1. 1 USGEO Strategic Assessment Group Process Kathy Fontaine, US/NASA ST-09-01 Kick-off Meeting Brussels, Belgium July 29- 30, 2009

2. 22 Agenda Background on Why, How, and What Assessment Methodology General Conclusions Highlights of Recommendations Applicability to ST-09-01

3. 3 Strategic Assessment Group Background September 2007: Strategic Assessment Group (SAG) formed Charge: –To deliver a strategic portfolio of high priority national Earth observation investment recommendations –for existing and future capabilities –affecting Societal Benefit Areas to inform decision-makers, to improve decisions regarding national investments in Earth observations February 2008: Established SBA Teams March 2008: Conducted 2-day workshop to review observational requirements for all 9 SBAs 3

4. SBA Teams Disaster Weather Oceans Climate Agriculture Human Health Ecology Water Energy

5. 5 Strategic Assessment Group Background (cont.) June 2008: SAG writing team assembled Initial framework - SAG document should: –Provide an integrated picture of national Earth observation priorities –Serve to focus near-term decision-making at the highest levels of our government –Consider measurements from all types of platforms: space- based, land and sea-based, airborne, subsurface, observations collected by humans, etc. –Address continuity of current measurements as well as the need for new measurements –Extend across all Agencies and scientific disciplines –Highlight investments that will maximize total societal benefit –Be of readable length (<20 pages)

6. 6 Assessment Methodology Identification and assessment of key observations Drawn from national and international experts and documents Measurements having benefits across multiple SBAs OR Deemed critical to an individual SBA Measurement particularly at risk-- current or looming gap OR Measurement not yet being made but great promise for dramatic gains or a scientific breakthrough Recommendations Step 1: Gather Step 2: Filter Step 3: Filter Some More Near-Term Threats and Potential Breakthroughs Observational Needs / Critical Measurements A few Hundreds Interagency Review and Feedback

7. General Conclusions The process adds a crosscutting perspective that compliments the individual agency processes –Roughly equal numbers of measurements facing gaps and presenting potential major breakthroughs –Substantial fractions of both space-based and in situ measurements were identified Methodology chosen was tractable, enabling a focus from 100s of critical observations down to 10s of issues Must be an ongoing periodic assessment because societal issues, measurement threats, and breakthrough opportunities evolve Process can be a source for development of US positions on future GEO work plans 7

8. Highlights Recommended measurements span the nine USGEO Societal Benefit Areas Of the recommendations that came out of the process –Roughly equal numbers of measurements facing gaps and presenting significant opportunities – Substantial balance of both space-based and in situ measurements were identified Reinforced the need for diversity of measurements to achieve scientific understanding –Ground truth / calibration –Course and fine-scale resolution 8

9. Applicability to ST-09-01 9 Process parallels needs for Output 3 –Would require review of the Work Plan as well as elements including but not limited to Existing science and/or technology plans Output of US-09-01a Review process needs to be determined –Panel only or Panel then STC and/or Plenary or…? [whatever else…]