Planetary Science Decadal Survey

Visions and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013 – 2022

New Frontiers in the Solar System: An Integrated Exploration Strategy 2003–2013
Author	National Academy Space Studies Board
Original title	New Frontiers in the Solar System: An Integrated Exploration Strategy 2003–2013
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre	Astronomy
Publisher	United States National Research Council
Published	March 7, 2011
Media type	hardcover, PDF

The Planetary Science Decadal Survey is a publication of the United States National Research Council produced for NASA and other United States Government Agencies such as the National Science Foundation. The document identifies key questions facing planetary science and outlines recommendations for space and ground based exploration ten years into the future. Missions to gather data to answer these big questions are described and prioritized, where appropriate.

Visions and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013 – 2022 (2011) was published in prepublication form on March 7, 2011, and in final form later that year. Draft versions of the document were presented at town hall meetings around the country, at lunar and planetary conferences, and made available publicly on the NASA website and via the National Academies Press. The report differed from previous reports in that it included "brutally honest" budgetary review from a 3rd party contractor.

The report highlighted a new Mars rover, a mission to Jupiter's moon Europa, and a mission to Uranus and its moons as proposed Flagship Missions. The Mars mission was given highest priority, followed by the Europa mission. The Mars rover proposal was called MAX-C and it would store samples for eventual return to Earth, but the method of return was left open. It only recommended the rover mission if it could be done cheaply enough (2.5 billion USD).

The committee producing the survey was led by Steve Squyres of Cornell University and included 5 panels focusing on the inner planets (Mercury, Venus, and the Moon), Mars (not including Phobos and Deimos), the gas giant planets, satellites (Galilean satellites, Titan, and other satellites of the giant planets) and primitive bodies (Asteroids, comets, Phobos, Deimos, Pluto/Charon and other Kuiper belt objects, meteorites, and interplanetary dust).