Space Studies Board

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.National Academy of Sciences, National Academies Press, http://www.nap.edu/download.php?record_id=13117 , ''Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013–2022'', 2011; . Retrieved February 23, 2015 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. Similar decadal surveys cover astronomy and astrophysics, earth science, and heliophysics.

As of 2022 there have been three "Decadals", one published in 2002 for the decade from 2003 to 2013, one in 2011 for 2013 to 2022, and one in 2022 for 2023 to 2032. The survey for 2023 to 2032 was released on April 19th, 2022.

Before the decadal surveys

* ''Planetary Exploration, 1968-1975'', published in 1968, recommended missions to Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Mercury in that order of priority.
* ''Report of Space Science, 1975'' recommended exploration of the outer planets.
* ''Strategy for Exploration of the Inner Planets, 1977–1987'' was published in 1977.
* ''Strategy for the Exploration of Primitive Solar-System Bodies--Asteroids, Comets, and Meteoroids, 1980–1990'' was published in 1980.
* ''A Strategy for Exploration of the Outer Planets, 1986-1996'' was published in 1986.
* ''Space Science in the Twenty-First Century – Imperatives for the Decades 1995 to 2015'', published in 1988, recommended a focus on "Galileo-like missions to study Saturn, Uranus and Neptune" including a mission to rendezvous with Saturn's rings and study of Titan. It also recommended study of the moon with a "Lunar Geoscience Orbiter", a network of lunar rovers and sample return from the lunar surface. The report recommended a Mercury Orbiter to study not only that planet but provide some solar study as well. A "Program of Extensive Study of Mars" beginning with the Mars Pathfinder mission was planned for 1995 to be followed up by one in 1998 to return samples to Earth for study. Study of primitive bodies such a comet or asteroid was recommended as a flyby mission of Apollo and Amor asteroid.

2003–2013, ''New Frontiers in the Solar System''

''New Frontiers in the Solar System: An Integrated Exploration Strategy'', published in 2003, mapped out a plan for the decade from 2003 to 2013. The committee producing the survey was led by Michael J. Belton. Five panels focused on the inner planets, Mars, the giant planets, large satellites and astrobiology. The survey placed heavy emphasis on Mars exploration including the Mars Exploration Rovers, established the New Frontiers program including New Horizons mission to study Pluto and established programs in power and propulsion to lay a technological basis for programs in later decades including crewed missions beyond Earth orbit.

The paper suggested that NASA should prioritize the following missions:

Medium-class missions

Primitive bodies:
* Kuiper Belt-Pluto Explorer
* Comet Surface Sample Return
* Trojan Asteroid/Centaur Reconnaissance
* Asteroid Lander/Rover/Sample Return
* Triton/Neptune Flyby
Inner planets:
* Venus In-Situ Explorer (VISE)
* South Pole-Aitken Basin Sample Return
Mars:
* Mars Long-Lived Lander Network
* Mars Upper Atmosphere Orbiter
* Mars Science Laboratory
Giant planets:
* Jupiter Polar Orbiter with Probes (JPOP)
Large satellites:
* Io Observer
* Ganymede Orbiter
* Neptune flyby

Large-class missions

Primitive bodies:
* Comet Cryogenic Sample Return
Mars:
* Mars Sample Return
Outer planets:
* Neptune Orbiter with Probes
Large satellites:
* Europa Geophysical Explorer
* Europa Pathfinder Lander
* Europa Astrobiological Lander
* Titan Explorer
* Uranus Orbiter
* Neptune Orbiter

2013–2022, ''Visions and Voyages for Planetary Science''

''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 a "brutally honest" budgetary review from a 3rd party contractor.

Flagship missions

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

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