National Research Council Sustainability Symposium Features National Science Foundation Leaders

NSF-sponsored "Science, Innovation, and Partnerships for Sustainability" event to take place May 16-18

How far, and in what ways, can Earth's systems be stressed before they undergo transitions to new states--with unforeseen consequences?

Sustainability has become a major focus for federal, state, and local government agencies, businesses and non-profit organizations.

A National Science Foundation (NSF)-sponsored National Research Council symposium will showcase federal investments and institutional structures for sustainability, and identify opportunities to help promote practices that would lead communities toward sustainability.

Subra Suresh, director of NSF, will deliver a keynote address, and Cora Marrett, NSF deputy director, will moderate a panel discussion as part of a session on creating partnerships for sustainability science and action. Also speaking at the event will be Tim Killeen, NSF assistant director for geosciences, and John Wingfield, NSF assistant director for biological sciences.

The symposium will highlight science and technology research contributions to sustainability goals; identify practices that encourage communities toward more sustainable decisions; and present international, national and local case studies that examine how science is being used for decision-making toward sustainability.

The symposium is an outgrowth of the NSF Science, Engineering, and Education for Sustainability (SEES) investment.

SEES activities span the range of scientific domains at NSF. Their goal is to support interdisciplinary research and education that will move us toward global sustainability; build links among existing projects and partners, and add new participants, in sustainability research; and develop a workforce trained in the interdisciplinary fields needed to understand and address the complex issues of sustainability.

Who: Scientists, engineers and educators affiliated with universities, industry, non-governmental organizations, and federal agencies will address new ways of leading communities toward sustainability

What: Symposium on Science, Innovation, and Partnerships for Sustainability

When: The symposium will take place from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 16th, and Thursday, May 17th, and from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, May 18th

Where: The Pew D.C. Conference Center, 901 E St., N.W., Washington, D.C.

Detailed Agenda: For a complete agenda or to register for the webcast, please visit the National Academies of Sciences website.

Those who cannot attend may watch the symposium via live webcast.

Seating is limited; journalists who wish to attend the symposium or reception must register in advance with the National Academy of Sciences Office of News and Public Information at 202-334-2138 or news@nas.edu.

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NASA Official Announces Chair of New Mars Program Planning Group

Dwayne Brown
Headquarters, Washington     

WASHINGTON -- NASA' s associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate, John Grunsfeld, has named former veteran NASA program manager Orlando Figueroa to lead a newly established Mars Program Planning Group (MPPG) tasked to reformulate the agency's Mars Exploration Program. Figueroa's first assignment is to develop a draft framework for review by March 15.

Grunsfeld made the announcement at an annual gathering of Mars scientists and engineers in Dulles, Va. Figueroa, a consultant with more than 30 years of aerospace experience, will lead the scientific and technical team to develop an integrated strategy for NASA's Mars Exploration Program in light of current funding constraints. The team's initial focus will be on a possible 2018-2020 robotic mission. The program's official framework will be developed in consultation with the science community and international partners and is expected to be released for full review as early as this summer.

"The team will develop a plan that advances the priorities in the National Research Council's Decadal Survey, which puts sample return as the top scientific goal, and leverages NASA's research in enabling technology," Grunsfeld said. "Our investments in the new Mars program will incorporate elements of advanced research and technologies in support of a logical sequence of missions to answer fundamental scientific questions and ultimately support the goal of sending people to Mars."

The MPPG will report to Grunsfeld, a physicist and five-time flown space shuttle astronaut. Grunsfeld is chairing the overall, agency-wide reformulation strategy along with William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for the human exploration and operations directorate, NASA Chief Scientist Waleed Abdalati and NASA Chief Technologist Mason Peck. The MPPG will ensure that America maintains the critical technical skills developed over decades needed to achieve the highest priority science and exploration objectives.

NASA has a recognized track record of successful Mars missions. The rover Opportunity, which landed on Mars in 2004, is still operating despite an official mission timeline of 90 days. There are also two NASA satellites orbiting the Red Planet; the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Odyssey. The duo continue to return unprecedented science data and images. This August, NASA will land the Mars Science Laboratory, "Curiosity," on the planet's surface. This roving science laboratory will assess whether Mars was or is today an environment able to support life. In 2013, NASA will launch the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution orbiter, the first mission devoted to understanding the Martian upper atmosphere.

NASA will continue to gather critical information to help scientists understand the Red Planet. These data will be used in future years to meet President Obama's challenge to send humans to Mars in the mid-2030s.

"We'll look at all of the assets NASA is developing to reach, explore and study Mars, as well as spacecraft at or on its way to Mars," Figueroa said.

NASA already has been developing technology that will improve precision in landing, the ability to conduct scientific analysis remotely, handle and collect samples, and transmit larger volumes of data back to Earth.

"The science and engineering communities have worked continuously over a decade to define our knowledge gaps for Mars exploration, so we have a solid starting point," Grunsfeld said.

Mars exploration is a top priority for NASA. America's investment in exploring Mars during the past decade totals $6.1 billion. NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden directed Grunsfeld to lead the agency-wide team in order to optimize a coordinated strategy of Mars exploration and continue America's leadership role in the exploration of the Red Planet within available future budgets.

For more information about NASA's Mars programs, visit http://www.nasa.gov/mars.

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NASA Receives Final NRC Report On Space Technology Roadmaps

David E. Steitz
Headquarters, Washington                                    

WASHINGTON -- NASA has received the National Research Council (NRC) report "NASA Space Technology Roadmaps and Priorities," which provides the agency with findings and recommendations on where best to invest in technologies needed to enable NASA's future missions in space. The NRC report will help define NASA's technology development priorities in the years to come.

One year ago, NASA provided 14 draft space technology area roadmaps to the NRC and asked the council to examine and prioritize technologies for the agency. The technologies were prioritized in each of the 14 areas and then across all categories.

The report finalizes the NRC's review and identifies 16 top-priority technologies necessary for NASA's future missions, which also could benefit American aerospace industries and the nation. The 16 were chosen by the NRC from its own ranking of 83 high-priority technologies out of approximately 300 identified in the roadmaps.

"The report strongly reaffirms the vital importance of technology development to enable the agency's future missions and grow the nation's new technology economy," said Mason Peck, chief technologist at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "The report confirms the value of our technology development strategy to date. NASA currently invests in all of the highest-priority technologies and will study the report and adjust its investment portfolio as needed."

The technology priorities the report identifies are aligned with NASA missions to extend and sustain human activities beyond low Earth orbit, explore the evolution of the solar system and the potential for life elsewhere, and expand our un¬derstanding of Earth and the universe in which we live.

The report observes that "technological breakthroughs have been the foundation of virtually every NASA success. In addition, technological advances have yielded benefits far beyond space itself in down-to-Earth applications." It also states "future U.S. leadership in space requires a foundation of sustained technology advances."

During the coming months, NASA's Office of the Chief Technologist will lead an agency-wide analysis and coordination effort to update the 14 technology area roadmaps with the NRC report's findings and recommendations.

To review a copy of the report, visit http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13354.

For more information about NASA's Space Technology Program, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oct.

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NASA Aeronautics Is Focus Of Research And Technology Roundtable

Beth Dickey

Headquarters, Washington                               

WASHINGTON -- NASA officials will meet with aeronautics industry, academia, and government leaders Aug. 25 to kick off a series of roundtable discussions about future directions for aeronautics research and technology. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden will address the participants.

The roundtable is sponsored by NASA and organized by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering. Its purpose is to facilitate candid dialogue among participants, to foster greater partnership among the NASA-related aeronautics community and, where appropriate, carry awareness of consequences to the wider public.

The meeting will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EDT in Room 100 of the Keck Building at 500 Fifth St. NW in Washington, DC. The administrator's remarks are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Bolden will join NASA's associate administrator for aeronautics research, Jaiwon Shin, in open dialogue with members of the roundtable.

Overview presentations of programs managed by NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate are scheduled from 10:45 a.m. to noon. During a working lunch, participants will discuss the organization and operation of future roundtables. Beginning at 1 p.m., participants will turn their attention to topics including the state of the aviation industry, major needs and opportunities for aeronautics in the next 10 to 20 years, promising areas for integrated systems-level research to motivate rapid technology transition, and public-private partnership success stories.

The Aeronautics Research and Technology Roundtable was established at NASA's request by the National Research Council's Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board. The 25-member panel includes a broad range of executives, entrepreneurs and experts representing airframe and engine manufacturers, general aviation companies, academia, industry associations, and other federal agencies.

NASA has a long history of aeronautics research for public benefit. Through scientific study, NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate works to find practical solutions to the problems of flight. In the past five years, the directorate has revitalized its aeronautics research investment portfolio with a back-to-basics philosophy balanced by a growing portfolio of systems-level research efforts that ensures excellence in broad-based fundamental research with robust mechanisms for community participation.

During several recent site visits with U.S. aerospace companies, NASA officials learned there are many productive avenues for future innovation with the aeronautics sector. They sought the National Research Council's assistance expanding this communication to enable more vigorous public-private collaboration in pre-competitive areas of common interest.

Two additional roundtable meetings are anticipated in early and mid 2012.

News media interested in attending the roundtable should contact Beth Dickey by e-mail or telephone no later than 4 p.m. EDT on Aug. 23.

For information about the Aeronautics Research and Technology Roundtable, visit http://sites.nationalacademies.org/DEPS/ASEB/DEPS_061276.

For information about NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, visit http://www.aeronautics.nasa.gov.

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NASA Selects Visionary Advanced Technology Concepts For Study

David E. Steitz

Headquarters, Washington                                        

WASHINGTON -- NASA has selected 30 proposals for funding under the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts, or NIAC, program. The advanced concepts selected for study under NIAC were chosen based on their potential to transform our future space missions, enable new capabilities or significantly alter current approaches to launching, building and operating space systems.

Each proposal will receive approximately $100,000 for one year to advance the innovative space technology concept and help NASA meet operational and future mission requirements.

"These innovative concepts have the potential to mature into the transformative capabilities NASA needs to improve our current space mission operations, seeding the technology breakthroughs needed for the challenging space missions in NASA's future," said the agency’s Chief Technologist Bobby Braun at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

Proposals include a broad range of imaginative and creative ideas, such as: changing the course of dangerous orbital debris; a spacesuit that uses flywheels to stabilize and assist astronauts as they work in microgravity; the use of 3-D printing to create a planetary outpost; and multiple innovative propulsion and power concepts needed for future space mission operations.

NASA's early investment and partnership with creative scientists, engineers and citizen inventors from across the nation will pay huge technological dividends and help maintain America's leadership in the global technology economy.

NASA solicited visionary, long-term concepts for future technologies for maturation based on their potential value to NASA's future space missions and operational needs. These first NIAC projects were chosen based on being technically substantiated and very early in development -- 10 years or more from mission infusion.

The portfolio of diverse and innovative ideas represented multiple technology areas, including power, propulsion, structures, and avionics, as identified in NASA's Technology Roadmaps. The roadmaps provide technology paths needed to meet NASA's strategic goals.

The original NIAC program, known as the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts, served agency needs from 1998 to 2007. It was an independent open forum for the external analysis and definition of revolutionary space and aeronautics concepts to complement the advanced concepts activities conducted within NASA.

In 2008, Congress directed the National Research Council to conduct a review of NIAC’s effectiveness and to make recommendations concerning the importance of such a program. Chief among the council's recommendations was NASA and the nation would be well served by maintaining a mechanism to investigate visionary, far-reaching advanced concepts as part of the agency's mission. Following an October 2009 hearing by the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, NASA re-established the NIAC program during fiscal year 2011.

NASA's Office of the Chief Technologist manages the NIAC program. For a complete list of the selected proposals, and more information about the program, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oct.

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