Status Report

Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) Funding to End

By SpaceRef Editor
August 3, 2000
Filed under

SR Aug. 3, 2000

TO: CEA/R. Malina/Project Manager, EUVE

FROM: SR/G. Riegler/Director, Research Division, Office of Space Science

SUBJECT: Results from the Senior Review 2000 of Mission Operations
and
Data Analysis (MO&DA) Programs in the Astronomical Search for Origins (ASO)
and the Structure and Evolution of the Universe (SEU) Themes

The recently completed Senior Review 2000 of Mission Operations and Data
Analysis (MO&DA) Programs in the Astronomical Search for Origins (ASO) and
the Structure and Evolution of the Universe (SEU) Themes is the first
step in
a three-step process for optimizing the ASO and SEU MO&DA Programs in the
NASA Space Science Enterprise. The three step process is (1) conduct a
comparative science review of MO&DA programs – the ‘Senior Review,’ (2)
issue guidelines for each projectís near- and long-term continuation, as
appropriate, and (3) develop and approve a detailed plan for implementation
of these guidelines. I am forwarding the recommendations of the Senior
Review panel to you (attached), the first step in the process, and am
issuing
programmatic directions and guidelines for your project with this letter,
the
second step in the process.

To complete the three-step process for optimizing the ASO and SEU Mission
MO&DA programs, I direct you to develop a plan responsive to these
directions
and guidelines, and to the general recommendations from the Senior Review,
and to present it to me within four weeks for review, possible modification,
and final acceptance.

The Senior Review 2000 considered ten missions and six data centers. This
review was confronted with a severe financial constraint that did not allow
any new requests for augmentation or extension in Fiscal Year 2001 to be
funded. For Fiscal Year 2002, only very modest funds were available to
support the highest-ranked requests. The panel took into consideration the
scientific merit of each project, as well as the cost to NASA’s Office of
Space Science. This was necessary to put all missions and data centers
reviewed on a more nearly comparable basis.

The Senior Review 2000 gave the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE)
mission a
low ranking on a ‘science per dollar’ basis. Because of this ranking, this
year’s Senior Review panel concurred with the Senior Review 1998 and
recommended termination of the mission at the end of fiscal year 2000.
Primarily because of this science ranking, and secondarily because of the
severe budget constraints mentioned in the previous paragraph, I endorse
this
recommendation, and have used it in formulating the following programmatic
directions:

A. You should plan on receiving closeout funding at the level of
$300k in
FY00, consistent with your informal requests to Dr. Daniel Golombek, Program
Executive for EUVE. This budget plan represents an increase of $300k above
the previous funding plan of $700k for FY00, which was set as a results of
Senior Review 1998

B. The EUVE extended mission will end within the current budget
outlined
herein. Closeout costs are being provided as noted above (see A).
Completion
of data processing, documentation, and archiving of all data from the EUVE
mission in the HEASARC and/or MAST multi-mission archives also needs to be
executed within these funds.

EUVE ended its prime mission phase in January 1996. Since then EUVE has been
operated as an extended mission. All missions in their extended operations
phase should minimize operations and data processing costs in order to
maximize the use of mission funds for instrument calibration, data analysis,
and science interpretation. Your plan should address this guideline, which
reflects NASA and Congressional policies.

We have received your appeal, as well as the related e-mail writing
campaign. We have considered your arguments as well as those of other
writers, but we see no basis for changing our decisions, which are based on
the rankings of EUVE in the past two comparative reviews.

Guenter R. Riegler

cc: S/E. Weiler/Associate Administrator for Space Science

SA/A. Bunner/Science Program Director

SR/P. Hertz/Senior Program Executive for MO&DA

SR/R. Mulkey/Program Support Specialist

SR/D. Golombek/Program Executive

SR/P. Crane/Program Scientist

SR/G. Stringfellow/Deputy Program Scientist

SP/C. Tupper/Program Analyst

SpaceRef staff editor.