FrontMatter -- Foreword -- Preface -- Acknowledgment of Reviewers -- Contents -- Executive Summary -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Background: PI-Led Missions in the Earth Science Enterprise -- 3 Program Conceptualization: Matching Objectives to Constraints -- 4 Institutional Investments: Establishing the Foundations -- 5 Project Implementation: Improving Life-Cycle Processes -- 6 Conclusions -- Appendixes -- A Statement of Task -- B Committee Meeting Agendas -- C PI-Led Missions and Their Characteristics -- D NASA Technology Development Programs Relevant to PI-Led Earth Explorers Missions -- E Biographies of Committee Members -- F Acronyms.