1

The ISS as a Science Observing Platform The ISS is an excellent platform for many observations once

you match the observation to the capabilities of the Station.

It is a very useful platform with some highly desirable features Mass, data rate, and power are generally not design limitations The availability to replace and re The precessing orbit enables some measurements, in particular

allowing cross calibration with LEO polar satellites for Earth Observation

The relatively low altitude improves many imaging applications

It is niche platform, not suited for all observation objectives The platform is more jittery, has more contamination, and has

numerous operating restrictions due to frequent visits and human presence

For Earth Observations, the low inclination orbit does not cover the globe, and the precessing orbit is not ideal for measurements which need a consistent local time for observations

The observing opportunities for Heliophysics and Astrophysics are well understood but often restricted by orbit dynamics and viewing obstructions

2 SAGE III Launch 2016

ISERV Launch 2012

CATS Launch 2014

HICO Launch 2009

RapidScat Launch 2014

3

Venture-Class is a Tier-I Decadal Survey recommendation Science-driven, PI-led, competitively selected, cost- and schedule-

constrained, regularly solicited, for orbital and suborbital missions Venture-class investigations are open to all science questions. They may

complement the systematic missions identified in the Decadal Survey, or may directly address science objectives from those missions

The selected missions/instruments provide flexibility to accommodate scientific advances and new implementation approaches

EV Instruments in particular may be good fits for the ISS platform Ample resources (power, data rate, cooling, mass) Well defined interfaces and infrastructure

EVS Sustained Sub-

Orbital Investigations

EVM Complete, self-contained, small missions

EVI Full function, facility-

class instruments Missions of Opportunity

(MoO)

Earth Science Division’s Venture Opportunities http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/solicitations.do?method=init&stack=push

4

Astrophysics on the ISS

AMS Launch May 16, 2011

ISS-CREAM Sp-X6 Launch 2014

JEM-EUSO Launch Tentatively planned for ~ 2018 CALET on JEM

HTV Launch ~2014 4 4

NICER Sp-X launch 2016