PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 2, Number 60 (December 14, 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] Final Text for Moon and Mars Analog Mission Activities (MMAMA) 2. 7th International Planetary Probe Workshop 3. Next Meeting of the Venus Exploration Analysis Group 4. Decadal Survey for the Planetary Sciences 5. December 2008 Mars Exploration Science Monthly Newsletter 6. Geological Society of America Planetary Division 7. 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] FINAL TEXT FOR MOON AND MARS ANALOG MISSION ACTIVITIES (MMAMA) This amendment replaces the draft text in Appendix C.24 entitled "Moon and Mars Analog Mission Activities" with the final text. NASA Moon and Mars Analog Mission Activities (MMAMA) research addresses the need for integrated interdisciplinary field experiments as an integral part of preparation for planned human and robotic missions to the Moon and Mars. The focus of this program is on providing high-fidelity scientific investigations, scientific input, and science operations constraints in the context of planetary field campaigns. Funding provided in this program element is intended to enable researchers to conduct scientific investigations and integrate their instruments, projects, and/or protocols into field activities designed to help NASA plan for future exploration of the Moon, Mars, and other planetary bodies with both robots and humans. Notices of Intent to propose (NOIs) are due January 16, 2009, and proposals are due February 20, 2009. This AO will be posted on the NASA research opportunity homepage at: http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ (select "Solicitations" then "Open Solicitations" then "NNH08ZDA001N"). Further information about this program element is available from Dr. Jennifer Heldmann, Telephone: (202) 358-2302; Email: Jennifer.Heldmann@nasa.gov. 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 7TH INTERNATIONAL PLANETARY PROBE WORKSHOP The First Announcement and call for abstracts for the 7th International Planetary Probe Workshop (& Short Course on Planetary Protection), Barcelona, 13-19 June 2009, is now available: http://www.planetaryprobe.eu/files/IPPW7-FirstAnnouncement.pdf WWW: http://www.planetaryprobe.eu/ Email: info@planetaryprobe.eu 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 NEXT MEETING OF THE VENUS EXPLORATION ANALYSIS GROUP The next meeting of the Venus Exploration Analysis Group (VEXAG) will be February 25, 2009 at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, Texas. Please visit the VEXAG website to register for the meeting: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/vexag/ The results of the Venus Flagship Science and Technology Definition Team will be presented, and the exploration goals, objectives, and critical measurement requirements for Venus exploration will be updated in preparation for the upcoming NRC Decadal Survey. VEXAG is NASA's community-based forum designed to provide scientific input and technology development plans for planning and prioritizing the exploration of Venus over the next several decades. The Venus Geochemistry workshop will follow VEXAG on Feb 26-27, 2009 at the Gilruth Center at NASA-JSC. 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 DECADAL SURVEY FOR THE PLANETARY SCIENCES The National Research Council's Space Studies Board has received a request from NASA and NSF to initiate a new decadal survey for the planetary sciences. The planning for this activity will be discussed in a town hall session at the American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco on Thursday, 18 December. The town hall is currently scheduled to start at 6:15 p.m. and will be held in Moscone West, Room 3018. 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 DECEMBER 2008 MARS EXPLORATION SCIENCE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER The December edition of the Mars Exploration Science Monthly Newsletter can be found on the web at: http://mepag.jpl.nasa.gov 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 GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA PLANETARY DIVISION Call for Session Proposals 2009 GSA Annual Meeting 18-21 October 2009, Portland, Oregon, USA Proposal deadline 11:59 pm, Tuesday January 6, 2009 We invite members of the planetary community to submit their ideas for Technical Sessions for the 2009 GSA Annual meeting in Portland, Oregon. Although the theme of the meeting if "Volcanoes to Vineyards: Living with Dynamic Landscapes", we encourage session proposals on ALL aspects of Lunar and Planetary Geology (and Geophysics). Sessions can be proposed for sponsorship by the GSA Planetary Division alone, or can be submitted jointly with other GSA Divisions. You do not need to be a member of GSA to submit a technical session proposal. Proposals from students are particularly encouraged; successful session convenors may be eligable for a Planetary Division Student Travel Award. For more information please contact one of the GSA Planetary Division Officers: Louise Prockter (Louise.Prockter@jhuapl.edu), Jayne Aubele (jayne.aubele@state.nm.us), Dave Williams (David.Williams@asu.edu) or Bob Anderson (robert.c.anderson@jpl.nasa.gov), or see the GSA website: http://www.geosociety.org/meetings/2009/ 7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7 PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html March 9-12, 2009 Exoplanets and Disks: Their Formation and Diversity http://www.naoj.org/SubaruConf09/ Kailua-Kona, HI June 8-12, 2009 Millimeter and Submillimeter Astronomy at High Angular Resolution http://www2.asiaa.sinica.edu.tw/taipei09/ Taipei, Taiwan [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. Go to the PEN website for submission directions. ************************************************************************