The Future of Fundamental Physics Research at NASA

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The Future of Fundamental Physics Research at NASA

• From Quantum to Cosmos Fundamental Physics
  Research in Space
• Airlie Center, Warrenton VA
• May 21-24, 2006
• Michael Salamon
• Astrophysics Division/Science Mission
  Directorate/NASA HQ

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Fundamental Physics at NASA

• Laboratory fundamental physics within the
  Astrophysics Division The fundamental issues
• Difficult times Budget, earmarks
• Advisory bodies
• The Roadmap process The nose of the camel
• Summary

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How Can Laboratory Fundamental Physics Become a
Priority within Astrophysics?

• Context
• Fixed funding money for LFP comes at expense of
  other existing programs
• Large (strategic) missions Must be in the
  Decadal Survey, which establishes national
  priorities across agencies, and subsequently the
  NASA Roadmap.
• NRCs Board of Physics and Astronomy (BPS) and
  the Space Studies Board (SSB) supports the
  Astronomy and Astrophysics Survey Committee
  (AASC)
• Panel Reports to the BPS/SSB provide input to
  AASC
• Small mission opportunities Explorer Program
  (WMAP success STEP made finalist list)
• Research and Analysis Reduced funding, although
  LFP does receive modest support (e.g. APOLLO, in
  cooperation with the NSF) balloon missions.
• International Space Station No longer a NASA
  decision the Administration has decided to use
  the US share of the ISS only for those life
  science studies required for exploration.
• Entry Points
• Decadal Survey
• Advisory bodies (NAC, ApS, AAAC)
• SMD Roadmap

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Astrophysics Missions
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Current Budgetary Issues at NASA

• Unanticipated costs within the Shuttle and
  International Space Station programs required the
  Administrator to reduce the growth in the Science
  Mission Directorate funding levels by 3B over
  the next five years.
• SMD now sees 1.5 growth in FY07, followed by 1
  growth in later years.
• Within the Astrophysics Division, cost increases
  in JWST, GLAST, and HST SM4 have serious impact
  on other, later missions
• NuSTAR is cancelled.
• SOFIA has undergone review (budget zeroed out for
  FY07 and beyond) fate TBD.
• Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) zeroed out for
  FY07 and beyond.
• Beyond Einstein Program severely cut.
• RA budget cut by 15 for FY07 and beyond. (This
  is being reconsidered following response from the
  science community.)

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FY 2007 Presidents Budget(The Universe Budget
Changes)
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The Astrophysics Content of FY07 Budget
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Entry Points?

• Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey Board
  of Physics and Astronomy, and Space Studies
  Board Panel Reports
• NASA Advisory Council (NAC) and its Astrophysics
  Subcommittee (ApS) (input to Roadmap)
• Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee
  (AAAC)
• SMD Science Plan (Roadmap) Requires NAS/NRC
  pedigree (e.g. Decadal Survey, Quarks to Cosmos
  Report)

Federal Advisory Committee (FACA law gt
meetings are open to the public, excluding
extraordinary circumstances)
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1. From the Board of Physics and Astronomy
Website
Astronomy and Astrophysics in the New
Millennium The report of the Astronomy and
Astrophysics Survey Committee (AASC), Astronomy
and Astrophysics in the New Millenium, contains
recommendations in priority order for new
initiatives to realize the science goals of the
field. It is the most recent in a series of
surveys that are carried out once every 10
years. In preparing the New Millennium report,
the AASC made use of a series of panel reports
that address various aspects of ground- and
space-based astronomy and astrophysics. These
reports provide in-depth technical detail. Panel
on Optical and Infrared Astronomy from the
Ground Panel on Radio and Submillimeter-Wave
Astronomy Panel on Ultraviolet, Optical and
Infrared Astronomy from Space Panel on Particle,
Nuclear, and Gravitational-Wave
Astrophysics Panel on High-Energy Astrophysics
from Space Panel on Solar Astronomy Panel on
Theory, Computation, and Data Exploration Panel
on Astronomy Education and Policy Panel on
Benefits to the Nation
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2. NASA Advisory Council
NASA Advisory Council (25 members)
Science Committee (5 members)
Audit Finance
Human Capital
Exploration
Aeronautics
Science Subcommittees Executive Panel (chairs of
SMD subcommittees)
Planetary Protection Subcommittee
Heliophysics Subcommittee
Astrophysics Subcommittee
Earth Science Subcommittee
Planetary Science Subcommittee
Advises on SMD Roadmap
Each Subcommittee has about 15 members
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NASA ADVISORY COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEES OF THE
SCIENCE COMMITTEE Astrophysics Subcommittee (APS)
Slate
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3. Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee
(AAAC)

• Congress in 2002 mandates establishment of
  Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee
  (AAAC) to oversee coordination of AA programs
  between NASA, the NSF, and DOE. This is an
  official advisory body to the Government,
  operating under FACA law.
• Oversight by the Office of Science and Technology
  Policy, whose role in the Executive Office of the
  President includes coordination of interagency
  activities.
• The AAAC has commissioned a number of task
  groups
• Task Force for Cosmic Microwave Background
  Research
• Dark Energy Task Force
• Dark Matter Scientific Assessment Group
• Chaired by Garth Illingworth, UC Santa Cruz

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Congressional Charter for the AAAC
As established in SEC. 23 of P.L. 107-368 (the
National Science Foundation Authorization Act of
2002) and amended by SEC. 5 of P.L. 108-423 (the
Department of Energy High-End Computing
Revitalization Act of 2004) ASTRONOMY AND
ASTROPHYSICS ADVISORY COMMITTEE (a)
Establishment.The Foundation, the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the
Department of Energy shall jointly establish an
Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee (in
this section referred to as the Advisory
Committee). (b) Duties.The Advisory Committee
shall (1) assess, and make recommendations
regarding, the coordination of astronomy and
astrophysics programs of the Foundation, the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration,
and the Department of Energy (2) assess, and
make recommendations regarding, the status of the
activities of the Foundation, the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the
Department of Energy as they relate to the
recommendations contained in the National
Research Council's 2001 report entitled
Astronomy and Astrophysics in the New
Millennium, and the recommendations contained in
subsequent National Research Council reports of a
similar nature and (3) not later than March 15
of each year, transmit a report to the Director,
the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration, the Secretary of Energy,
the Committee on Science of the House of
Representatives, the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions of the Senate on the Advisory
Committee's findings and recommendations under
paragraphs (1) and (2).
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Task Force for CMB Research (TFCR)
(From a talk at the CMB and Physics of the Early
Universe Conference, April 22, 2006)

• The AAAC in 2004 establishes a Task Force for CMB
  Research The Task Force has been asked to
  provide an ordered program of preliminary
  observations and technology development
  ultimately leading to a possible space mission
  post WMAP and PLANCK.
• TFCR report (2005) outlines scientific and
  technology pathway to an ultimate space-based
  CMBPol mission. (Available at http//www.nsf.gov/m
  ps/ast/tfcr_final_report.pdf)
• Most importantly The TFCR establishes a unified
  voice for the U.S. CMB community which is heard
  by Congress, NASA, and the White House (Office of
  Science and Technology Policy, Office of
  Management and Budget)

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4. Strategic Planning and Roadmap 2001-2003

• Each Theme within the Division had its own
  subcommittee (under the Space Science Advisory
  Committee)
• Triennial theme roadmaps produced by roadmap
  committees composed of community and
  subcommittee members, with agency oversight.
• Theme roadmaps used as input to the Space Science
  strategic plan, which in turn informed the Agency
  Strategic Plan.

Decadal Survey
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The 2005 Universe Roadmap, the UR-Document for
Astrophysics in the SMD Science Plan
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NASA Authorization Act for 2005 (S.1281) Title I
Section 101 (d) SCIENCE. (1) IN GENERAL.The
Administrator shall develop a plan to guide the
science programs of NASA through 2016. (2)
CONTENT.At a minimum, the plan developed under
paragraph (1) shall be designed to ensure that
NASA has a rich and vigorous set of science
activities, and shall describe (A) the missions
NASA will initiate, design, develop, launch, or
operate in space science and earth science
through fiscal year 2016, including launch dates
(B) a priority ranking of all of the missions
listed under subparagraph (A), and the rationale
for the ranking and (C) the budget assumptions
on which the policy is based, which for fiscal
years 2007 and 2008 shall be consistent with the
authorizations provided in title II of this Act.
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Proposed Outline of SMD Science Plan
Preamble The NASA Science Story Purpose
Progress Tie to NASA Strategic Plan table of
goals and long-term outcomes highlights of
recent accomplishments Summary of Science
Questions and Prioritized Missions (mostly
tables) Common Elements of Strategy SMD
principles science prioritization and community
engagement (NRC, NAC, etc.) role of RA
research solicitation selection (peer review
basis, etc) program and mission development
(mission classes, strategic PI-mode, launch
comm services) technology management approach
EPO strategy interagency international
partnerships Research Areas Earth Science,
Heliophysics, Planetary Science,
Astrophysics Science Enabling Enabled by Human
Exploration how science enables and is enabled
by human exploration SMDs relationship to ESMD
science at the Moon science in preparation for
human expeditions to Mars Summary On the Brink
of Understanding Appendices
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6
2
12
4x20
4
1
8
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Outline of Astrophysics Division contribution to
NASA Science Plan for 2007-2016

• Science Goals
• Exploring the Extremes of Spacetime
• Origin and Evolution of Cosmic Structure
• Origin and Destiny of Stars
• Exploring New Worlds
• Strategic Mission Summary
• Mission Roadmap with Milestones
• Technology Enables Discovery
• Sustaining the Vision Research and Analysis

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SMD Science Plan Schedule 3/27
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN
JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
06
Earth (Internal Draft)
Mars to NRC
Mars post NRC
?
?
?
?
?
?
Roadmaps
Helio
Astro
Solar System
SMD Management Review
4/1
5/31
9/15
Draft of Common Elements Sections
Roadmap Presentations to Subcommittees
Status / Content Presentation to NAC / SC
5/31
Draft of Science Division Sections
9/15
1st Table top review with PAE
6/7
Italics change from prior version of the
schedule
6/15
Draft for SC, Subcommittees, NRC, Industry,
public review
1st Table top review with OMB
6/16
9/15
Comments from NRC,Subcommittees, etc.
9/29
Revised Draft for NAC/SC Review
Final Discussion with NAC / SC
2nd Table top review with PAE
10/18
2nd Table top review with OMB
10/24
SSB report on impacts of FY07 request
Draft for Agency OMB clearance
11/1
12/15
Deliver to Congress
NAC Science Committee
2/7-8 HQ?
2/8-9 HQ
5/17-18 JPL
7/19-20 TBD
10/11-12 GSFC
Science Subcommittees
Chairs telecon - TBD
TBS
TBS
TBS
5/3-4 Conference
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Summary

• Opportunities exist for doing some types of
  laboratory fundamental physics experiments in
  space, but not at the strategic mission level.
• Flat funding levels for SMD science means that
  addition of new program elements will displace
  others.
• Scientific priorities are established by the
  community through NAS/NRC surveys and federal
  advisory committees. Interagency adoption of
  common, coordinated goals adds stability and
  visibility to programs.
• Small, incoherent communities have small
  influence a united fundamental physics community
  is essential. Consider possible avenues to
  developing a strong science case (national
  strategic case?), prioritizing, and building a
  representative body.
• Jean Clavels talk on ESAs Fundamental Physics
  program proposal pressure works.