This is the nineteenth annual calculation of the Science News metric, which can be used to measure NASA contributions to worldwide scientific discovery and technological achievement. This metric runs through the 38-year period from 1973 to 2010, and covers all fields of science.
NASA’s had 8.4% of worldwide scientific discoveries in 2010; reduced output from prime mission science offset by strongest ever non-mission science
NASA’s had 8.4% of worldwide scientific discoveries in 2010; reduced output from prime mission science offset by strongest ever non-mission science
• 3.0% from extended mission (flagships launched in the 1990’s and 1970’s)
• 2.8% from non-mission science (astrobiology and other grants)
• 1.4% from extended missions (small/moderate sized, including series like POES)
• 1.3% from prime mission science (lowest level since 1985-1988)
Astrobiology produced 1.7% of discoveries
• Has the highest average scientific performance over 2008-2010 period of all NASA programs; ranked 11th of all NASA programs 1973-2010
• Discoveries include Titan simulations which suggest that building blocks of DNA and RNA may have formed without liquid water, microfossils in Mediterranean sulfate samples offer hope for finding life on Mars, and a microbe that may substitute arsenic for phosphorus,
Hubble produced 1.3% of discoveries a year after the last servicing mission
• Seemingly disparate chunks of the Milky Way formed at the same time from one blob of gas and dust, galaxies that may be the most distant starlit bodies known, the heaviest known star, and helping WMAP refine age of the cosmos
Fermi was the most productive prime mission, with 1.1% of discoveries
• Discovery of excess of gamma rays emanating from the galaxy’s center and two giant blobs of gamma ray–emitting gas above and below
Space Science contributions at 7.0%
SOHO discovers gas flows on the solar surface that have depressed the solar cycle, Cassini determines carbonation may feed Enceladus eruptions (rising to 4th on the all-time list), Phoenix/Viking data analysis determines Martian soil could contain the building blocks of carbon-based life, Kepler discovers a planet with a diameter only about twice that of Earth , WMAP refines the age of the cosmos (rising from 24th to 16th on the all-time list), as well as non-mission science from grants, discussed below.
NASA Earth Science had 1.4% of discoveries
• Chilean earthquake tilts Earth’s axis a few centimeters and shortens the day, Terra-MODIS helps determine droughts slow plant carbon uptake worldwide, Terra and Aqua contribute to assessment of Gulf spill gas - especially methane – which is expected to prove resistant to biodegradation, and a fleet of spacecraft help determine that rising global temperatures are driving up river runoff to the sea by some 540 cubic kilometers per year (Jason-1, TOPEX, NOAA Sats, GRACE, Aqua, Quickscat)
NASA’s non-mission science produces 2.8% of world-wide science
• In addition to Astrobiology discoveries and analysis of the effects of the Chilean Earthquake, above, also contributions to discovery of potentially habitable planet Gliese 581g, analysis of Saharan meteorite that indicates the solar system may be older than previously thought.
Most NASA science continues to come from extended missions
• Most NASA discoveries in 2010 (4.0%) came from spacecraft which were operating beyond their prime mission lifetimes; 2.3% came from non-flight project science, and 1.3% came from spacecraft in their prime mission phase
• 1.3% prime mission science (from Fermi and Kepler) is the lowest contribution since 1973 except for the period 1985-1988
• More than 3/4ths of extended mission science (3.0% of worldwide science) came from five flagships that, on average, were launched 20 years ago (Viking, Hubble, Cassini, SOHO, Terra).
• This was the best year ever for non-mission science (grants). Grant-based non-mission science is becoming a major contributor to NASA’s science return as seen by Astrobiology rising to 11th on the all-time list and other Small Grants to 9th. If we combine the Astrobiology and Small Grants, they total more science productivity per this metric since 1973 than any flight program except for Hubble.