.4. Pioneering High-Risk Scientific Research and Deep Space Exploration:
NASA could prioritize missions that private entities are unlikely to pursue, such as robotic probes to the outer solar system or advanced astrophysics.
For instance, while SpaceX focuses on Mars colonization using Starship's massive payload capabilities, NASA can lead in-depth geological surveys of Martian features like Valles Marineris or Olympus Mons, analyzing regolith composition and potential biosignatures. This builds on NASA's historical expertise in planetary science, ensuring discoveries in areas like Europa's subsurface ocean or Enceladus' plumes aren't sidelined.
In addition, developing successors to telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope would fall under NASA's domain, advancing our understanding of space at large.
