PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 5, Number 15 (March 27, 2011) PEN Website: http://planetarynews.org Editor: Melissa Lane Co-Editors: Susan Benecchi, Mark V. Sykes Email: pen_editor at psi.edu o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o 1. [NASA] Planetary Science Summer School Applications 2. Postdoctoral Researcher in Planetary Mapping: Lunar and Planetary Institute 3. DPS-EPSC Conference Session: The Exploration of the Martian Moons 4. Planetary Decadal Town Hall Meeting in Arizona 5. Editorial: Protect the Future of US Solar System Exploration 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] PLANETARY SCIENCE SUMMER SCHOOL APPLICATIONS NASA is accepting applications from science and engineering post-docs, recent PhDs, and doctoral students for its 23rd Annual Planetary Science Summer School, which will hold two separate sessions this summer (18-22 July and 1-5 August) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. During the program and pre-session webinars, student teams will carry out the equivalent of an early mission concept study, prepare a proposal authorization review presentation, present it to a review board, and receive feedback. By the end of the session, students will have a clearer understanding of the life cycle of a space mission; relationships between mission design, cost, and schedule; and the tradeoffs necessary to stay within cost and schedule while preserving the quality of science. Applications are due April 1st, 2011. Partial financial support is available for a limited number of individuals. Further information is available at: http://pscischool.jpl.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 POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER IN PLANETARY MAPPING: LUNAR AND PLANETARY INSTITUTE The Universities Space Research Association's Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), in Houston TX, invites applications for a postdoctoral fellowship in planetary science. The successful candidate will work with Dr. Paul Schenk, investigating the topography of Jupiter's volcanic moon Io using stereo and shape-from-shading techniques (although experience in these tools is not required). A variety of landforms will be mapped, including volcanoes and mountains, as well as regional and global scale shape deviations. The candidate will also be expected to develop their own research projects using this data. Candidate must have a recent Ph.D. in geology or geophysics. In addition, the candidate shall have a strong background in remote sensing/image processing of spacecraft data, and preferably experience in geophysical or volcanological investigations. The position is generally for two years, with a possible extension to a maximum of three years. Further information on current research and facilities at the LPI can be found on our website: http://www.lpi.usra.edu The Universities Space Research Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 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 DPS-EPSC CONFERENCE SESSION: THE EXPLORATION OF THE MARTIAN MOONS We invite for this session, in Nantes in October 2011, papers on the results of past or present planetary missions on the Martian Moons, and on Phobos in particular. A special emphasis will be given to the January 2011 Mars Express flyby. The following topics can be addressed: position and ephemerids, interior, mass determination, gravity field, subsurface, surface properties, temperatures, composition, geology, shape and volume, origin of the moons, solar wind interaction. Papers on the future mission Phobos-Grunt and on ideas for new missions (in-situ, sample return, manned missions) are welcome. Ground-based observations results are also relevant. http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EPSC-DPS2011/session/8403 Deadline: 31 May 2011 Conveners: O. Witasse and T. Duxbury 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 PLANETARY DECADAL TOWN HALL MEETING IN ARIZONA The Planetary Science Institute is hosting a town hall meeting for the rollout of the Planetary Decadal Survey, supported by the AAS Division for Planetary Sciences. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 30, 1-3 PM Pacific at the Westward Look Resort. Steve Mackwell, Steering Committee Member and Director of the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, TX, will be representing the Survey. The meeting will be available via Webex. For further information, please go to: http://www.psi.edu/decadal 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 EDITORIAL: PROTECT THE FUTURE OF US SOLAR SYSTEM EXPLORATION Mark V. Sykes CEO and Director Planetary Science Institute "...We are operating under yet another continuing resolution that expires April 8. I encourage EVERYONE to communicate with their Congressional representative and Senators and tell them that to preserve the seed corn for future solar system exploration by the US, while allowing tax payers to realize a return on the large investments they have already made in space missions, it is critical that the final 2011 budget for NASA not reduce planetary research below the 2010 level. Preferably, the new budget should reflect the Administration's 2011 request for increased funding for planetary research that sought in part to restore better balance to planetary programs in general." "...If Congress cuts the NASA budget across the board by 10% relative to 2010, and NASA blindly follows the decadal survey formula, we could be years digging out of the current mess." "...Points to consider [in your communication]" For the complete editorial, go to: http://planetarypolicy.org/ [Editor Note: The PEN welcomes editorials and commentaries related to planetary science, solar system exploration, how they are conducted, their politics, their funding, their management, and their future. Go to http://planetarynews.org/submission.html for full directions.] 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 None this week. [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. Title plus text is limited to 200 words. Go to * http://planetarynews.org/submission.html for complete submission * directions. * * PEN is a service provided by the Planetary Science Institute * (http://www.psi.edu). ***********************************************************************