Abstract: | The US space and Earth science programme is in a time of crisis. As the research environment changes and new scientific opportunities emerge, a broader range of resources is needed, including substantial new flight opportunities. There are a growing number of claimants for space research resources. Fluctuations in funding, programme delays and mismatched time scales have contributed to wasted time and research efforts. A new commitment is needed in this crisis; this article contains a summary of the analysis and recommendations of a recent report of NASA advisory committee. |