Astro2020 APC White Paper: SmallSats for Astrophysics

TL;DR

This paper advocates for NASA to support SmallSat missions in astrophysics by creating dedicated opportunities for technology development and science, enabling rapid, cost-effective space science experiments.

Contribution

It proposes decoupling science and technology development in SmallSats through a dedicated SmallSat AO, and suggests policy changes to enhance SmallSat science opportunities.

Findings

SmallSats can address unique science questions and enable rapid development.

Current NASA policies limit SmallSat technology maturation and science opportunities.

Dedicated SmallSat programs could accelerate innovation in astrophysics.

Abstract

The commercial SmallSat industry is booming and has developed numerous low-cost, capable satellite buses. SmallSats can be used as vehicles for technology development or to host science missions. Missions hosted on SmallSats can answer specific science questions that are difficult or impossible to answer with larger facilities, can be developed relatively quickly, serve to train engineering and scientists, and provide access to space for small institutions. SmallSats complement larger Astrophysics missions and allow the broader community to test new ideas at the bottom of the market, creating new capabilities which find their way to larger missions. Currently, NASA Astrophysics does not provide flight opportunities that would allow technology maturation of instrument systems or concepts of operations. Without flight opportunities to mature technologies, missions hosted on SmallSats are likely to be considered high risk, and face long odds being selected for implementation. Our primary suggestion is that NASA decouples science and technology for SmallSats by creating a technology-based SmallSat AO, modeled after the Earth Sciences InVEST call. Such AO would help reduce the new technology risk for science missions of any size. We also suggest that NASA provides additional science-driven SmallSat opportunities at the ~$12M funding level, provides access to new launchers free of charge to proposers, and re-structures the solicitation AOs so that SmallSats do not compete with other mission classes such as balloons.