PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 2, Number 55 (November 16, 2008) PEN Website: http://planetarynews.org Editor: Nic Richmond Co-Editors: Mark V. Sykes, Matt Balme Email: pen_editor at psi.edu o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o 1. [NASA] Draft New Frontiers Announcement of Opportunity (NNH09ZDA003J) Released for Community Comment 2. [NASA PDS] Planetary Image Atlas Release 3. Hold That Date! 4. Special Issue: Exploring Other Worlds by Exploring our Own: The Role of Terrestrial Analogue Studies in Planetary Exploration 5. Origins Research Associate Positions and PhD Studentships at University College London 6. Planetary Meeting Calendar Additions o---------------------------------------------------------------------o 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 [NASA] DRAFT NEW FRONTIERS ANNOUNCEMENT OF OPPORTUNITY (NNH09ZDA003J) RELEASED FOR COMMUNITY COMMENT Release Date: November 17, 2008 Comments Due: January 5, 2009 The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate is releasing a Draft Announcement of Opportunity (AO) for community review and comment for the next mission in the New Frontiers program (NNH09ZDA003J). The science objectives covered by the Draft New Frontiers AO include South Pole -- Aitken Basin Sample Return, Venus in Situ Explorer, Comet Surface Sample Return, Network Science, Trojan/Centaur Reconnaissance, Asteroid Rover/Sample Return, Io Observer, and Ganymede Observer. A Community Workshop will be held December 5, 2008, at the Greenbelt Maryland Marriott Hotel: http://newfrontiers.larc.nasa.gov/ Send comments to Dr. Thomas Morgan; New Frontiers Program Scientist; Planetary Science Division; Mail Suite 3X63; Science Mission Directorate; National Aeronautics and Space Administration; Washington, DC 20546-0001; TEL: (202) 358-0828; E-mail: thomas.h.morgan@nasa.gov. Comments are preferred in writing and may be sent by E-mail; the character string "NF-3 Draft AO" (without quotes) should be included in the subject line of all transmissions. The identity of those submitting comments will be held in confidence. Answers to frequently asked questions about this AO will be made available at: http://newfrontiers.larc.nasa.gov/ [Editor Note: This announcement has been edited for length.] 2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2 [NASA PDS] PLANETARY IMAGE ATLAS RELEASE The Planetary Data System (PDS) Imaging Node is pleased to announce a new release of the Planetary Image Atlas. The Planetary Image Atlas provides a mechanism to quickly and intuitively query the distributed databases and data repositories that represent the Imaging Node's holdings for PDS. The evolution of the Atlas system continues with this release, including these updates: Access to the Mars Odyssey/THEMIS and Mars Express/HRSC data sets; improvements to the user interface and experience; addition of a bulk download option; improved user HELP through an introductory demo; expanded mission-specific and multi-mission search capabilities; and for Mars missions, a Map interface and the integration of the USGS Flagstaff's Uniform Planetary Coordinate System to ensure consistency of geographic location across missions. To access the Planetary Image Atlas, please visit the following link: http://pds-imaging.jpl.nasa.gov/search Because the Planetary Image Atlas is an evolving tool for scientists, it's important for us to hear from you as we continue to add data and evolve system capabilities. Please send your feedback to Sue.LaVoie@jpl.nasa.gov 3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3 HOLD THAT DATE! Women in Astronomy and Space Science: Meeting the challenges of an increasingly diverse scientific work place", Oct 21-23, 2009, College Park, MD. Goddard Space Flight Center will be hosting a meeting October 21 - 23, 2009 at the University of Maryland Conference Center on the topic of women in astronomy and space science with a focus on not only gender, but also on generation and minorities. Co-hosts are the National Science Foundation, University of Maryland, AAS, EAS, STScI, NGST, and others. The topics include: 1) statistics on the state of the field, establishing trends over the last 15 years including the "longitudinal studies" of age vs. makeup of the field and identifying areas for celebration or for concern; 2) research on the impact of gender/ generational/ cultural differences in the science workforce with a focus on practical solutions, 3) issues concerning the work environment and best practices for success of scientists in a diverse work force, and 4) special sessions on the issues of minorities in science, and women in Earth Science. We hope you will join us. More information will be posted on our website as it becomes available: http://wia2009.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4 SPECIAL ISSUE: EXPLORING OTHER WORLDS BY EXPLORING OUR OWN: THE ROLE OF TERRESTRIAL ANALOGUE STUDIES IN PLANETARY EXPLORATION Dear colleagues, It is with great pleasure that I can announce that the thematic volume of Planetary and Space Science (PSS) entitled "Exploring other worlds by exploring our own: The role of terrestrial analogue studies in planetary exploration" is now open for submissions. Our goal of this volume is to highlight some of the recent cutting-edge research in the fields of Comparative Planetary Geology and Geomorphology, Astrobiology, and Exploration Science and Technologies for Exploration. On behalf of the other Guest Editors (Neil Banerjee, Richard Soare, and Marie-Claude Williamson), myself, and the PSS editorial board, we invite you to submit manuscripts on any of the above topics. Papers should be submitted via the journal's submission site: http://ees.elsevier.com/pss/ Please ensure that you select the Article Type "SPECIAL ISSUE: Osinski-Analogue" when submitting your paper. The deadline for submissions is January 2009, with publication of the issue planned for Fall 2009. All the best, Oz Dr. Gordon "Oz" Osinski Assistant Professor, Depts. of Earth Sciences, Physics & Astronomy University of Western Ontario London, ON, N6A 5B7 Tel: 1-(519)-661-4208 (office) E-mail: gosinski@uwo.ca 5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5 ORIGINS RESEARCH ASSOCIATE POSITIONS AND PHD STUDENTSHIPS AT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON Applications are invited for four 2-year research associate positions and four 3-year PhD studentships in fields related to the origin and evolution of the Universe, including all areas of planetary science. Planetary science positions will be held at The Centre for Planetary Sciences at UCL/Birkbeck. The closing date for research associate applications is 12th December 2008. PhD positions will be filled from February 2009 onwards. Further details are available at: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/origins/ 6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6 PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html December 1-3, 2008 6th Canadian Space Exploration Workshop http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/events/2008/csew2008.asp Saint-Hubert, Canada March 23-26, 2009 Annual Conference of the "Deutsche Geophysikalische Gesellschaft" http://www.dgg2009.uni-kiel.de/ Kiel, Germany April 19-24, 2009 European Geosciences Union General Assembly http://meetings.copernicus.org/egu2009/ Vienna, Austria May 16-21, 2009 Japan Geoscience Union Meeting http://www.jpgu.org/meeting_e/ Chiba City, Japan August 2-7, 2009 Astrochemistry Symposium - 42nd IUPAC CONGRESS Chemistry Solutions http://www.rsc.org/ConferencesAndEvents/RSCConferences/IUPAC2009/ Glasgow, Scotland August 3-14, 2009 IAU XXVII General Assembly http://www.astronomy2009.com.br/ Rio de Janeiro, Brazil August 11-15, 2009 Sixth Annual Meeting and Exhibition of the Asia Oceania Geosciences Society (AOGS 2009) http://www.asiaoceania.org/aogs2009/index.asp Singapore [Editor Note: If there is a planetary-related meeting, conference or workshop that you think your colleagues should be aware of, please send the date, title, URL and location to pen_editor at psi.edu.] *********************************************************************** * * The Planetary Exploration Newsletter is issued approximately weekly. * Current and back issues are available at * * http://planetarynews.org * * To subscribe, go to http://planetarynews.org/pen_subscribe.html * * To unsubscribe, go to http://planetarynews.org/pen_unsubscribe.html * * Please send all replies and submissions to pen_editor at psi.edu. * Announcements and other messages should be brief with links to URLs * for extended information, including detailed descriptions for job * announcements. 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