Cosmic OriginsVirtual event in advance of the Ad ASTRA workshop, April 30th, 12:30 – 2:00pm ET / 9:30 – 11:00am PT
https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/programs/cosmic-origins/community/astra-initiative-seminar-30-april-2026
From Interesting Idea to Selected ASTRA Study: Thoughts and Considerations
Speaker: Al Nash, JPL
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.
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