2025 Senior Review of Operating Missions
NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) periodically conducts independent, comparative reviews of its operating missions. NASA uses the findings from these reviews to define an implementation strategy and give programmatic direction to the missions and projects concerned for the next five fiscal years.
These reviews of operating missions are NASA’s highest form of peer review, as the subject is not a single science investigation, or even a single space mission, but rather a portfolio of operating missions. The reviews of operating missions are referred to as Senior Reviews, in recognition of the high level of the peer review.
The 2025 Senior Review included the following missions:
- Chandra X-Ray Observatory (Chandra)
- Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (Fermi)
- Hubble Space Telescope (Hubble)
- Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE)
- Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR)
- Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory (Swift)
- Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS)
- X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission-Newton (XMM-Newton)
Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) is not included. A planned Extra-Vehicular Activity from ISS in November 2024 will repair damage to sunshades of some X-ray concentrators, returning NICER to nearly full capacity. NICER will be reviewed once its repaired characteristics are understood. Assuming a successful repair, NICER will be invited to the 2028 Senior Review.
Panel Structure
The 2025 Astrophysics Senior Review will use a single panel to review all the mission proposals and provide recommendations for a balanced portfolio of both large and small missions.
2025 Call for Proposals
The Call for Proposals contains detailed instructions for proposal submission along with charges to the panels and Senior Review Subcommittee.
For information about prior Senior Reviews, please visit the Astrophysics Documents page.