NASA’s Astrophysics Division Sees Bright Future Despite Budget Constraints

In the frosty landscape of NASA’s budget proposal, a glimmer of hope emerged from the astrophysics division. Shawn Domagal-Goldman, acting director of the division, painted a rosy picture of upcoming missions, a stark contrast to the bleak outlook just six months prior. Speaking at a Maryland Space Business Roundtable luncheon, he highlighted a slew of missions poised to launch or advance in the coming year.

Several balloon and smallsat missions were set to take flight in the next few weeks, including the Pioneer missions: PUEO, a balloon mission delving into high-energy particles over Antarctica, and Pandora, a smallsat scrutinizing exoplanet atmospheres. The Pioneer program, with a cost cap of $20 million, was designed to foster innovative astrophysics missions.

Domagal-Goldman noted that the wait for the right launch opportunities had been deliberate, but now a series of missions was on the horizon. Pandora and PUEO were among four concepts selected in 2021, and their launch marked a significant milestone. On the other end of the size spectrum, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope had completed assembly and was entering final testing at the Goddard Space Flight Center.