What European needs to do to take the lead in Space

Astronomy

ESO Astronomy FacultyMay 2004

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Objectives

To identify and explore the more important issues that need be addressed to bring this about

To learn what we can from past experience, both successes and failures

To be aware of relevant global developments

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Introduction

Europe is rich, well-educated and technologically advanced

The US spends more*, maintains greater cohesion and carries out serious strategic planning

The US appears to the public to be the source of the majority of new scientific discoveries — even those that are actually made in Europe

What are the priorities for boosting the effectiveness of European space astronomy research?

*It both has more researchers per head of population and spends more on each of them

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We have singled out four critical areas:1. How are the scientific directions set and,

subsequently, missions selected?

2. Once a mission has been selected and a ‘spacecraft/payload’ created, how should it be operated to yield maximum scientific benefit?

3. How should peer-selected scientific research be funded to produce high quality results in a timely fashion?

4. How do we effectively expose this scientific endeavour to decision makers, to the public and to the educational process?

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A structured discussionNames are discussion leaders - not only presenters

Introduction √Mission operations and scientific support

Dave Silva

Research support and funding Carlos De Breuck

Public Outreach Lars Christensen

Strategic planning and project selection Bob Fosbury

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Operations

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Research support

MetricsPublication number and rate, fraction of data

achieving publication, measures of impact etc.

Important fraction of work is done by postdocs & students => Need for dedicated funding

In Europe, research funding through 3 main channels:1. ESA fellowships (internal & external)2. EU programs (FP6)3. National funding

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Problems: short term (2-3 years)not dedicated to a particular missionevaluated by non-expert panels => political &

national influence

Solutions:long-term programs such as OPTICON, Radionet

(EU)dedicated fellowships: XMM, Integral, Herchel,

Planck (cf. Hubble, Chandra, Spitzer)more open evaluation processmore interaction instrument development <=> users

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Data reduction support to ensure timely publication

Current situation in Europe:different institutes develop their own independent

software (e.g. ISO)

not much central support

Needed:central data reduction tools written by instrument

developers with input from the community

dedicated support & data-reduction workshops (e.g. CIAO workshops twice a year for Chandra)

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Outreach

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SelectionWhat is the process by which long-term science

goals are set?Europe: by the agencies themselves, both National

and International, with the help of advisory committees

What more do we need?Projects are too big to rely on “Letting a thousand

flowers bloom”We need a Pan-European process to set the goals

which stands above national desires and intrigues — this is done with several (federal) processes in the US, including the “Decadal Survey” by the NRC

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ESA is currently soliciting ideas for new themes for space science for the decade 2015–2025. This follows from Horizons 2000 and 2000+ and from Cosmic Vision 2004–2014

A process started in mid-2003 with a brainstorming between the ESA Executive and a broad cross-section of scientists organised into cross-disciplinary perspective groups (XPG)

A “Call or Themes for 2015–2025” has now opened with the following programme:

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April 2004: Call for themes — see Faculty HomepageMay 2004: Preliminary discussions with ESA

science advisory bodies1 June 2004: Deadline for 1-2 page

descriptions of proposed themes from the community

June 2004: report of progress to ESA SPC -> formal presentation in Spring 2005

July 2004: ESA’s scientific and technical assessment of responses

September 2004: Open Workshop held in Paris. Community + ESA advisory structure

Autumn 2004: Analysis of technical challenges. Exploration of synergies with groundbased astronomy (ESO)

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Autumn 2004: Formulation of long-range plan

November 2004: Progress report to SPC

Spring 2005: Presentation to SPC and subsequent public presentations

How can we, as European scientists, contribute effectively to this process?