Public Charter, Schedule and Membership

Charter

The Office of Space Science (OSS) charters the HST-JWST Transition Plan Review Panel to evaluate the scientific impact of the current NASA plan for ending HST operations and beginning JWST operations.  The panel should solicit input from the scientific community and other experts.

In the course of its general review, the panel should present answers to the following questions:

  • Does the current plan provide for the best scientific use of unique HST abilities in the context of the overall NASA program?
  • Is there sufficient flexibility in the plan to respond to, for example, unforeseeable failures of HST instruments, for limitations on shuttle servicing missions, and for possible delays in the JWST program?

The panel should produce a brief report summarizing their findings with respect to the charge and providing conclusions that NASA may consider in order to maximize the overall scientific contribution.

NASA will provide the following items as initial input to the panel for their consideration:

OSS Plan for HST – JWST transition
The HST Post-SM4 Science Review Panel Report
HST Propulsion Module Study Report (Interim)
Origins Roadmap 2003

During their discussions the panel may seek additional technical details or clarifications through the OSS and the HST Program Office.  On July 31, 2003 the panel will hold an open meeting (Washington, DC [additional details]) at which interested parties can provide input related to the HST-JWST transition plan. The panel will additionally consider comments from the community received via a web site (http://HST-JWST-transition.hq.nasa.gov/).

Panel Composition: The Panel shall consist of 5 members, inclusive of the panel chair

Panel Products: The panel should produce a brief report for the Office of Space Science summarizing their findings with respect to the charge and providing conclusions that NASA may consider in order to maximize the overall scientific contribution

Panel Schedule:

July 7: Panel kickoff telecon/meeting
July 31: Two day panel meeting (one for public input) (Washington, DC)
September 12: Draft Final Report sent to panel members
September 19: Comments from panel on draft Final Report to Chair by COB
October 1:  Final Report complete and submitted to NASA HQ

Panel Membership

John Bahcall, Insitute for Advanced Study (Chair)
Barry Barish, California Institute of Technology
Jacqueline Hewitt, MIT
Christopher McKee, University of California, Berkeley
Martin Rees, Cambridge University
Charles Townes, University of California, Berkeley