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ASTRA Initiative Seminar

ASTRA Initiative about ASTRA Initiative Seminar

Location

Virtual

Dates

30 April 2026
9:30am - 11:00am PT
12:30pm - 2:00pm ET

Community

Cosmic Origins

Type

Seminar

From Interesting Idea to Selected ASTRA Study: Thoughts and Considerations

Speaker

Al Nash, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Abstract

This webinar introduces astrophysicists to the often-misunderstood reality that mission concept studies are not selected for their scientific or technical brilliance alone, but for a variety of reasons—such as the simultaneous satisfaction of high-priority science, technical feasibility, stakeholder desirability, and resource viability under real programmatic constraints. Drawing on lessons from NASA’s mission lifecycle and formulation practices, and aligned with the goals of the Astrophysics Strategic Technology & Research Accelerator (ASTRA) initiative to identify and mature strategically compelling concepts , this presentation discusses how to move from curiosity-driven ideas to concepts that survive community prioritization, align with decadal guidance, leverage partnerships, and justify early investment—positioning their concept not just to be interesting, but to be chosen.

Session Recording

Downloads

Starfield with dark dust lanes diagonally across the image. Bright-white and rust-colored clouds extend both sides of the dust lane.

From Interesting Idea to Selected ASTRA Study: Thoughts and Considerations

May 7, 2026

PDF (2.76 MB)

Seminar Connection

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Meeting ID: 289 153 673 664 167

Passcode: Hq2qa3vY

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Angled from the upper left corner to the lower right corner is a cone-shaped orange-red cloud known as Herbig-Haro 49/50. This feature takes up about three-fourths of the length of this angle. The upper left end of this feature has a translucent, rounded end. The conical feature widens slightly from the rounded end at the upper right down to the lower right. Along the cone there are additional rounded edges, like edges of a wave, and intricate foamy-like details, as well as a clearer view of the black background of space. In the upper left, overlapping with the rounded end of Herbig-Haro 49/50, is a background spiral galaxy with a concentrated blue center that fades outward to blend with red spiral arms. The background of space is speckled with some white stars and smaller, more numerous, fainter white galaxies throughout.