The man who brought you the first mission to Pluto (set to arrive in 2015) has a new role at NASA: head of the Science Mission Directorate. Since Alan Stern took the helm in April he has been busy setting up shop and laying out a bold direction for science at NASA. Now in an update released through the Planetary Newsletter Stern shares his vision, goals and progress so far.
In the plan, Stern includes more money for astrobiology, more science spaceflight missions, and a push for a Mars sample return mission. But the item that most caught by eye was his plan to increase suborbital flight opportunities "to help train PIs, to provide opportunities to raise TRL (technology readiness levels) on instruments, and to do unique science where possible."
There are many commercial providers of suborbital launches, so this is a way NASA could help grow the industry -- and something commercial space advocates like myself have been asking for for years.
Overall, it was the tone more then the content that floored me. There was a boldness to it, and an authentic excitement and straight talk that I don't see coming out of NASA HQ very often. It's the kind of excitement that is contagious. If Stern speaks as straight as he writes, we better get him out in front of the biggest audience we can.
Planetary Exploration Newsletter: NASA Science Mission Directorate Update- Alan Stern, Associate Administration/SMD [NASA Watch]
