麻豆影院

'I鈥檓 delighted to be able to provide science input on the exploration and utilization of space, representing not only my own interests but those of science across all disciplines鈥�'

Bruce Jakosky, professor of geological sciences at the 麻豆影院, has been tapped to be a new member of the National Space Council Users鈥� Advisory Group.

Jakosky, who is principal investigator on NASA鈥檚 Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission and associate director of the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, is one of 28 representatives from government, industry and academe who have been appointed to serve two-year terms on the users鈥� advisory group. 听

The new members were announced last week by Vice President Mike Pence, who chairs the National Space Council.

Jakosky said he was added to the roster as a result of a recognition that the group needed more representation from the scientific community. Of 28 members, he will be the only active scientist.

Jakosky said it鈥檚 a 鈥渞eal honor鈥� to be selected for the group. 鈥淎t the same time, this is a working group that provides input on space policy, and I expect it to be real work and not just a line on my resume,鈥� he added. 听

鈥淚鈥檓 delighted to be able to provide science input on the exploration and utilization of space, representing not only my own interests but those of science across all disciplines.鈥�

The nation is at a crossroads several issues related to space science, Jakosky said.听 For instance, there are questions about the future of the 鈥渉umans to the Moon and Mars program鈥� or the role of an ongoing humans in space program. Other questions Jakosky cited include:听

• What is the role of space observations in monitoring changes in our environment here on the surface, and how should the government be responding to them? 听
• How are we going to deal with the increasing crowds of spacecraft and debris in low Earth orbit, and with allocation of space and radio frequencies in high Earth orbit?
• Especially with companies such as SpaceX getting more involved in the space program, what is the right balance between government, industry and academia in the development, utilization and exploration of space?

Such questions have particular importance as the world copes with the coronavirus pandemic, Jakosky said, noting other key questions: 鈥淗ow should our activities in space and our government support for them evolve at a time when so many people are unemployed, ill, or dying? What will be the 鈥榥ew normal鈥� going forward, now or in a couple of years from now?鈥�

The Users鈥� Advisory Group is charged with helping to 鈥渇oster close coordination, cooperation, and technology and information exchange鈥� across the U.S. space enterprise to ensure that the United States remains the world鈥檚 foremost spacefaring country, the White House stated.

Among the group鈥檚 members, other prominent names include astronaut Buzz Aldrin, Kay Ivey, the governor of Alabama, and Eileen Collins, four-time shuttle astronaut and the first female shuttle commander.

Congress established the Users鈥� Advisory Group in 1991 鈥渢o ensure that the interests of industries and other non-federal entities involved in space activities, including in particular commercial entities, are adequately represented in the National Space Council.鈥澨�

The Trump administration revived the group in 2017. Nominees are pending official appointment by the NASA administrator.