psyche PI and team have worked well under challenging circumstances caused by workforce limitations. 

• The Hybrid-work environment under COVID exacerbated workforce issues but was not the base cause for Psyche 

launch delay.

• Workforce issues identified in the Psyche mission are not believed to be unique to JPL and are likely to create 

similar challenges in other Centers if not addressed. 

• The GDC is a strategic Heliophysics Division Living With a Star constellation mission with strong support in the 

heliophysics community. It suffered from a constrained approach due to overly strict adherence to policies and 

procedures. The IRB report lays out critical recommendations and NASA’s response to the IRB report and 

immediate actions taken are appreciated and will be crucial for a successful implementation.

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IRBs (continued)

The Science Committee recommends that: 

• NASA should evaluate recruitment and retention of workforce in the Centers, and develop effective interventions, 

particularly for mid-career employees. Considerations should include:

• Financial compensation, intellectual freedom, engagement in decision making

• Inclusivity and accessibility

• Effectiveness of personnel assessments in identifying value to mission. 

• NASA should evaluate whether centers have lost too much autonomy, particularly regarding ability to manage 

workforce issues

• NASA should ensure that mission science is fully incorporated in planning from the earliest stage of each project.

• The project scientist should be assigned early in the project lifecycle.

• NASA/SMD should ensure that the timing of SRB inputs is well matched to project stages. Too much time between 

meetings can result in a loss of focus on issues already identified, or failure to identify emerging issues.

• Execution of the SRB process should minimize additional extraneous time burden or bureaucracy.

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With Us