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WWW.NATIONALACADEMIES.ORG/SSB/ VOLUME 26, ISSUE 2

A p r i l - J u n e 2 0 1 5

I n s i d e T h i s I s s u e

From the Chair 2

SSB Membership 3

SSB Staff 3

SSB Activities 4

The Board and Its Standing Committees 4

Study Committees 5

Other Activities 6

New Releases 7

SSB Member News 8

Conference Summary 9

SSB Staff News 9

SSB Calendar 10

Selected Reports Available from the SSB 11

“ We should consider whether open source code should be the norm for Federally funded re-

search. “ SSB Chair David Spergel

S P A C E S T U D I E S B O A R D N E W S

A p r i l - J u n e 2 0 1 5

PAGE 2 WWW.NATIONALACADEMIES.ORG/SSB/ VOLUME 26, ISSUE 2

Beyond Open Data The Federal government’s open data policy has been remarkably successful. When scientific data is publically available, any qualified scientist can download the data and verify published results. Scientists can find novel ways to use existing data to gain new insights and innovators can use the data to create new industries. Astronomers analyzing the Hubble archive of over 1 million exposures have written more papers than the scientists who made the original observations. In Earth Science, the availability of weather data, GPS, and Earth sensing data has not only enabled scientific discovery but also has had vast economic impact. Entrepreneurs have used these data to create novel innovations ranging from navigation systems, weather newscasts and warning systems, to precision farming tools

However, open data is not enough. Without the availability of the code that was used to generate and analyze the data, outsiders cannot verify published results nor can they extend the code or test the underlying assumptions in a model. We should consider whether open source code should be the norm for Federally funded research. Open source code is needed to verify and extend the analysis, simulation and modeling of scientific data.

There is a growing open source code movement across the software writing community. Linux is one famously successful example of the open source code development model. Within the scientific community, increasing numbers of researchers have made heavy use of github, particularly for sharing codes written in modern languages like python and for massive collaborations such as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, the top large ground-based project prioritized in the last astronomy survey.

In my own field of cosmology, there are a number of good models for an “open source code” policy. The WMAP and Planck teams have released the “likelihood codes” needed to reanalyze their data to generate cosmological data. The publically available CAMB code is widely used to compute the predictions of a given cosmological model for the microwave background spectrum. There have many papers written by scientists at institutions throughout the world that introduce novel models, modify the CAMB code and compare the models to predictions of WMAP and Planck. With these publically available codes, external scientists both verify and extend scientific results. Publically available N-body and hydrodynamics codes are now essential for both theoretical modeling and for data simulation. The availability of the source code enhances the scientific return from our national investment in NASA missions.

An “open source code” policy would be an important extension of President Obama’s Executive Order, “Making Open and Machine Readable the New Default for Government Information”. The Executive Order established open and machine-readable data as the default.

What would be the impact of a policy that made open source code as the default Federal policy?

Should making code developed on Federal support and used in producing published results be made publically available? Implementing an “open source code” policy would not be simple. We need to recognize and value the enormous amount of time, money and effort that goes into code development. We would also need to recognize the cost of documenting, maintaining and updating code. Code that is poorly written, poorly documented, and not maintained is of little use.

When would it be useful to make the executable code available to run but not provide the original source code? How should we reward scientists and engineers who make useful code publically available? Some communities recognize those who play significant role in code development, while others tend to overlook those whose contributions enable others to produce important results. What should be the requirements for maintaining and documenting code? I know that most of the codes that I have written are of little use to me or anyone else many years after I have written them. On the other hand, there are codes that are essential to reproducibility and analysis of valuable data. These questions are complex and require a wide range of perspectives. An open source code policy would likely have significant unanticipated negative and positive consequences. These are the kind of questions that we should be contemplating at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. David Spergel, SSB Chair

The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the SSB or the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

From the Chair

APRIL-JUNE 2015

VOLUME 26, ISSUE 2 WWW.NATIONALACADEMIES.ORG/SSB/ PAGE 3

More information on the SSB and ASEB Board

Meetings is at

<http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/

SSB_054577 >(

SSB) and

<http://sites.nationalacademies.org/DEPS/

ASEB/DEPS_058923>

(ASEB)

SSB STAFF

MICHAEL H. MOLONEY Director

ARTHUR A. CHARO Senior Program Officer

SANDRA J. GRAHAM Senior Program Officer

DAVID H. SMITH Senior Program Officer

DWAYNE A. DAY* Senior Program Officer

DAVID LANG* Program Officer

ABIGAIL SHEFFER Program Officer

KATIE DAUD Research Associate

ANDREA REBHOLZ* Program Associate

DIONNA WILLIAMS Program Associate

ANESIA WILKS Senior Program Assistant

CARMELA J. CHAMBERLAIN Administrative Coordinator

MEG KNEMEYER Financial Officer

CELESTE A. NAYLOR Information Management Associate

TANJA E. PILZAK Manager, Program Operations

SANDRA WILSON Senior Financial Assistant

JAMES ALVER Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Intern

DANIELLE YOUNGSMITH Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Intern

* Staff of other NRC boards who are shared with the SSB.

January 1, 2015—June 30, 2015

DAVID N. SPERGEL, Chair Princeton University

ROBERT D. BRAUN, Vice Chair

Georgia Institute of Technology

MARK R. ABBOTT Oregon State University

JAMES ANDERSON Harvard University

JAMES BAGIAN University of Michigan

JEFF M. BINGHAM Consultant

PENELOPE J. BOSTON New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

JOSEPH FULLER, JR. Futron Corporation

THOMAS R. GAVIN Jet Propulsion Laboratory

NEIL GEHRELS NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

SARAH GIBSON National Center for Atmospheric Research

RODERICK HEELIS The University of Texas

WESLEY HUNTRESS Carnegie Institution of Washington

ANTHONY C. JANETOS Boston University

DAVA J. NEWMAN (Resigned) Massachusetts Institute of Technology

SAUL PERLMUTTER Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

LOUISE M. PROCKTER Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory

MARCIA J. RIEKE University of Arizona

MARK THIEMENS University of California, San Diego

MEENAKSHI WADHWA Arizona State University

CLIFFORD M. WILL University of Florida

THOMAS H. ZURBUCHEN University of Michigan

Liaison

LEN FISK (thru March)

U.S. Representative to COSPAR

July 1, 2015—June 30, 2016

DAVID N. SPERGEL, Chair Princeton University

ROBERT D. BRAUN, Vice Chair

Georgia Institute of Technology

SUSAN AVERY (Resigned)

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution JAMES ANDERSON

Harvard University

JAMES BAGIAN University of Michigan

JEFF M. BINGHAM Consultant

PENELOPE J. BOSTON New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

MARY LYNN DITTMAR

Dittmar Associates, Inc.

JOSEPH FULLER, JR. Futron Corporation

THOMAS R. GAVIN Jet Propulsion Laboratory

NEIL GEHRELS NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

SARAH GIBSON National Center for Atmospheric Research

WESLEY HUNTRESS Carnegie Institution of Washington

ANTHONY C. JANETOS Boston University

CHRYSSA KOUVELIOTOU

The George Washington University

SAUL PERLMUTTER Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

LOUISE M. PROCKTER Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory

MARK THIEMENS University of California, San Diego

MEENAKSHI WADHWA Arizona State University

THOMAS H. ZURBUCHEN University of Michigan

Liaison

CHARLES KENNEL

U.S. Representative to COSPAR

SSB MEMBERSHIP

Follow us on Twitter @SSB_ASEB_News

SPACE STUDIES BOARD NEWS

PAGE 4 WWW.NATIONALACADEMIES.ORG/SSB/ VOLUME 26, ISSUE 2

The Board and Its Standing Committees The Space Studies Board (SSB) met April 22-23 at the National Academy of Sciences main building (2101 Constitution Avenue). April 22 was a joint session with the Aeronautics and Space Engi-neering Board (ASEB) which began with a session with David Mil-ler (NASA Chief Technologist), Ralph Roe (NASA Chief Engineer), and Ellen Stofan (NASA Chief Scientist); followed by an update on the International Space Station by Sam Scimemi and Julie Robin-son from NASA. The boards then had discussions with staff rep-resentatives from Capitol Hill (Pam Whitney, Nick Cummings, and Allen Cutler) and from the White House (Paul Shawcross, Grace Hu, and Ben Roberts). Chris Hart from the National Transporta-tion Safety Board then gave a presentation on space launch acci-dent investigations. The boards then received an update on their joint standing committee on Biological and Physical Sciences in Space (CBPSS) from its co-chairs, Betsy Cantwell and Rob Ferl. The end of the day was devoted to a ses-sion with Mary Lynn Dittmar (former member of the Human Spaceflight committee) and Bill Ger-stenmaier (NASA) where Dr. Dittmar recapped the main messages of the Path-ways to Exploration and Mr. Gerstenmaier provided reactions and commentary from NASA during the presentation. That was followed by a roundtable discussion between the boards, Dr. Dittmar, and Mr. Gerstenmaier. The SSB then met on April 23 and heard updates from its standing committees (Todd Hoeksema, Solar and Space Physics; Mark Abbott and Joyce Penner, Earth Science and Applications from Space; Greg Ferry, Astrobiology and Plane-tary Sciences; and Marcia Rieke, Astronomy and Astrophysics). The board received an update on the key issues at the NASA Sci-ence Mission Directorate (SMD) from John Grunsfeld and had a roundtable discussion with Dr. Grunsfeld and the SMD Division Directors (Mike Freilich, Earth Science; Jeff Newmark, Heliophys-ics; Jim Green, Planetary; and Paul Hertz, Astrophysics). That was followed by a session on international issues with an update from the European Space Sciences Committee from Jean Claude Worms and an update on COSPAR activities from David Smith. The final session was a planning session for the Earth Science and Applications from Space decadal survey which included Tony Busalacchi (CESAS member), Mike Freilich (NASA), Steve Volz (NOAA), and Sarah Ryker (USGS) and was moderated by SSB

member Tony Janetos. The Executive Committee of the SSB met July 28-29 in Washington, DC (a full write-up of that meeting will appear in the next newsletter) and the next full meeting of the board with be in Irvine, CA at the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center, November 3-5, 2015. Visit <www.nas.edu/ssb> to stay up to date on board, workshop, and study committee meetings and developments.

The Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Science (CAPS) did not meet this quarter. The next meeting of CAPS will be held in Irvine, California on September 16-17. To learn about upcoming meetings, and download presentations from past meetings, please visit http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/SSB_067577.

The Committee on Astronomy and Astrophysics (CAA) did not meet in person this quarter. In July, the committee held a telecon-

ference with the NASA Astro-physics Division, the NSF As-tronomy Division, and the DOE Office of High Energy Physics to discuss the recent report Opti-mizing the U.S. Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy System. The next committee meeting will take place during Space Science Week in 2016. In the interim, the CAA will meet periodically via teleconference. For more information about CAA, and to download presenta-tions from past meetings, please visit http://sites.nationalacademies.org/BPA/BPA_048755. The Committee on Biological and Physical Sciences in Space (CBPSS) did not meet in person during this quarter, but has con-tinued to follow developments

and discuss issues relevant to the health and direction of the na-tion’s microgravity research endeavor. Extensive materials from the committee’s 1-day April symposium on Genelab and Open Science have now been made available on the committee’s web-site (below). Co-chair Robert Ferl and staffer Sandra Graham both attended the International Space Station R&D Conference July 7-9 in Boston, MA, where Dr. Ferl participated as a panelist discussing the role of ISS as a catalyst. Both Dr. Ferl and co-chair Elizabeth Cantwell represented the committee at the joint SSB-ASEB meeting on Apr. 21-23 in DC. In addition, committee mem-ber Jim Pawelczyk was invited to testify at a July 10 congressional hearing in front of the House Subcommittee on Space (Committee on Science, Space and Technology). The hearing fo-cused on the challenges and rationales, including science, pertain-ing to an extension of the operational lifetime of ISS. The com-

SSB ACTIVITIES

David Smith accompanies interns James Alver and Danielle Youngsmith on an outing to the Udvar-Hazy Center in Dulles , Virginia.

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mittee has worked in this period to identify additional expertise areas most relevant to the emerging challenges in microgravity research and plans to issue publish a call for membership nomina-tions in the July/August timeframe. The next in person meeting will be October 27-29, 2015 at the Beckman Center in Irvine, CA. More information about the committee and its membership can be found at http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/SSB_145312.

The Committee on Earth Science and Applications from Space (CESAS) did not meet during the 2nd quarter; however, it contin-ued to be active in the planning of the second NRC decadal survey for Earth science and applications from space. In particular, the committee and NRC staff engaged in discussions with other units of the NRC and potential study sponsors on the terms of reference for the survey. NASA, NOAA, and the USGS reached consensus on the task statement in April 2015; on May 6, 2015, the study was approved by the Governing Board of the Executive Committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Prior to initiation of the survey, which will occurs in late August of this year, CESAS will request community input on the questions that should drive space-based Earth observations in the decade defined roughly from 2017 to 2027. This “request for infor-mation” (RFI) will not seek input on candidate satellite missions or sensors; instead, it will ask the community for their thoughts on the science questions and key challenges that should inform efforts to understand the Earth as a system (versus discipline-focused questions and challenges). It will also ask if these ques-tions and challenges differ from those that guided the inaugural decadal survey (http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=11820).

The next CESAS meeting which was originally scheduled for Sep-tember in Washington, DC has been postponed for a later date to be determined. For more information about CESAS, to learn about upcoming meetings, and download presentations from past meetings, please visit http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/SSB_066587. The Committee on Solar and Space Physics (CSSP) did not meet in person during this quarter, but did hold a teleconference in July 2015 where they discussed advanced planning for the committee’s fall meeting. The CSSP is planning a teleconference in August. The committee’s Fall meeting will be October 14-15, 2015 at the Keck Center in Washington, D.C.. Further information about the com-mittee are available at http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/SSB_052324.

Study Committees The Committee on Achieving Science Goals with CubeSats had their first meeting on June 22-23, 2015 at the Keck Center in Washington, D.C. During the meeting, the committee received agency perspectives on CubeSats from NASA, NSF, DOD, NOAA and the USGS. The committee also received an update on Space Debris from the Secure World Foundation. The second committee meeting included a community symposium on September 2-3, followed by a committee-only session on September 4, 2015, at

(Continued from page 4) the Beckman Center in Irvine, CA. More information about this project is available at: http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/CurrentProjects/SSB_160539.

During this quarter, the ad hoc Committee on a Framework for Analyzing the Needs for Continuity of NASA-Sustained Re-mote Sensing Observations of the Earth from Space revised its draft report in response to the extensive comments received dur-ing external peer review. A final draft was submitted to the Acad-emy in early June; an approved prepublication version of the final report is anticipated later this summer. Additional information about the committee and its work is available at http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/CurrentProjects/SSB_084713. The ad hoc Committee for the Review of the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) Report on Planetary Protec-tion for Mars Special Regions, an ad hoc activity of the Acade-mies of Science Engineering and Medicine and the European Sci-ence Foundation has completed a draft of its review of the report of the so-called Second Special Regions Science Analysis Group of the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group. The draft report was sent to external reviewers in July and the results of the com-mittee’s study are scheduled to be announced at a workshop or-ganized by COSPAR’s Panel on Planetary Protection to be held in Bern, Switzerland on September 22-24. Additional details can be found at http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/CurrentProjects/SSB_153480. The Space Studies Board and the Board on Science Education released a workshop summary in June entitled: Sharing the Adven-ture with the Student: Exploring the Intersections of NASA Space Science and Education – A Workshop Summary. The workshop it-self took place on December 2-3, 2014, at the NAS auditorium, and focused on the contribution of NASA’s Science Mission Direc-torate to K-12 science education. The workshop served as a venue for dialog between space and Earth scientists, engineers, educa-tion specialists ranging from high school principals to education researchers and state STEM education leaders, professional devel-opment providers, and informal science education institutions, among others. For more information, and a free PDF of the report, please visit http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/CurrentProjects/SSB_152563. With funding from the NSF, a study was conducted that recom-mends a strategy to optimize the U.S. optical and infrared system in preparation for the full operation of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope. The Committee on a Strategy to Optimize the U.S. Optical and Infrared System in the Era of LSST was appointed in July 2014 and was led by Debra Elmegreen (Vassar College). Its first meeting was held on July 31-August 1, in Washington, DC. After its first meeting, the committee requested white papers from the astronomy community to aid its work. The second meet-ing was held on October 12-13, in Irvine, CA, and the third meeting was held on December 2-3, in Washington, DC. The report entered the review process in early February 2015, and the report was re-leased on April 17, 2015. For more information about the commit-tee, please visit http://sites.nationalacademies.org/BPA/

SPACE STUDIES BOARD NEWS

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BPA_087934 The ad hoc Committee on Survey of Surveys: Lessons Learned from the Decadal Survey Process completed a draft report in February. The committee completed its responses to reviewer comments in late May and the report was approved for release on June 15. The report delivered to NASA on July 24 and released to the public. More information about the committee can be found at http://www8.nationalacademies.org/cp/projectview.aspx?key=49635.

Other Activities U.S. National Committee for COSPAR will hold the second of its new series of “off-year” symposia, at Foz do Iguacu, Brazil, on November 9-13. The SSB, in its capacity as the US National Com-mittee for COSPAR, continues to follow closely the arrangements for the 42nd Scientific Assembly, to be held in Pasadena, Califor-nia, on July 14-21, 2018. 2015. In the meanwhile, arrangements continue apace for COSPAR’s 41st Scientific Assembly, to be held in Istanbul, Turkey, on July 30 -7 August, 2016. COSPAR’s next round of business meetings will be held at COSPAR’s Paris head-quarters on March 14-17, 2016. Nominations are currently open for COSPAR prizes and medals to be awarded at the 41st Scien-tific Assembly. Full details of awards, eligibility, and nomination procedures can be found at https://cosparhq.cnes.fr/awards. All nominations must reach the COSPAR Secretariat in Paris no later than November 30.

The Forum for New Leaders in Space Science, a cooperative activity between the Academies and the Chinese Academy of Sci-ences (CAS), is designed to provide opportunities for a highly se-lect group of young space scientists from China and the United States to discuss their research activities in an intimate and colle-gial environment at meetings to be held in China and the United States. Following the successful completion of the first Forum in Beijing and Irvine, California, in, respectively May and November of last year, planning for the second Forum began. The first ses-sion of the second Forum will take place in Shanghai on October 9-10, 2015 and then the second session will be held in Irvine on May 16-17, 2016. The scientific focus of both meetings will be plane-tary science and Earth science from space. A joint solicitation for applicants closed in May and the US-China selection committee (Philip Christensen [Arizona State University], Jiancheng Shi [CAS Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth], David H. Smith [Space Studies Board], Byron Tapley [University of Texas, Austin], Feng Tian [Tsinghua University], and Ji Wu [CAS National Space Science Center]) will announce the participants in August. Addi-tional details can be found at http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/SSB_086017.

(Continued from page 5)

SSB STANDING COMMITTEES

Committee on Astronomy and Astrophysics (CAA)

(Joint with the Board on Physics and Astronomy)

Marcia Rieke, University of Arizona (C0-Chair) Paul L. Schechter, MIT (Co-Chair) through August 2015

Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Science (CAPS)

Philip R. Christensen, Arizona State University (Co-Chair) J. Gregory Ferry, Pennsylvania State University (Co-Chair)

Committee on Biological and Physial Sciences in Space (CBPSS) (joint with the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board)

Elizabeth Cantwell, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Co-Chair) Robert J. Ferl, University of Florida (Co-Cchair)

Committee on Earth Science and Applications from Space (CESAS)

Mark R. Abbott, Oregon State University (Co-Chair) Joyce E. Penner, University of Michigan (Co-Chair)

Committee on Solar and Space Physics (CSSP)

J. Todd Hoeksema, Stanford University (Co-Chair) Mary K. Hudson, Dartmouth College (Co-Chair)

For more information, go to <http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/ssb_052296>.

SSB Director, Michael Moloney addressing the UN committee on the peaceful uses of outer space at its annual meeting in June

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NEW RELEASES

Summaries are reproduced from the report here without references, notes, figures, tables, boxes, or attachments. Copies of reports are available from the SSB office at 202-334-3477 or at <http://www.nap.edu/>.

Sharing the Adventure with the Student: Exploring the Intersections of NASA Space Science and Education: A Workshop Summary (2015)

On December 2-3, 2014, the Space Studies Board and the Board on Science Education of the National Re-search Council held a workshop on the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) education program - "Sharing the Adventure with the Student." The workshop brought together representatives of the space science and science education communities to discuss maximizing the effectiveness of the transfer of knowledge from the scientists supported by NASA's SMD to K-12 students directly and to teachers and in-formal educators. The workshop focused not only on the effectiveness of recent models for transferring science content and scientific practices to students, but also served as a venue for dialogue between educa-tion specialists, education staff from NASA and other agencies, space scientists and engineers, and science content generators. Workshop participants reviewed case studies of scientists or engineers who were able to successfully translate their research results and research experiences into formal and informal student science learning. Education specialists shared how science can be translated to education materials and directly to students, and teachers shared their experiences of space science in their classrooms. Sharing the Adventure with the Student is the summary of the presentation and discussions of the workshop.

View the full report at:

http://www.nap.edu/catalog/21751/sharing-the-adventure-with-the-student-exploring-the-intersections-of

The Space Science Decadal Surveys: Lessons Learned and Best Practices (2015)

The National Research Council has conducted 11 decadal surveys in the Earth and space sciences since 1964 and released the latest four surveys in the past 8 years. The decadal surveys are notable in their ability to sample thoroughly the research interest, aspirations, and needs of a scientific community. Through a rigor-ous process, a primary survey committee and thematic panels of community members construct a prioritized program of science goals and objectives and define an executable strategy for achieving them. These reports play a critical role in defining the nation's agenda in that science area for the following 10 years, and often beyond.

The Space Science Decadal Surveys considers the lessons learned from previous surveys and presents options for possible changes and improvements to the process, including the statement of task, advanced prepara-tion, organization, and execution. This report discusses valuable aspects of decadal surveys that could be taken further, as well as some challenges future surveys are likely to face in searching for the richest areas of scientific endeavor, seeking community consensus of where to go next, and planning how to get there. The

Space Science Decadal Surveys describes aspects in the decadal survey prioritization process, including balance in the science program and across the discipline; balance between the needs of current researchers and the development of the future workforce; and balance in mission scale smaller, competed programs versus large strategic missions. View the full report at: http://www.nap.edu/catalog/21788/the-space-science-decadal-surveys-lessons-learned-and-best-practices

SPACE STUDIES BOARD NEWS

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SSB Member News

Pascale Ehrenfreund has been named the new Chair of the Executive Board of the German Research Center (DLR). She is the first woman to hold this position. Dr. Ehrunfreund currently serves on the Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Sciences . She previously served on the Committee on Human Spaceflight and the Committee on Plane-tary Science Decadal Survey: 2013-2022. Dava Newman has accepted her appointment as NASA’s Deputy Administrator. She is responsible to the agency administrator, Charles Bolden (former ASEB member) for providing overall leadership, planning, and policy direction for NASA. Dava previously served on the Space Studies Board form July 2013 until April 2015 when she resigned from the board to accept her appointment. She has also served on the Committee on Human Spaceflight and the Decadal Survey on Biological and Physical Sciences in Space: Translation to Space Exploration Systems Panel. The Board of Trustees of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) announces that Dr. Mark Abbott has accepted the position of president and director of the institution. Dr. Abbott becomes the tenth director in WHOI's 85-year history. Dr. Abbott will assume the office October 1, 2015, succeeding Susan Avery, who served from 2008 to 2015. Bob Kirshner (NAS) is now the Chief Program Officer for Science at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Dr. Kirscher has served on Committee on a Strategy to Optimize the U.S. Optical and Infrared System in the Era of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), the Committee on Astronomy and Astrophysics , the Astro2010 Panel on Optical and Infrared Astronomy from the Ground and the Astro2010 Panel on Stars and Stellar Evolution. More information may be found at: https://www.moore.org/newsroom/press-releases/2015/06/15/2015-wolf-prize-winner-joins-gordon-and-betty-moorefoundation

Sr. program officer, David Lang and committee chair, Debra Elmegreen visit OSTP on April 14, 2015 to brief the report: Optimiz-ing the U.S. Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy System.

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The SSB’s sister Board, the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board, also publishes a newsletter; visit <http://sites.nationalacademies.org/DEPS/ASEB/DEPS_046908> to subscribe or to view past newsletters. SSB’s division, the Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences, also pub-

lishes a newsletter; visit <http://sites.nationalacademies.org/DEPS/DEPS_059299> to subscribe.

In June the SSB was joined by two new Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Interns, Danielle Youngsmith and James Alver

Danielle Youngsmith is a self-designed astrobiology major and physics minor at Barnard College of Columbia University in New York City. She spent the majority of a year away from Columbia conducting exo-biology, astrophysics, and human factors research at NASA Ames Research Center and through SETI Institute. She was able to bring this biology research on habitability to the Mars Desert Research Station while conducting a simulated human mission to Mars. Ms. Youngsmith is fascinated by the

interface between space research and policy, recognizing the inter-dependency of each area as well as the critical role that the SSB plays in bridging the gap between the two. Her hobbies include hik-ing, bartending, and designing.

James Alver is a recent graduate of Harvard College with a B.A. in Government and a secondary in Earth and Planetary Sciences. While at Harvard, James wrote for the Harvard Political Review, fo-cusing on space policy issues, as well as for the humor newspaper Satire V. Shortly after graduating, he succeeded in petitioning the

IAU to name an asteroid, 5202 Charleseliot, after the namesake of his Harvard residential house, Harvard President Charles Eliot. Mr. Alver has been fascinated by space exploration his entire life, and is thrilled at the opportunity to combine his passions for space and public policy while interning at the SSB. He hopes to use the skills and insights gained as a Berkner Intern to pursue a career in space policy.

Pluto Flyover SSB interns Danielle Youngsmith and James Alver had an opportunity to attend the first ever fly over of pluto. Below is a summary of her experience. News from Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy interns James Alver and Danielle YoungSmith: On July 14, 2015, NASA’s New Horizons probe made the first-ever flyby of Pluto. History was being made, and we were there to witness it. Seeing the first new “planetary” flyby since 1989, and possibly the last one for generations, was an awe-inspiring experience. From the eager and anxious mission scientists who had waited decades for this day gushing over the previous day’s “first look” photos of Pluto to the celebrity visitors like Bill Nye and David Blaine, the energy at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory was electric. When telemetry confirming New Horizon’s safe passage through the Pluto system reached Earth, the main au-ditorium erupted into applause, tears, and cheers of “Pluto” and “U.S.A.”. The mission team earned a standing ovation as they re-turned from the Mission Operations Center. An achievement of this kind had not occurred during our lifetimes, and it likely will not hap-pen again while we are still around to witness it. To not only be alive at this time but to be at mission control itself was truly a dream come true.

Staff News

Danielle Youngsmith and James Alver taking advantage of the photo

booth while attending the Pluto Flyover event at NASA.

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Future Meetings October 8-10, 2015 Review of Progress Toward the Decadal Survey Vision in New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics Washington, DC

October 14-15, 2015 Committee on Solar and Space Physics Washington, DC

October 22-23, 2015 Achieving Science Goals with CubeSats Washington, DC

October 27-29, 2015 Committee on Biological and Physical Sciences in Space Washington, DC

November 3-4, 2015 Studies Board Fall Meeting Irvine, CA

March 29-31, 2016 Space Science Week Washington, DC

More information on the SSB and ASEB Board meetings is at

<http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/SSB_054577 > (SSB) and

<http://sites.nationalacademies.org/DEPS/ASEB/DEPS_058923> (ASEB)

SSB Calendar

June 22-23, 2015 Achieving Science Goals with CubeSats Committee Meeting Washington, DC

July 29-30, 2015 Executive Committee of the Space Studies Board Washington, DC

September 2-4 , 2015 Achieving Science Goals with CubeSats Symposium Irvine, CA

September 16-17, 2015 Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Science Irvine, CA

National Academy of Sciences Building

2101 Constitution Ave NW Washington, DC

Keck Center 500 Fifth St NW, Washington, DC

Arnold and Mabel Beckman 100 Academy Drive

Irvine, CA

J. Erik Jonsson Conference Center 314 Quissett Ave Woods Hole, MA

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APRIL-JUNE 2015

VOLUME 26, ISSUE 2 WWW.NATIONALACADEMIES.ORG/SSB/ PAGE 11

SELECTED REPORTS AVAILABLE FROM THE SPACE STUDIES BOARD For a complete list of titles visit our website at <http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/ssb_051650>

If you are unable to email your request, please send a copy of this form to the address or fax number below. Remember to enter the number of reports you wish to receive in the space to the left of each report.

Space Studies Board The National Academies 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 or fax a copy to: 202-334-3701

Name E-mail

Affiliation

Address City/State/Zip

The Space Science Decadal Surveys: Lessons Learned and Best Practices(2015)CD only

Sharing the Adventure with the Student: Exploring the Intersections of NASA Space Science and Education: A Workshop Summary

Space Studies Board Annual Report 2014 (2015) Book and CD

The Space Studies Board 1958-2014: Compilation of Reports (2015) DVD

Solar and Space Physics: A Science for a Technological Society: An Overview (2014)Booklet

Pathways to Exploration: Rationales and Approaches for a U.S. Program of Human Space Exploration (2014) DVD Only

Evaluation of the Implementation of WFIRST/AFTA in the Context of New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics (2014)

Review of the Draft 2014 Science Mission Directorate Science Plan (2014)

Opportunities for High-Power, High-Frequency Transmitters to Advance Ionospheric/Thermospheric Research: Report of a Workshop (2014)

Lessons Learned in Decadal Planning in Space Sciences: Summary of a Workshop (2013) CD

Landsat and Beyond: Sustaining and Enhancing the Nations Land Imaging Program (2013)

Solar and Space Physics: A Science for a Technological Society (2013) Book and CD

NASA's Strategic Direction and the Need for a National Consensus (2012)

The Effects of Solar Variability on Earth's Climate: A Workshop Report (2012)

Vision an Voyages for Planetary Science (2012) Booklet

The Role of Life and Physical Sciences (2012) Booklet

Earth Science and Applications from Space: A Midterm Assessment of NASA's Implementation of the Decadal Survey (2012) Book and CD

Assessment of Planetary Protection Requirements for Spacecraft Missions

to Icy Solar System Bodies (2012)

Assessment of a Plan for U.S. Participation in Euclid CD Only

Technical Evaluation of the NASA Model for Cancer Risk to Astronauts Due to Space Radiation

Report of the Panel on Implementing Recommendations from the New Worlds, New Horizons Decadal Survey (2012)

Sharing the Adventure with the Public—The Value of Excitement: Summary of a Workshop (2011)

Recapturing a Future for Space Exploration: Life and Physical Sciences Re-search for a New Era (2011) Book and CD

Visions and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022 (2011) Book and CD

Assessment of Impediments to Interagency Collaboration on Space and Earth Science Missions (2011)

Forging the Future of Space Science: The Next 50 Years (2010) CD Only

Panel Reports—New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics (2011)

New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics (2010)

Controlling Cost Growth of NASA Earth and Space Science Missions (2010) CD Only

Capabilities for the Future: An Assessment of NASA Laboratories for Basic Research (2010) CD Only

Revitalizing NASA's Suborbital Program: Advancing Science, Driving Innovation, and Developing a Workforce (2010) CD Only

Defending Planet Earth: Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies (2010) CD Only

An Enabling Foundation for NASA's Space and Earth Science Missions (2010)

Severe Space Weather Events—Understanding Societal and

Free PDF versions of all SSB reports are available online at <http://www.nap.edu>

and on the DVD (listed below)

Hardcopy versions of all SSB reports are available free of charge from the SSB while supplies last.

To request a hardcopy of a report, send an email to ssb@nas.edu and include your name, affiliation, mailing address, and

the name and quantity of each report that you are requesting.