Evaluation of the Implementation of WFIRST/AFTA in the Context of New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics (2014)
Chapter: A--Statement of Task
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3 Summary and Conclusions
Next Chapter: B--Meeting Agenda
Suggested Citation:
"A--Statement of Task." National Research Council. 2014. Evaluation of the Implementation of WFIRST/AFTA in the Context of New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/18712.
An ad hoc committee will assess whether the proposed Astrophysics Focused Telescope Assets (AFTA) design reference mission described in the April 30, 2013, report of the AFTA Science Definition Team (SDT), WFIRST-2.4, is responsive to the overall strategy to pursue the science objectives of New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics (NWNH), and in particular, the survey’s top-ranked, large-scale, space-based priority: the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST). The committee will consider the versions of WFIRST-2.4 with and without the coronagraph, as described in the AFTA SDT report. In its assessment, the committee will:
- Compare the WFIRST mission described in New Worlds, New Horizons to the AFTA SDT WFIRST-2.4 design reference mission, with and without the coronagraph, on the basis of their science objectives, technical complexity, and programmatic rationale, including projected cost.
- Based on the above comparison and taking into account any relevant scientific, technical, and programmatic changes that have occurred since the release of New Worlds, New Horizons:
- Assess the responsiveness of the AFTA SDT WFIRST-2.4 mission, with and without the coronagraph, to the overall strategy to pursue the science objectives of NWNH—and in particular, WFIRST; and
- Assess the responsiveness of the AFTA SDT WFIRST-2.4 mission with the coronagraph to the precursor science and technology objectives of the New Worlds technology development program described in NWNH.
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