Planetary Mission Senior Reviews (PMSR)

NASA’s planetary science missions near the end of their prime mission (PM) or extended mission (EM) may propose an extension. These extended missions can leverage NASA’s large investment in order to perform continued science operations at a cost far lower than developing a new mission. In some cases, the extensions allow missions to continue to acquire valuable long-duration datasets, while in other cases, EMs allow missions to visit new targets, with entirely new science goals. The ‘Senior Review’ of these proposals typically happens every three years, by a panel made of experts from academia, NASA, and industry.

2022 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR22)

Missions reviewed:

InSight, LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter), Mars Odyssey, MAVEN (Mars Atmospheric and Volatile Evolution), MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter), MSL (Mars Science Laboratory), New Horizons, and OSIRIS-REx/APEX (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security – Regolith Explorer/Apophis Explorer)

Response to the Senior Review

Illustration of spacecraft with sample arm extended as it reaches toward the rocky surface of the asteroid

Artist’s conception of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft collecting a sample from the asteroid Bennu.

NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

2022 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR22)

Missions reviewed:

InSight, LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter), Mars Odyssey, MAVEN (Mars Atmospheric and Volatile Evolution), MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter), MSL (Mars Science Laboratory), New Horizons, and OSIRIS-REx/APEX (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security – Regolith Explorer/Apophis Explorer)

Final Report Package

A rover covered in dust sits on a rocky, sandy surface on Mars.

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover sports a fine coating of rust-colored dust in this self portrait, taken after spending a couple of years on the Red Planet’s surface.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS Full image and caption ›

2022 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR22)

Missions reviewed:

InSight, LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter), Mars Odyssey, MAVEN (Mars Atmospheric and Volatile Evolution), MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter), MSL (Mars Science Laboratory), New Horizons, and OSIRIS-REx/APEX (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security – Regolith Explorer/Apophis Explorer)

Call for Proposals

Artist rendering of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter LRO, above the moon. LRO carries seven instruments that make comprehensive remote sensing observations of the moon and measurements of the lunar radiation environment. The LRO mission is managed by NASA Goddard for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

2022 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR22)

Missions reviewed:

InSight, LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter), Mars Odyssey, MAVEN (Mars Atmospheric and Volatile Evolution), MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter), MSL (Mars Science Laboratory), New Horizons, and OSIRIS-REx/APEX (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security – Regolith Explorer/Apophis Explorer)

Terms of Reference

This image shows an artist concept of NASA Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution MAVEN mission.

2020 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR20)

Missions reviewed:

InSight and Juno

Response to Senior Review

Spacecraft sitting on the red surface of Mars.

This artist's concept depicts NASA's InSight lander after it deployed its instruments on the Martian surface.

NASA/JPL-Caltech

2020 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR20)

Missions reviewed:

InSight and Juno

Final Report Package

This illustration depicts NASA's Juno spacecraft soaring over Jupiter's south pole. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21771

NASA/JPL-Caltech

2020 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR20)

Missions reviewed:

InSight and Juno

Call for Proposals

Selfie photo of red-dust covered lander showing the top and its solar panels

InSight's final selfie from the surface of Mars.

NASA/JPL-CalTech

2020 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR20)

Missions reviewed:

InSight and Juno

Terms of Reference

An artist rendering of Jupiter and the Juno spacecraft.

NASA/JPL-Caltech

2019 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR19)

Missions reviewed:

LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter), Mars Odyssey, Mars Express, MAVEN (Mars Atmospheric and Volatile Evolution), MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter), and MSL (Mars Science Laboratory)

Response to Senior Review

Mars Odyssey orbiter over the north polar region

NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter has been in operation for more than 16 years.

2019 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR19)

Missions reviewed:

LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter), Mars Odyssey, Mars Express, MAVEN (Mars Atmospheric and Volatile Evolution), MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter), and MSL (Mars Science Laboratory)

Final Report Package

The image consists of a gold, rectangular-shaped satellite orbiting above the lunar surface. There are different instruments that make up the satellite, such as an array of blue solar panels on the left side and a long gray bar with a satellite dish at the end of it on the top face.

Pictured is the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), a robotic spacecraft that has been orbiting the moon since 2009, collecting detailed information about the moon and its environment. Data obtained from LRO is essential for planning a return to the Moon.

Credit: NASA/GSFC

2019 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR19)

Missions reviewed:

LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter), Mars Odyssey, Mars Express, MAVEN (Mars Atmospheric and Volatile Evolution), MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter), and MSL (Mars Science Laboratory)

Call for Proposals

Mars rover sitting on the red soil of mars and facing the camera for a selfie

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover used two different cameras to create this selfie in front of Mont Mercou, a rock outcrop that stands 20 feet (6 meters) tall. The panorama is made up of 60 images taken by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) on the rover’s robotic arm on March 26, 2021, the 3,070th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. These were combined with 11 images taken by the Mastcam on the mast, or “head,” of the rover on March 16, 2021, the 3,060th Martian day of the mission.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

2019 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR19)

Missions reviewed:

LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter), Mars Odyssey, Mars Express, MAVEN (Mars Atmospheric and Volatile Evolution), MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter), and MSL (Mars Science Laboratory)

Plan for the 2019 Planetary Mission Senior Review

An illustration of a spacecraft over Mars

This artist's concept shows NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mission over the red planet.

NASA/JPL-Caltech

2016 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR16)

Missions reviewed:

LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter), Mars Express, Mars Odyssey, MAVEN (Mars Atmospheric and Volatile Evolution), MER (Mars Exploration Rovers), MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter), MSL (Mars Science Laboratory), and New Horizons

Final Report

This artist’s illustration shows NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft in the outer solar system. In the background lies the Sun and a glowing band representing zodiacal light, caused by sunlight reflecting off of dust.

Joe Olmsted/STScI

2016 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR16)

Missions reviewed:

LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter), Mars Express, Mars Odyssey, MAVEN (Mars Atmospheric and Volatile Evolution), MER (Mars Exploration Rovers), MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter), MSL (Mars Science Laboratory), and New Horizons

2014 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR14)

Missions reviewed:

Mars Express, Mars Odyssey, MER (Mars Exploration Rovers), MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter), and MSL (Mars Science Laboratory)

Response to Senior Review

This self-portrait of Opportunity shows how the wind had cleaned much of the dust off the rover's solar panels. It combines multiple frames taken by Opportunity's panoramic camera (Pancam) through three different color filters from March 22 to March 24, 2014.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell Univ./Arizona State Univ.

2014 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR14)

Missions reviewed:

Mars Express, Mars Odyssey, MER (Mars Exploration Rovers), MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter), and MSL (Mars Science Laboratory)

Final Report

ESA's Mars Express mission

ESA

2012 Planetary Mission Senior Review (PMSR12)

Missions reviewed:

Cassini, Deep Impact, LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter), Mars Express, Mars Odyssey, MER (Mars Exploration Rovers), and MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter)