In 2016 NASA asked the National Academies to undertake a study assessing NASA's progress at meeting the objectives of the decadal survey. After the study was underway, Congress passed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Transition Authorization Act of 2017 which called for NASA to engage the National Academies in a review of NASA's Mars Exploration Program. NASA and the Academies agreed to incorporate that review into the midterm study. That study has produced this report, which serves as a midterm assessment and provides guidance on achieving the goals in the remaining years covered by the decadal survey as well as preparing for the next decadal survey, currently scheduled to begin in 2020.
Table of Contents
Front Matter
Summary
1 Background on the Decadal Survey and Midterm Assessment
2 Recent Scientific Discoveries
3 Assessment of Current Progress vis--vis Vision and Voyages and
Guidance for the Rest of the Decade
4 Planetary Science Technology
5 Mars Exploration Architecture
6 Preparing for the Next Decadal Survey
Appendixes
Appendix A: Statement of Task
Appendix B: Committee Biographical Information
Appendix C: Acronyms
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