INTER-AGENCY CONSULTATIVE GROUP FOR SPACE SCIENCE (IACG)

TERMS OF REFERENCE

2. POLICIES

• Where mutually agreed by the participating agencies, the IACG serves as a vehicle for coordination efforts among approved space science missions on a multilateral basis.
• Exchanges of information on future plans and potential science missions are desirable, and take place during periodic IACG meetings. However, the IACG does not have a formal planning role for future missions.
• The IACG does not supplant bilateral cooperative space science activities and arrangements, nor does it serve as a substitute for existing mechanisms for managing specific multilateral space science projects.
• The IACG leadership (agency delegation heads) is comprised of senior space agency representatives in order to maintain the overall efficiency and productivity of the group.
• In addition, where appropriate, the IACG may consider the participation of organized ground-based scientific communities in order to enhance the overall benefit from such multilateral coordination (as was done, for example, with the International Halley Watch).
• The IACG will continue its role as a forum for inter-agency discussions in space science for as long as deemed useful by the participating agencies. The IACG will review its overall effectiveness and continued need for existence at regular intervals.

The IACG has the following members (listed in alphabetical order):

• the European Space Agency (ESA)
• the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Japan
• the Intercosmos Council, USSR Academy of Sciences (Intercosmos)
• the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

The IACG concentrates on a single discipline area of approved space science projects as a focal point for a number of years, much as it did successfully with Comet Halley in the past, whilst this approach does not preclude involvement of the IACG in other important disciplines.

5. ORGANIZATION

In order to ensure the success of the IACG a straightforward but informal organizational framework is essential:

• Schedule of Meetings: Regular meetings of the IACG take place on an annual basis and rotate from country-to-country. Special meetings are convened as required.
• Chairmanship: Chairmanship of the IACG is transferred from agency to agency with the responsibility for hosting the regular meetings. Chairmanship for special meetings will be treated ad hoc.
• Level of Participation: Agency delegations are comprised of senior program management officials and mission personnel. A few key members of each Agency's respective scientific community can be included.
• Working Groups: The detailed work of the IACG is carried out in Working Groups. The IACG will decide the aspects that require Working Groups, the scope for these groups and their duration. Each group concentrates on a particular scientific or operational aspect of the agreed discipline area that would benefit from IACG coordination, and these groups meet both in conjunction with, and separate from, IACG meetings as required.

 

 

The meetings of the Working Groups are organized by the Chairman or the Deputy Chairman of the Working Groups, who also report to the IACG at each regular meeting on the status of their activities.

The selection of the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Working Groups is agreed unanimously. They are appointed by the Head of the particular IACG Delegation. Members of the Working Groups are appointed by the Head of the particular Delegation in consultation with the Working Group Chairmen. Should the need arise for broadening international participation in the various Working Groups, Working Group Chairmen may, with the consent of the Heads of Delegations, invite participation of other experts or representatives of other agencies.

• Panels: The IACG may also establish panels to consider potential future space science disciplines that would benefit from inter-agency coordination. The procedures used for panels are similar to those used for the Working Groups.
• Executive Secretary: An Executive Secretary is designated for the organization of the IACG meetings and the day-to-day work in-between meetings. Selection of the Executive Secretary requires unanimous approval of the IACG Delegation Heads. The Executive Secretary is responsible for carrying out the administrative work of the IACG. The duties of this position include: serving as a point of contact for outside inquiries, distribution of information on forthcoming IACG meetings to the agencies, liaison with agencies on matters of mutual interest, establishment of the agenda for the IACG meetings in consultation with the agencies and the Working Group Chairmen, and preparation of IACG meeting summaries and public information.

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Last Modified:
(V.M.)