A new decadal survey has recommended that NASA’s heliophysics program pursue two billion-dollar missions despite concerns over budget. The National Academies released the report, which advocates for an ambitious program of ground- and space-based facilities to study the sun and its interaction with Earth.
The report recommends two flagship missions: Links, a $1.86 billion project featuring 24 spacecraft in multiple orbits, and Solar Polar Orbiter, a $2.08 billion mission that would study the sun’s magnetic fields at its poles. The projects are intended to build on previous data from the Geospace Dynamics Constellation (GDC), which was initially recommended for cancellation but may see new funding.
The decadal survey estimates NASA’s heliophysics budget should increase to $1 billion by 2026 and reach $1.74 billion by 2033, more than doubling the current budget. However, some experts express concerns about meeting these projections due to budget uncertainty.
“We’ve got great science and we need investment,” said Robyn Millan, co-chair of the decadal survey. “But budget is always an issue.” The report includes a flat budget profile that assumes growth only at the projected rate of inflation, which may not be sufficient to support the recommended programs.
Source: https://spacenews.com/heliophysics-decadal-survey-recommends-two-flagship-missions-for-nasa