PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER 
Volume 4, Number 28 (July 4, 2010)

PEN Website: http://planetarynews.org
Editor: Mark V. Sykes
Co-Editors: Susan Benecchi, Melissa Lane
Email: pen_editor at psi.edu


o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o

1. U.S. National Space Policy Released
2. 3rd NASA Small Bodies Assessment Group Meeting - Update
3. LEAG Abstract Deadline Extended to July 7
4. MEPAG Newsletter Available
5. Planetary Geomorphology Image of the Month
6. Mars Express Publication Available Online
7. Planetary Meeting Calendar Additions

o---------------------------------------------------------------------o


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U.S. NATIONAL SPACE POLICY RELEASED

The Obama administration has released a document on its space policy 
for the United States. It may be found at:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files
/national_space_policy_6-28-10.pdf

and its accompanying fact sheet at:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office
/fact-sheet-national-space-policy

It is interesting to note some of the language in this document 
relevant to solar system exploration: 

"The Administrator shall: ...

Maintain a sustained robotic presence in the solar system to: conduct 
scientific investigations of other planetary bodies; demonstrate new 
technologies; and scout locations for future human missions;

Continue a strong program of space science for observations, research, 
and analysis of our Sun, solar system, and universe to enhance 
knowledge of the cosmos, further our understanding of fundamental 
natural and physical sciences, understand the conditions that may 
support the development of life, and search for planetary bodies and 
Earth-like planets in orbit around other stars; and

Pursue capabilities, in cooperation with other departments, agencies, 
and commercial partners, to detect, track, catalog, and characterize 
near-Earth objects to reduce the risk of harm to humans from an 
unexpected impact on our planet and to identify potentially 
resource-rich planetary objects."

We note the importance given to solar system research as a stand-alone 
activity.

The Editors


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3RD NASA SMALL BODIES ASSESSMENT GROUP MEETING - UPDATE

Date: August 3-4, 2010
Location: Pasadena, CA
Site: Westin Hotel Pasadena

You are invited to participate in the upcoming 3rd SBAG Meeting. 
Meeting information including hotel registration is now posted on the 
SBAG website at: 

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/sbag/meetings/

A draft agenda is also posted. We will be hearing the lastest from the 
Hayabusa mission, a report on the Rosetta flyby of Lutetia (occurring
July 10) and the flood of small body detections being made by WISE. We 
will also be discussing the Roadmap for the Exploration of Small Bodies 
in the Solar System. Sections include:

Science Issues (Lead: Joe Nuth, NASA Goddard)
Populations Identification and Characterization (Lead: Yan Fernandez, 
UCF)
In-Situ Studies (Lead: Dan Britt, UCF)
Sample Return (Lead: Paul Weissman, JPL)
Theoretical Studies (Lead: TBD)
Laboratory Studies (Lead: TBD)
Human Exploration (Lead: Paul Abell, PSI)
Technology (Lead: John Dankanich, NASA Glenn)
Data Products, Archiving and Access (Lead: Mark Sykes, PSI)

On behalf of the SBAG steering committee,

Mark V. Sykes
SBAG Chair
sykes@psi.edu


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LEAG ABSTRACT DEADLINE EXTENDED TO JULY 7

Abstracts for the 2010 annual meeting of the Lunar Exploration Analysis
Group must be submitted electronically to the Lunar and Planetary
Institute via the electronic submission form by 5:00 p.m. U.S. Central
Daylight Time on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Abstract and meeting
information is available at:

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/leag2010.

The meeting will be held September 14-16, 2010, at the Holiday Inn
Capitol, 550 C Street, SW, Washington DC. The hotel is conveniently
located near the L'Enfant Plaza Metro (6th and Maryland Street exits)
and within a short walking distance to NASA Headquarters.


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MEPAG NEWSLETTER AVAILABLE

The July 2010 edition of the Mars Exploration Science Monthly 
Newsletter can be found on the web at:

http://mepag.jpl.nasa.gov


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PLANETARY GEOMORPHOLOGY IMAGE OF THE MONTH

The July 'Image of the month' is now available at the IAG's Planetary 
Geomorphology web page:

http://www.psi.edu/pgwg/images/jul10image.html

This month's topic is "Ancient sedimentary rocks in the Mawrth Vallis 
region, Mars" contributed by Joe Michalski, Planetary Science 
Institute, Tucson, Arizona, USA, and Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, 
Université Paris-Sud, Orsay, France.
 
Past images and captions are available at:

http://www.psi.edu/pgwg/images/index.html
 
Mary Bourke
Coordinator of the IAG Working Group on Planetary Geomorphology


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MARS EXPRESS PUBLICATION AVAILABLE ONLINE

ESA Special Publication - "Mars Express: The Scientific 
Investigations"

Individual chapters available on line:

http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=47218


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PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS

September 6-8, 2010
10th European Workshop on Astrobiology
http://www.ioffe.ru/EANA/index.html
Pushchino, Russia

September 20-21, 2010
GIS for Planetary Mappers II
http://webgis.wr.usgs.gov/pigwad/docs/GIS_for_Planetary_Mappers2010.htm
Flagstaff, AZ

September 30 - October 1, 2010
23rd Meeting of the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group
http://mepag.jpl.nasa.gov/meeting/index.html
Monrovia, CA

November 15-19, 2010
ISPRS Symposium / Planetary Mapping Workshop
http://www.asprs.org/orlando2010/indes.html
Orlando, FL

January 29 - February 11, 2011
International Workshop of Extrasolar Planets
http://www.astro.ipm.ir/ESPW/index.htm
Kish Island, Iran

April 11-15, 2011
Humans in Space Symposium
http://www.dsls.usra.edu/meetings/IAA/
Houston, TX

[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.]


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