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Planetary Mission Senior Reviews

This illustration depicts NASA's Juno spacecraft in orbit above Jupiter's Great Red Spot.

Planetary Mission Senior Reviews (PMSR)

NASA’s planetary science missions near the end of their prime mission (PM) or extended mission (EM) may propose an extension. These extended missions can leverage NASA’s large investment in order to perform continued science operations at a cost far lower than developing a new mission. In some cases, the extensions allow missions to continue to acquire valuable long-duration datasets, while in other cases, EMs allow missions to visit new targets, with entirely new science goals. The ‘Senior Review’ of these proposals typically happens every three years, by a panel made of experts from academia, NASA, and industry.

2022 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR22)

Missions reviewed:

InSight, LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter), Mars Odyssey, MAVEN (Mars Atmospheric and Volatile Evolution), MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter), MSL (Mars Science Laboratory), New Horizons, and OSIRIS-REx/APEX (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security – Regolith Explorer/Apophis Explorer)

Response to the Senior Review
Illustration of spacecraft with sample arm extended as it reaches toward the rocky surface of the asteroid
Artist’s conception of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft collecting a sample from the asteroid Bennu.
NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

2020 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR20)

Missions reviewed:

InSight and Juno

Response to Senior Review
Spacecraft sitting on the red surface of Mars.
This artist’s concept depicts NASA’s InSight lander after it deployed its instruments on the Martian surface.
NASA/JPL-Caltech

2019 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR19)

Missions reviewed:

LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter), Mars Odyssey, Mars Express, MAVEN (Mars Atmospheric and Volatile Evolution), MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter), and MSL (Mars Science Laboratory)

Response to Senior Review
Mars Odyssey orbiter over the north polar region
NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter has been in operation for more than 16 years.

2016 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR16)

Missions reviewed:

LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter), Mars Express, Mars Odyssey, MAVEN (Mars Atmospheric and Volatile Evolution), MER (Mars Exploration Rovers), MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter), MSL (Mars Science Laboratory), and New Horizons

Final Report
New Horizons
This artist’s illustration shows NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft in the outer solar system. In the background lies the Sun and a glowing band representing zodiacal light, caused by sunlight reflecting off of dust.
Joe Olmsted/STScI

2014 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR14)

Missions reviewed:

Mars Express, Mars Odyssey, MER (Mars Exploration Rovers), MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter), and MSL (Mars Science Laboratory)

Response to Senior Review
solar panels on rover seen from above
This self-portrait of Opportunity shows how the wind had cleaned much of the dust off the rover’s solar panels. It combines multiple frames taken by Opportunity’s panoramic camera (Pancam) through three different color filters from March 22 to March 24, 2014.
NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell Univ./Arizona State Univ.

2012 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR12)

Missions reviewed:

Cassini, Deep Impact, LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter), Mars Express, Mars Odyssey, MER (Mars Exploration Rovers), and MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter)

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This artist's rendering shows Cassini as the spacecraft makes one of its final five dives through Saturn's upper atmosphere in August and September 2017. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
This artist’s rendering shows Cassini as the spacecraft makes one of its final five dives through Saturn’s upper atmosphere in August and September 2017.
NASA/JPL-Caltech

2000 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR00)

Missions reviewed:

DS1 (Deep Space 1), Galileo, MGS (Mars Global Surveyor), and NEAR (Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous)

Final Report
An artist’s rendering of NASA’s Deep Space 1.
JPL/NASA
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