PSF_Charter_PPD_1019_FINAL.doc

ISS PPD 1019

TO:

Distribution

SUBJECT:

Charter for ISS Program Science Forum (PSF)

OFFICE OF PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY: International Space Station (ISS) Program Scientist’s Office

1.0 PURPOSE

This charter establishes the ISS Program Science Forum (PSF). The PSF is a multilateral forum for the Program Scientist or equivalent for each partner to work together to provide scientific representation at the highest levels of the ISS Program.

2.0 SCOPE

The ISS Program Science Forum will provide multilateral science leadership to the ISS Program, ensuring that there is scientific input into decisions made by the Space Station Control Board (SSCB). The forum will provide multilateral scientific leadership in the ISS Program across all phases of research from selection, to planning, to execution, to the promotion of results. The PSF will seek synergies in agency-based science management to enhance, track and publicize the scientific, technological, and educational accomplishments of the ISS.

Changes in the scope of this forum will be accomplished by a revision to this Partner Program Directive.

The PSF is authorized to manage performance of the following functions:

· Development of multilateral scientific assessments and recommendations for the SSCB, either as determined to be of ISS Program importance by the PSF, or as requested by the SSCB or delegated boards or working groups.

· Development and implementation of multilateral tracking of plans, accomplishments, and results from ISS utilization, ensuring that summary information and references are available in a single location accessible to the international scientific community and the ISS Program.

· Development of multilateral communication products and venues for raising the public awareness of the scientific achievements and potential of ISS. Such products may include the promotion and publicity of ISS research results and plans at external scientific and technical conferences, press conferences, in written publications and other public venues so that the full international impact of ISS is visible.

3.0 POLICY

The PSF Chair will coordinate with the Chair and members of other Boards on issues and changes that are relevant to more than one Board. In the case where an issue or change spans the scope of responsibility of more than one Board, the respective Chairs will determine which Board will take the lead on resolving the issue.

3.1 Meeting Frequency

PSF meetings will generally be scheduled once a month and as required by the Board Chair. Face-to-face meetings will be held semiannually or as required by the Board Chair. Any PSF Board member may also request the Chair to schedule a meeting.

3.2 Responsibilities

The PSF chair is responsible for ensuring that decisions are made based on the information received from the PSF member(s). Attendance of each member or his/her designated alternate is mandatory. Members shall provide the names of designated alternates to the PSF chair. Members can also designate alternates for specific agenda items, as desired. Members are responsible for ensuring that the necessary technical support is provided at meetings based on the specific agenda items scheduled for each meeting. Attendance shall be either in person or via telecon.

3.3 Authority

Authority is delegated from the Space Station Control Board (SSCB) for multilateral meetings as specified in the following paragraphs. Changes to this authority will be accomplished by a revision to this Partner Program Directive.

Scientific assessments and recommendations identified by the PSF shall be forwarded to the SSCB for issues identified to have major programmatic impacts, including:

· Programmatic changes that will significantly harm specific research disciplines, or limit the effective use of ISS research facilities,

· Programmatic changes that will significantly increase the research accomplishments from ISS,

· Synergy among partners or scientists to make efficient use of the ISS as a research platform.

Coordination with other multilateral ISS utilization groups: Scientific assessments and recommendations identified by the PSF that are within the management scope of the Multilateral Payloads Control Board (MPCB, chartered by the SSCB) for payload development and implementation shall be coordinated with that board and its delegated working groups, as appropriate. Scientific assessments and recommendations identified by the PSF that are relevant to strategic planning of research on ISS will be coordinated with the ISS User Operations Panel (UOP, chartered by the Multilateral Control Board, MCB), as appropriate.

Coordination with other scientific groups: The PSF may choose to coordinate scientific assessments and recommendations with other multinational scientific bodies focused on the use of ISS for research in specific disciplines.

Coordination within agencies: Communication products for public release will be coordinated with appropriate agency technology transfer and public affairs organizations, as appropriate. Each member will be responsible for internal coordination within their agency organizational structure and rules.

Specific coordination approaches for all of the above may be recommended by any member. The type of coordination is at the discretion of the Board Chair.

The PSF will develop and update major scientific communication products (including presentations, conferences, written documents, and internet materials) to include the inputs of all partners. Such products developed and approved by the PSF shall be provided to the SSCB for distribution by the ISS Program or coordination with higher level boards (such as the MCB) that might request specific products.

The PSF may charter working groups to work issues and pre-coordinate recommendations.

3.4 Product Control

The PSF is responsible for the review and approval of databases of ISS science objectives and results, communication products, and multilateral science documents, and internet content which are within the authority granted in this charter. Each member will be fully responsible for internal agency coordination and approvals prior to PSF approval of any product.

Multilaterally-approved products may be translated, adapted, and republished by member agencies to meet internal agency or government requirements for language, accessibility, or style, as long as the scope is consistent with the original document. Members may also adapt portions of jointly developed products to produce agency-specific content. Use of multilateral products by partners in derived agency-specific products will be documented for the PSF.

3.5 Partner/Participant Coordination

The PSF will make every attempt to make recommendations by consensus. If consensus cannot be reached, and there is a significant programmatic impact for the dissenting member, the issue will be referred by the Chair and dissenting member to the SSCB for resolution. If consensus cannot be reached, but in the opinion of the Chair the issue does not have a significant programmatic impact on the dissenting member, the PSF may release a recommendation or product with partial consensus. For recommendations to the SSCB based on partial consensus, the dissenting opinion will also be documented.

3.6 Appeal

Any PSF member can appeal a decision to the SSCB. The PSF Chair will assist all members with processing appeals. However, if the decision is time critical, NASA or IP/P may implement a proposed change at risk while the SSCB appeal process is proceeding. In this case, the party proceeding with implementation must notify the PSF, in writing, within two weeks after the PSF meeting. If a member appeals a decision, that member may elect not to implement the PSF decision until the SSCB resolves the appeal. The appeal processes for the SSCB is described in its charter.

4.0 MEMBERSHIP

Chair:

ISS Program Scientist (NASA) PSF Members:

Representative, Canadian Space Agency (CSA)

Representative, European Space Agency (ESA)

Representative, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Representative, Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) Ad-hoc Members:

Representative, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI)

Approvals

ISS_PPD_1019_FINAL

_1317808493.doc

Partner Program Directive