The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) needs to take action to ensure the long‐term health of the space and earth science program in the wake of the Challenger accident, according to recommendations made recently by the Space and Earth Science Advisory Committee (SESAC) of the NASA Advisory Council (NAC). The space agency also must hasten to address “more immediate threats to the survival of significant elements of the space and earth science infrastructure that require near‐term actions,” (see boxed item with SESAC recommendations). “It is important that NASA seek means to address both the near‐term and longer‐term needs of the program simultaneously,” the committee emphasized.