NASA's Physics of the Cosmos Program

NASA's Physics of the Cosmos (PhysCOS) Program lies at the intersection of physics and astronomy. Its purpose is to explore some of the most fundamental questions regarding the physical forces and laws of the universe: the validity of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity and the nature of spacetime, the behavior of matter and energy in extreme environments, the cosmological parameters governing inflation and the evolution of the universe, and the nature of dark matter and dark energy. In this talk, updates and opportunities to get involved will be provided by the PhysCOS Program Office and the PhysCOS Program Analysis Group (PhysPAG).

Located at the Goddard Space Flight Center, the PhysCOS Program Office supports, tracks, and studies a suite of science missions and enabling technologies that focus on specific aspects of these topics.

The PhysPAG serves as a community-based, interdisciplinary forum for soliciting and coordinating community analysis and input in support of PhysCOS objectives and of their implications for architecture planning and activity prioritization and for future exploration. It provides findings of analyses to the NASA Astrophysics Division Director.