Precursors to Pathways: Science Enabling NASA Astrophysics Future Great Observatories

Precursor Science Gaps for the 2022 ROSES Proposal Call

Using community inputs from both the April and October Precursor Science Workshops, the Chief Scientists from the Cosmic Origins, Exoplanet Exploration, and Physics of the Cosmos Programs distilled a set of science gaps that would help define/refine important parameters for Astro 2020's three recommended future great observatories. This set was reviewed and edited by the Astrophysics Division at NASA HQ, producing a precursor science gap list here:

https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exep/astro2020-precursor-sci-workshop2/ROSES_GAPS.pdf

This distilled list represents the items discussed at the workshops and is not considered to represent all possible precursor science investigations. As with all proposals, those outside of the identified Gaps list should refer to the solicitation and describe how scientific progress in the areas being proposed will either reduce the design and development risk for one or more of these future observatories or help to define the requirements such missions must meet to enable transformative discoveries.

Precursor Science: science investigations that will inform mission architectures and trades with the goal of reducing mission design and development cost, scope, and risk where possible.