A Vigorous Explorer Program
Martin Elvis (SAO), Matthew Beasley (U. CO, Boulder), Roger Brissenden, (SAO), Supriya Chakrabarti (Boston U.), Michael Cherry (Louisiana State U.),, Mark Devlin (U. Penn), Jerry Edelstein (UC Berkeley), Peter Eisenhardt, (JPL/Caltech), Paul Feldman (Johns Hopkins U.)

TL;DR
The paper advocates for a more vigorous and expanded NASA Explorer Program to increase launch frequency, reduce costs, mitigate risks, and enhance scientific output in astrophysics.
Contribution
It proposes specific strategies to significantly improve the Explorer Program's launch rate, cost efficiency, risk management, and scientific productivity.
Findings
Current launch rate is 1 per 3 years.
Budget is approximately $150M/year.
Recommendations aim for annual launches and cost optimization.
Abstract
Explorers have made breakthroughs in many fields of astrophysics. The science from both these missions contributed to three Nobel Prizes - Giacconi (2002), Mather, and Smoot (2006). Explorers have: marked the definitive beginning of precision cosmology, discovered that short gamma-ray bursts are caused by compact star mergers and have measured metalicity to redshifts z>6. NASA Explorers do cutting-edge science that cannot be done by facility-class instruments. The Explorer program provides a rapid response to changing science and technology, to enable cutting-edge science at moderate cost. Explorers also enable innovation, and engage & train scientists, managers and engineers, adding human capital to NASA and the nation. The astrophysics Explorer launch rate now being achieved is 1 per 3 years, and budget projections are in the $150M/year range for the next five years. A newly Vigorous…
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Taxonomy
TopicsSpacecraft Design and Technology
