Solar and Space Physics for the Nation: An Overview of the 2024–2033 Decadal Survey (2025)
Chapter: About
About
Decadal surveys of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine bring together leading experts to identify a field’s most compelling science challenges and frontiers for the next decade and beyond. Decadal surveys inform federal investments in research, facilities, and spaceflight missions; recommend research priorities; and address critical needs related to technology development, education, interagency coordination, and international cooperation.
This booklet highlights key themes and recommendations from the 2024 decadal survey for solar and space physics, The Next Decade of Discovery in Solar and Space Physics: Exploring and Safeguarding Humanity’s Home in Space. The survey was requested by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR).
The solar and space physics decadal survey was a grand undertaking, involving approximately 80 scientists, engineers, and policy experts. These volunteers, who served on the steering committee, or one of five supporting study panels, collectively reviewed 450 input papers and engaged with the solar and space physics community at numerous in-person and virtual meetings during a deliberative process spanning more than 2 years. The resulting report generated recommendations for a comprehensive vision and strategy for a decade of transformative science at the frontiers of solar and space physics research, while also providing the foundation to make substantial enhancements in the ability to predict space weather.
