Mission to Planet Earth

Abstract

On July 20, 1989, the President of the United States presented his vision of NASA's future: the Earth, Moon, and Mars beckon as targets for understanding and future exploration. The goals have been set, but much remains to be done in setting priorities, budgets, and timetables. There are many demands on every Federal dollar, and tough choices will have to be made. The key to a dynamic space program is maintaining balance between today's concerns and tomorrow's dividends—a balance between budgetary limitations and the inherent human quest to move on, to grow, and to learn. There are advocates for manned and unmanned programs, exploration, and commercialization. The challenge is not to pick among them, but rather to construct a comprehensive long-term plan, and to devise missions contributing to a balanced program. A mission can serve several goals, and NASA's strength is enhanced by pursuing a variety of objectives. Supporting Earth science research is an intrinsic part of NASA's mandate, and is established within the Agency's authorizing legislation. That legislation directs NASA to carry out a broad range of environmental observations and scientific investigations to learn the physics, chemistry, and biology of this planet. The Administration's objectives for NASA include advancing Earth science research as one of the three fundamental goals of the U.S. Space Program, as stated below: 1. (1) To advance U.S. scientific leadership and the world's scientific knowledge of the solar system and the universe. 2. (2) To advance the role of man in space and preserve U.S. preeminence in critical aspects of manned space flight. 3. (3) To advance scientific knowledge of the Earth and its environment so as to understand and eventually predict both natural and human-induced global change and, thus, provide continuing benefits to humanity. Milestones include 4. Establishing a set of observing platforms of various sizes and capabilities to study the Earth system from space on a global scale and on a continuing basis. 5. Developing plans and options, in coordination with other appropriate Federal agency members of the Committee on Earth Sciences, to implement…“Mission to Planet Earth”. Mission to Planet Earth will produce the understanding needed to predict changes in the Earth's environment. NASA and its interagency and international partners will place satellites carrying advanced sensors in strategic Earth orbits to gather multidisciplinary data. A sophisticated data system will process and archive an unprecedented amount of information about the Earth and how it works as a system. Increased understanding of the Earth system is a basic human responsibility, a prerequisite to informed management of the planet's resources and to the preservation of the global environment. The resulting technology and science will contribute to future solar system exploration as well.