PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 6, Number 25 (June 3, 2012) PEN Website: http://planetarynews.org Editor: Mark V. Sykes Co-Editors: Melissa Lane, Susan Benecchi Email: pen_editor at psi.edu o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o 1. John "Jack" McCauley, 1932-2012 2. [NASA] Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer Participation Opportunities 3. [NASA] PDS - Mars Exploration Rovers Data Release 32 4. NASA Postdoctoral Fellowships 5. Mars Exploration Science Monthly Newsletter - June 2012 6. IAG Planetary Geomorphology Image of the Month 7. [NASA] Research Position at GSFC 8. 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 JOHN "JACK" MCCAULEY, 1932-2012 An eminent planetary scientist, John "Jack" McCauley, and a former chief and colleague at USGS/Astrogeology has passed away. Jack was a brilliant and productive field geologist and mapper, and he had many significant contributions in geologic studies of the Sahara & Namib deserts and the Moon, Mercury and Mars. A very nice obituary can be found online: http://azdailysun.com/news/local/obituaries/john-f-mccauley /article_63b4b81c-8fd2-11e1-b6f9-0019bb2963f4.html 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] JUPITER ICY MOONS EXPLORER PARTICIPATION OPPORTUNITIES On May 2, 2012, ESA selected the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) as the first Large-class mission in the Cosmic Vision plan. The JUICE mission will investigate Jupiter and its icy moons, completing its mission by orbiting Ganymede. The mission is planned for launch in 2022. NASA has offered to contribute a combination of US instrument(s), instrument component(s) for European-led instrument(s), and/or Co-Investigators on European-led instruments, all to total not more than $100M life cycle cost. We expect 55% of this funding will be used during the instrument development phases and the remaining 45% during operations (cruise and prime science mission). Given the duration of cruise, lean focused science teams will be a necessity. JUICE instruments are planned to be solicited via a competitive Announcement of Opportunity issued by ESA; a corresponding amendment to SALMON will be released by NASA. Release of these documents is planned for late June 2012. Scientific objectives, model payload and mission profile can be found in the JUICE Assessment Study Report (Yellow Book) at: http://sci.esa.int/juice A Federal Business Opportunity (FBO) announcement will be available within the next two weeks. For more information, contact Curt Niebur (curt.niebur@nasa.gov). [Edited for length] 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 - MARS EXPLORATION ROVERS DATA RELEASE 32 The Planetary Data System (PDS) is pleased to announce Release 32 of Mars Exploration Rover data. This release includes primarily data from Sols 2701 through 2790 and includes data only from Opportunity, MER1/B. It includes data from the following instruments: APXS HAZCAM NAVCAM MI MOESSBAUER (EDRs) PANCAM RAT Rover Motion Counter SPICE There are no Mini-TES, Moessbauer RDRs, or Radio Science data in this release. To access the above data, please visit the following link: http://pds.nasa.gov/subscription_service/SS-20120529.html The following special services are provided for accessing MER data: MER Analyst's Notebook: http://an.rsl.wustl.edu/mer/ Planetary Image Atlas: http://pds-imaging.jpl.nasa.gov/search/mer/ 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 NASA POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) offers scientists and engineers unique opportunities to conduct research at NASA Centers. Each NPP fellowship opportunity is designed to advance NASA research in a specific project related to space science, earth science, aeronautics, exploration systems, lunar science, astrobiology, or astrophysics. Applicants must have a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in hand before beginning the fellowship, but may apply while completing the degree requirements. U. S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, and foreign nationals eligible for J-1 status as a Research Scholar may apply. Stipends start at $50,000 per year, with supplements for high cost-of-living areas and for certain academic specialties. Financial assistance is available for relocation and health insurance, and $8,000 per year is provided for professional travel. Applications are accepted three times each year: March 1, July 1, and November 1. For further information and to apply, visit: http://nasa.orau.org/postdoc/description/index.htm Questions may be submitted by e-mail to nasapostdoc@orau.org 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 MARS EXPLORATION SCIENCE MONTHY NEWSLETTER - JUNE 2012 On behalf of Dave Des Marais, the MEPAG Chair, Dave Beaty, Rich Zurek, and Charles Budney of the Mars Program Science Office, the June 2012 edition of the Mars Exploration Science Monthly Newsletter can be found 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 IAG PLANETARY GEOMORPHOLOGY IMAGE OF THE MONTH The June 'Image of the Month' is now available at the IAG's Planetary Geomorphology web page: http://www.psi.edu/pgwg/images/Jun12Image.html This Month's topic is on "Glass-rich sand dunes and plains on Mars". Images and Caption contributed by Briony Horgan, Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University. 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 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 [NASA] RESEARCH POSITION AT GSFC The Planetary Magnetospheres Laboratory at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is seeking a researcher to provide expertise in new capabilities for modeling the interactions between the solar wind and the Moon and other near-airless bodies, transport and trapping of lunar volatiles, volatile sources and losses, and plasma/surface interactions. In addition to research, you will provide expertise in associated planetary and exploration robotic missions and instrument development projects. You will participate in preliminary and critical design reviews and develop and defend instrument and mission requirements. You will be called on to demonstrate strong teaming capability applied to the solution of relevant problems. Missions that you could support include the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and future lunar and planetary projects of the SSED. A PhD in a relevant field of Physics or Astronomy is preferred. Candidates must have experience modeling solar wind/plasma interactions with the surface and near surface environments of the Moon and other solar system bodies. Salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. U.S. citizenship required. To view the full vacancy announcement go to: http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/317833300 For information about the research program, please contact Robert MacDowall 301-286-2608 robert.macdowall@nasa.gov NASA GSFC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 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 PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html No new meetings posted. [Editor Note: If there is a planetary-related meeting, conference or workshop of which your colleagues should be aware, 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. Title plus text is limited to 200 words. 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