Astro2010

The Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey is a review of astronomy and astrophysics literature produced approximately every ten years by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences in the United States. The report surveys the current state of the field, identifies research priorities, and makes recommendations for the coming decade. The editing committee is informed by topical panels and subcommittees, dedicated conferences, and direct community input in the form of white papers summarizing the state of the art in each subdiscipline. The most recent report, Astro2010, is currently available in prepublication form, with the final version set for release before the end of 2010.

The first report, Ground-Based Astronomy: A Ten-Year Program, was released in 1964. The report recommends construction of national observing facilities, including especially mid-sized ground-based optical telescopes.

The second report, Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 1970s, was released in 1972. It recommends priorities for both space- and ground-based programs, and was instrumental in the eventual construction of the Very Large Array.

The third report, Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 1980s, was released in 1982. It identifies construction of the Very Long Baseline Array as a priority.

The fourth report, The Decade of Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics, was released in 1991. It recommends launch of the "Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility", which was realized in 1999 as the Chandra X-ray Observatory. It also recommends launch of the "Space Infrared Telescope Facility", realized in 2003 as the Spitzer Space Telescope, the fourth and final in NASA's Great Observatories program.

The fifth report, Astronomy and Astrophysics in the New Millennium, was released in 2001. It gives highest priority to the construction and launch of Next Generation Space Telescope, now the James Webb Space Telescope with launch planned for 2018. The report reaffirms the 1991 recommendation for the completion of the Millimeter Array, now part of the Atacama Large Millimeter Array international collaboration. It also examines the benefits of a robust astronomy research program to the nation, and expresses concern regarding the percentage of funding tied to a few large projects.

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