Report Specific Statement of Task:
NASA requests that the Committee on Earth Science and Applications from Space of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine assess multi-user commercial space platforms as potential missions of opportunity for Earth science instruments. The analysis should:

• Consider a notional platform in a sun-synchronous orbit (nominally 600-800 km) capable of hosting 20 or more instruments; and
• Consider the impacts on NASA’s ability to achieve Recommendation 3.2 from the 2017 Decadal Survey regarding the recommended additional observations classified within the Designated Observables, Earth System Explorer, Incubation, and Earth Venture elements, as described in Table 3.3, Observing System Priorities.

Potential impacts on the existing Program of Record are not within the scope of this assessment; however, the committee may comment in general terms on considerations for the use of the notional platform versus existing plans to accomplish survey priorities. The committee may also comment on how the use of the notional platform would compare with the deployment of its instrument complement via multiple free-flyers in different orbits, the impacts of possible consolidation of a platform at a single nodal crossing time, and how well any single orbit could satisfy the survey priorities.
Overall Statement of Task for CESAS:
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) will appoint the Committee on Earth Science and Applications from Space (CESAS) to support scientific progress in Earth system science and applications, with an emphasis on research requiring global data that are best acquired from space and to assist the federal government in planning programs in these fields by providing advice on the implementation of decadal survey recommendations. The CESAS provides an independent, authoritative forum for identifying and discussing issues in Earth Science and Applications from Space between the research community, the federal government, and the interested public.
The CESAS scope spans space-based and supporting ground-based activities in support of progress in developing a scientific understanding of the Earth system and its response to natural and human-induced changes. These programs include an end-to-end approach encompassing observations from space-based and suborbital platforms, data and information management, research and analysis, modeling, scientific assessments, applications demonstration, technology development, and education. The CESAS's scope also includes appropriate cross-disciplinary areas and consideration of budget and programmatic aspects of the implementation of the decadal survey.
The committee shall monitor the progress of implementing the priorities in the most recent decadal survey and recommendations in the subsequent mid-decadal review report.
When requested by a sponsor and as approved by NASEM in accordance with its procedures the committee may write reports to assess progress on the implementation of the decadal survey's recommended scientific and technical activities. The reports shall be based on evidence gathered by the committee. The reports may address key strategies being pursued by the agencies and the status of agency actions that relate to the state of implementation. The reports may also highlight scientific discoveries and engineering and technical advances relevant to progress on the science objectives identified in the most recent decadal survey and in addition will focus on one or more of the following types of issues:

• The scientific impact of a change in the technical and engineering design, cost estimate, schedule, or programmatic sequencing of one or more of the survey-recommended activities;
• The impact of a scientific advance on the technical and engineering design, schedule, or programmatic sequencing of one or more survey-recommended activities;
• The scientific impact of a course of action at a decision point described in the survey report and recommended therein as being suitable for consultation with an independent decadal survey implementation committee;
• The scientific impact of implementing recommendations from the mid-decadal review and other relevant NASEM reports.