The next "decadal" survey of the U.S. planetary-science community will consider the technical maturity and cost of space missions, as well as their scientific value in setting priorities, applying lessons learned from the delayed Mars Science Laboratory (MSL).

Steve Squyres, principal investigator on the Mars Exploration Rovers and chairman of the 2009-2011 Planetary Science Decadal Survey, told prospective members of the panels that will set goals for the coming decade that the outcome "may be the most important one in decades for Mars exploration."

"This decadal survey will differ from previous ones in that much greater emphasis will be placed on evaluating the technical maturity and probable costs of candidate missions," Squyres wrote. "The goal is to produce a clearly prioritized list of missions that can be flown in the coming decade within the available budget. We will strive to avoid creating an oversubscribed plan!"

NASA had to postpone the MSL mission from the 2009 Mars launch window until 2011 because of cost overruns and continuing technical issues with the elaborate nuclear-powered rover (Aerospace DAILY, Dec. 5, 2008).

U.S. agency has also decided to work with the European Space Agency to help defray future costs.

Squyres said the results of the upcoming decadal survey will guide decisions on U.S. contributions to planetary science missions in the Obama administration, NASA and Congress.

In addition to soliciting white papers from the planetary-science community, the six committees putting the priority report together also will hold "town hall meetings" at relevant science conferences over the rest of this year.

After that, committee members will work on establishing costs for mission concepts and writing their reports, which are set for release in the first quarter of 2011, Squyres said.

Unlike previous decadal surveys of planetary scientists, the next survey will include astrobiology across the solar system instead of approaching it separately. That is a reflection of growing interest in the suspected subsurface reservoirs of liquid water on Europa and Enceladus, as well as recent water-related discoveries on Mars.

The survey team will consist of six panels - a steering committee headed by Squyres, and panels covering the inner planets (Mercury, Venus, the moon); Mars; the outer planets (including magnetospheres and rings), the satellites of the outer planet, and primitive bodies - asteroids, comets and the Kuiper Belt.

Artist's concept of Mars Science Laboratory rover: NASA