Proposed Missions

Deformation, Ecosystem Structure and Dynamics of ICE

Launch: To be determined
A dedicated U.S. mission using the combined advanced radar technologies of Interferometric Synthetic Aperture and Light Detection and Ranging, optimized for studying hazards and global environmental change.
> Mission home page

Laser Interferometer Space Antenna

Launch: To be determined
This mission will observe gravitational waves from binary stars both inside and beyond our galaxy, including gravitational waves generated in the vicinity of the very massive black holes found in the centers of many galaxies. The mission will consist of three spacecraft forming an equilateral triangle while traveling in space.
+ Mission home page

Mission to Mars

Proposed Launch: To be determined
A proposed mission to bring a geological sample back from Mars to Earth is under consideration.
+ Mars Exploration Site

Single Aperture Far-Infrared Observatory

Launch: Proposed for 2015
The Single Aperture Far-Infrared Observatory is a large cryogenic space-based telescope optimized for observations in the mid-infrared to submillimeter wavelength range.
+ Mission home page

Launch: To be determined
This mission will use multiple telescopes working together to take family portraits of stars and their orbiting planets. It will also determine which planets may have the right chemistry for life.

› Overview + Mission home page