The Science Mission Directorate (SMD) of the

National Aeronautics and Space Administration The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding th ...

(NASA) engages the United States’ science community, sponsors scientific research, and develops and deploys satellites and probes in collaboration with NASA's partners around the world to answer fundamental questions requiring the view from and into space. The Science Mission Directorate also sponsors research that both enables, and is enabled by, NASA's exploration activities. The SMD portfolio is contributing to NASA's achievement of the Vision for Space Exploration by striving to: * Understand the history of Mars and the

formation of the solar system The formation of the Solar System began about 4.6 billion years ago with the gravitational collapse of a small part of a giant molecular cloud. Most of the collapsing mass collected in the center, forming the Sun, while the rest flattened int ...

. By understanding the formation of diverse

terrestrial planets A terrestrial planet, telluric planet, or rocky planet, is a planet that is composed primarily of silicate rocks or metals. Within the Solar System, the terrestrial planets accepted by the IAU are the inner planets closest to the Sun: Mercury, Ven ...

(with atmospheres) in the solar system, researchers learn more about Earth's future and the most promising opportunities for habitation beyond our planet. For example, differences in the impacts of collisional processes on Earth, the Moon, and Mars can provide clues about differences in origin and evolution of each of these bodies. * Search for Earth-like planets and habitable environments around other stars. SMD pursues multiple research strategies with the goal of developing effective astronomically-detectable signatures of biological processes. The study of the Earth-Sun system may help researchers identify atmospheric

biosignatures A biosignature (sometimes called chemical fossil or molecular fossil) is any substance – such as an element, isotope, or molecule – or phenomenon that provides scientific evidence of past or present life. Measurable attribute ...

that distinguish Earth-like (and potentially habitable) planets around nearby stars. An understanding of the

origin of life In biology, abiogenesis (from a- 'not' + Greek bios 'life' + genesis 'origin') or the origin of life is the natural process by which life has arisen from non-living matter, such as simple organic compounds. The prevailing scientific hypothes ...

and the time evolution of the atmosphere on Earth may reveal likely signatures of life on

extrasolar planets An exoplanet or extrasolar planet is a planet outside the Solar System. The first possible evidence of an exoplanet was noted in 1917 but was not recognized as such. The first confirmation of detection occurred in 1992. A different planet, init ...

. * Explore the solar system for scientific purposes while supporting safe robotic and human exploration of space. For example, large-scale

coronal mass ejections A coronal mass ejection (CME) is a significant release of plasma (physics), plasma and accompanying magnetic field from the Sun's Solar corona, corona into the heliosphere. CMEs are often associated with solar flares and other forms of solar ac ...

from the Sun can cause potentially lethal consequences for improperly shielded human flight systems, as well as some types of robotic systems. SMD's pursuit of interdisciplinary scientific research focus areas will help predict potentially harmful conditions in space and protect NASA's robotic and human explorers.

Leadership

Thomas Zurbuchen Thomas Hansueli Zurbuchen (born 1968) is a Swiss-American astrophysicist. From October 2016 until the end of 2022, he was the longest continually running Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA. Prior to this, he was ...

is the Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate beginning October 3, 2016. Recent Associate Administrators for the SMD include

Edward J. Weiler Edward J. Weiler (born 1949) was the Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration until his retirement on September 30, 2011. Career Edward J. Weiler received his PhD in astro ...

(1998–2004, 2008–2011),

Mary L. Cleave Mary Louise Cleave (born February 5, 1947) is an American engineer and a former NASA astronaut. She also served from 2004 to 2007 as NASA Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate. Early life Cleave was born in Southampton, Ne ...

(2004–2005),

Alan Stern Sol Alan Stern (born November 22, 1957) is an American engineer and planetary scientist. He is the principal investigator of the ''New Horizons'' mission to Pluto and the Chief Scientist at Moon Express. Stern has been involved in 24 suborbital ...

(2007–2008) and John M. Grunsfeld (2012–2016). Stern resigned 25 March 2008, to be effective 11 April, over disagreements with Administrator

Michael D. Griffin Michael Douglas Griffin (born November 1, 1949) is an American physicist and aerospace engineer who served as the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering from 2018 to 2020. He previously served as Deputy of Technology for the Str ...

.Andrew Lawler,
NASA's Stern Quits Over Mars Exploration Plans
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Science Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence for ...

'' 320, 31 (4 April 2008). Retrieved on 3 April 2008. *Associate Administrator: Thomas Zurbuchen (outgoing)Associate Administrator: Sandra Connelly *Heliophysics Division Director: Nicola Fox
*Earth Science Division Director: Karen St. Germain *Planetary Science Division Director: Lori Glaze *Astrophysics Division Director: Mark Clampin *Biological and Physical Sciences Division Director: Craig Kundrot *Resource Management Division Director: Holly Degn *Joint Agency Satellite Division Director: John Gagosian *Science Engagement and Partnerships Division Director: Kristen J Erickson

References

External links

About the Science Mission Directorate
{{Authority control NASA groups, organizations, and centers