PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 5, Number 28 (June 19, 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. Application Deadline for the NASA Postdoctoral Program 2. [NASA] Comment Period for Draft of Solicitation (Astrophysics Technology Fellowships for Early Career Researchers) 3. [NASA] PDS Release 6 of Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Data 4. Planetary Science Workforce Survey 5. 9th Meeting of the Venus Exploration and Analysis Group (VEXAG) and Venus Science Conference 6. Mars Express Movie: Phobos Slips Past Jupiter 7. Job Announcement in ESA's Directorate of Science and Robotic Exploration 8. Fall AGU Session P34: Using the Earth as a Guide to Extraterrestrial Planetary Surfaces 9. 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 APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR THE NASA POSTDOCTORAL PROGRAM The next deadline to apply for a NASA Postdoctoral Program fellowship is July 1, 2011. These competitive one- to three-year fellowship appointments advance NASA's missions in space science, Earth science, aeronautics, space operations, exploration systems and astrobiology. Applicants must have a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in hand before beginning the fellowship, but may apply while completing the dissertation. U. S. citizens and foreign nationals who hold Lawful Permanent Resident status or who are eligible for J-1 status as a Research Scholar may apply. An H-1B Visa status is not acceptable because the NPP is not an employment program. Stipend rates for Postdoctoral Fellows start at $50,000 per year, with small supplements added for high cost-of-living areas. Funds are available for relocation expenses, up to a specified limit. Fellows also receive $8,000 per appointment year to support travel to conferences, meetings, and other activities that directly support their research projects. Applications for the NASA Postdoctoral Program are accepted three times each year: March 1, July 1, and November 1. For further information about this opportunity and to apply online, visit: http://nasa.orau.org/postdoc/description/index.htm Questions regarding this opportunity may be submitted by e-mail to nasapostdoc@orau.org 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] COMMENT PERIOD FOR DRAFT OF SOLICITATION (ASTROPHYSICS TECHNOLOGY FELLOWSHIPS FOR EARLY CAREER RESEARCHERS) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is releasing a draft solicitation for community review and comment: Astrophysics Technology Fellowships for Early Career Researchers (ATF). This solicitation will be a program element appendix to the NASA Research Announcement "Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2011" (NNH10ZDA001N). Upon the release date, the full text of the draft solicitation will be available at: http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ The objective of this solicitation is to give early career researchers the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to lead astrophysics flight instruments/projects and become principal investigators (PIs) of future astrophysics missions; to develop innovative technologies that have the potential to enable major scientific breakthroughs; and to foster new talent by putting early-career instrument builders on a trajectory towards long-term positions. The comment period for the draft ATF program element ends on July 8, 2011. Comments may be addressed in writing or by e-mail to the ATF Program Officer: Dr. Stephen Merkowitz Astrophysics Division, Science Mission Directorate NASA Headquarters Washington, DC 20546-0001 (202) 358-1364 Stephen.M.Merkowitz@nasa.gov (subject line to read "Draft ATF Program Element") 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 [NASA] PDS RELEASE 6 OF LUNAR RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER DATA The NASA Planetary Data System is pleased to announce a new delivery of Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) data for the following instruments: CRaTER, DLRE, LAMP, LEND, LOLA, LROC and Mini-RF. Radio Science Tracking data will be released shortly. SPICE data will be released later this summer. In general, LRO Release 6 includes data collected between December 15, 2010 and March 14, 2011. To access the above data, please visit the following link: http://pds.nasa.gov/subscription_service/SS-20110615.html PDS offers two services for searching the LRO archives: 1. The Planetary Image Atlas at the Imaging Node allows selection of LRO data by specific search criteria: http://pds-imaging.jpl.nasa.gov/search/lro/ 2. The Lunar Orbital Data Explorer at the Geosciences Node allows searching and downloading of LRO data and other lunar orbital data sets (Clementine and Lunar Prospector): http://ode.rsl.wustl.edu/moon/ LRO SPICE ancillary data may be obtained at: http://naif.jpl.nasa.gov/naif/data_archived.html 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 SCIENCE WORKFORCE SURVEY Just how many planetary scientists are there working in the US? And how did they get to their current positions? The American Institute of Physics is conducting a NASA-sponsored survey of the workforce in planetary sciences. If you are a member of AGU, DPS/AAS, the Meteoritical Society or attend LPSC then you will likely receive an email request to fill in an online survey. In the meantime, a survey of 48 US academic departments that include planetary science was completed this spring. Description of the project and results of the department survey are posted at: http://lasp.colorado.edu/mop/resources/links/ PlanetaryScienceWorkForceSurvey2011/ Fran Bagenal University of Colorado 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 9TH MEETING OF THE VENUS EXPLORATION AND ANALYSIS GROUP (VEXAG) AND VENUS SCIENCE CONFERENCE Tuesday, August 30 - Thursday, September 1, 2011 VEXAG Meeting #9 (Tuesday-Wednesday) and a Venus Science Conference will be held on (Wednesday-Thursday) during August 30-September 1, 2001 at the Smithsonian Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (just outside Dulles Airport, Washington DC). Topics for the Science Symposium would be New Results from Venus Express, Ground-based Observations, and Future Venus Missions. There are no registration fees for the Science Symposium. Please register at: http://venus.wisc.edu/workshop or http://www.lpi.usra.edu/vexag Abstracts for the Science Conference may be submitted through August 10, 2011 at the same URL. A block of sleeping rooms is on hold at the Courtyard Dulles Airport Chantilly Hotel, 3935 Centerview Drive, Chantilly, VA, 20151 (Group Code: "NRENREA") for Monday, August 29, 2011 through Thursday, September 1, 2011. To make reservations, dial 1 (800) 321-2211 or visit: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/iadca-courtyard-dulles-airport -chantilly/?toDate=9/1/11&groupCode=NRENREA&fromDate=8/29/ 11&app=resvlink Students interested in Venus are encouraged to attend as VEXAG anticipates supporting travel for about 10 students. By the abstract deadline of August 10, 2011, interested students should submit an abstract and an application for travel support with a letter from their research advisor at: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/vexag 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 MARS EXPRESS MOVIE: PHOBOS SLIPS PAST JUPITER ESA's Mars Express HRSC camera observed on 1st June 2011 an unusual alignment of Jupiter and the Martian moon Phobos. More at: http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMJ53E1XOG_index_0.html 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 JOB ANNOUNCEMENT IN ESA'S DIRECTORATE OF SCIENCE AND ROBOTIC EXPLORATION Vacancy in the Directorate of Science and Robotic Exploration, European Space Agency Job title: Head of the Robotic Exploration Coordination Office Location: ESTEC, Noordwijk (The Netherlands) QUALIFICATIONS Applicants for this post should have a university degree in physics or cognate scientific discipline at PhD level or equivalent qualification, as well as substantial experience of programmatic and management work. An established record of dealing with high-level scientific interest groups at international level and national institutions, as well as with international administrations and agencies, will be an advantage. Applicants will be required to have strong decision making and problem solving skills, a result oriented approach as well as a strong ability for relationship management. Good negotiation skills and a proven capability of establishing personal contacts at all levels are furthermore essential. Work experience in elaboration of policy and strategic matters at national level would be an important asset. More at: http://www.esa.int/hr/PDF/ESA-VN-ESTEC-2011-048,REV.1.pdf Deadline 14 July 2011 8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8 FALL AGU SESSION P34: USING THE EARTH AS A GUIDE TO EXTRATERRESTRIAL PLANETARY SURFACES We hope you will consider submitting an abstract to session P34: Using the Earth as a Guide to Extraterrestrial Planetary Surfaces at the AGU Fall Meeting 2011. This session will focus on work that examines planetary surface processes and properties through the use of terrestrial analogs. Of particular interest will be projects that include terrestrial field observations that directly aid in the interpretation of planetary data sets. The session will encompass a wide range of topics that are expected to include both morphological and compositional studies, including both ground-based and orbital data sets; however, all studies will be unified by a strong basis in terrestrial geology. The goal of this session is to encourage workers to utilize terrestrial geological techniques to directly inform interpretations of extraterrestrial features, using site-specific examples. Further details on this session are available at: http://sites.agu.org/fallmeeting/scientific-program/session-search/668 Conveners: Craig Hardgrove, Stony Brook University Nina Lanza, University of New Mexico The meeting is December 5-9, 2011 in San Francisco. The abstract deadline is August 4, 2011. 9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9 PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html September 25 - October 1, 2011 The Field Training and Research Program at Meteor Crater http://www.lpi.usra.edu/nlsi/mcFieldCamp/?view=program Winslow, AZ October 10 - 13, 2011 Large Optical Telescopes http://agora.guru.ru/display.php?conf=lot&l=1 Nizhnii Arkhyz, Russia [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, or * send a request to pen_editor at psi.edu * * To unsubscribe, send an email to pen_editor at psi.edu * * 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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