Panel releases ranking of current NASA-supported astronomy missions
MAY 18, 2010
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.024340
Physics Today : Last month, 12 astronomers met at NASA HQ to rank the scientific value of continuing to operate 11 space-based missions. Such reviews, which began in the 1990s, are needed because the cost of supporting existing missions is so great that it can imperil future missions. In ranking the missions, the panelists weighed the likely yield of scientific discoveries (new missions tend to score more highly than old missions) and the cost to NASA (missions run largely by overseas agencies do well). The panel put Planck in first place. Launched last year, the European mission is mapping the cosmic microwave background’s temperature and polarization anisotropies. Here’s the ranked list:
- Planck
- Chandra
- Warm Spitzer
- Swift
- XMM-Newton
- WMAP
- Suzaku
- GALEX
- RXTE
- INTEGRAL
- Warm WISE
© 2010 American Institute of Physics
