Recommendations for NASA's Space Physics Data System

Approximately seventy-five scientists gathered at Rice University in Houston, Tex. from June 1 to 3 for a community-wide workshop on NASA's Space Physics Data System (SPDS). The purpose of the workshop was to consider community needs for data access and to make recommendations to guide the Space Physics Division (SPD) in managing space physics data in the 1990s and beyond. The workshop was organized into four panels: policy, data issues, data systems, and software. Participants reviewed the SPDS concept document prepared by the SPDS Steering Committee and were asked to approve or give an alternative view regarding any or all ideas discussed in the document, through one or more of the appropriate panels. The panels were also charged with identifying and prioritizing key requirements in their area of interest and commenting on relevant issues of implementation.