The NAC Science Committee is a standing committee of the NASA Advisory Council (NAC), supporting the advisory needs of the NASA Administrator, the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD), and other NASA Mission Directorates, as required. The scope of the Committee includes all NASA Earth and space science-related programs, projects, activities and facilities. 

The Committee operates under the Terms of Reference that are approved by the NASA Administrator. The Committee is managed under procedures that ensure the same spirit of openness and public accountability that is embodied by the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). This includes public meetings and public access to Committee records.

The Committee consists of between 5 and 15 members. The current members and their biographical sketches are available on the Members page.

The Committee includes within its reporting structure, and coordinates the activities of, five Subcommittees. The Chairs of these Subcommittees are drawn from the Science Committee members. The five subcommittees and their respective Chairs are listed below.

Subcommittee Name (Acronym) and Chair

• Astrophysics Subcommittee (APS) - Dr. Scott Gaudi
• Earth Science Subcommittee (ESS) - Dr. Steven Running
• Heliophysics Subcommittee (HPS) - Dr. Jill Dahlburg
• Planetary Protection Subcommittee (PPS) - Dr. Robert Lindberg
• Planetary Science Subcommittee (PSS) - Vacant as of 9/1/2016

The Science Committee also includes one task force, with a Chair that does not sit on the Science Committee.

• Ad-Hoc Big Data Task Force - Dr. Charles Holmes

Community engagement in technical analyses such as mission architectures prior to conceptual design are often performed by Analysis Groups, whose Chairs sit as members of the Science Subcommittees.

• Astrophysics Program Analysis Groups
• Earth Science Advisory Groups
• Planetary Science Analysis Groups