Thus, in order to foster space science and to ensure the viability and participation of that community, the space science program should be structured to include such small-scale projects with ready access to space flight. Balance in the research program must be maintained among groups at universities, industrial laboratories, and government centers in conducting space research. Currently, the condition of equipment in most university laboratories can only be described as abysmal. A generic requirement in most of the fields covered by this study is for detectors that are more advanced than those now available. Advanced programs for detector technology should be established and nurtured.
Computational facilities play an essential role in gathering, storing, and analyzing data.
They also enable theorists to develop models and to test their models against experimental and observational data. As this report is being written, the nation's access to space has been severely curtailed. This situation accents the need for a sturdy, redundant system of acquiring access to space. Launch systems, delivery mechanisms, space platforms, and other such developments should never be looked upon as ends in themselves. Rather, they should be treated as tools to support well-defined objectives.