PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 7, Number 29 (June 30, 2013) PEN Website: http://planetarynews.org Editor: Susan Benecchi Co-Editors: Mark V. Sykes, Melissa Lane Email: pen_editor at psi.edu o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o 1. High Priority Investigations for Venus Exploration Special Session at Fall AGU Meeting 2. Large Meteorite Impacts and Planetary Evolution V 3. Training Opportunity - Photogrammetric Processing of Planetary Imagery Using ISIS and SOCET SET 4. [NASA] Astrobiology Science and Technology for Exploring Planets Will Not be Solicited in ROSES-13 5. Solid Earth: The EGU-Open Access Journal Welcomes Planetary Submissions 6. Impact Geology - M.S. Thesis Research Opportunity 7. NASA Postdoctoral Fellowships 8. Discovery and New Frontiers News 9. New Horizons Encounter Hazard Update 10. Final Announcement - Target NEO 2 Workshop 11. 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 HIGH PRIORITY INVESTIGATIONS FOR VENUS EXPLORATION SPECIAL SESSION AT FALL AGU MEETING 2014 will mark 25 years since NASA last launched a mission to Venus. The next call for NASA Discovery Mission proposals is quickly approaching and Venus is well suited as a target for this class of Mission. This special session will frame the current state of Venus science in terms of outstanding questions and how they can be addressed through future missions. Submissions should summarize new results, the state of knowledge, and investigations that address areas such as: origin and evolution of the Venus interior; surface processes including volcanism, tectonics, and impact cratering; and processes governing the atmosphere's thermal structure, composition, and dynamics. Contributions should address the themes of the Planetary Science Decadal Survey. Conveners: Ellen Stofan, Robbie Herrick, Lori Glaze, David Crisp Abstract Deadline - Tuesday, 6 August 2013 http://fallmeeting.agu.org/2013/ 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 LARGE METEORITE IMPACTS AND PLANETARY EVOLUTION V August 5-8, 2013 Sudbury, Canada Program with Abstracts Now Available! The program and abstracts are now available on the conference website. The deadline for registering at the reduced rate is July 2, 2013. To view the author index, program and abstracts and to register for the conference, go to: http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/sudbury2013/ NOTE: Note that the abstract submission form is part of the USRA Meeting Portal, which requires users to set up a personal profile to access our electronic forms (setting up a profile is quick and easy, requiring only a few minutes of your time). For more information, contact: Meeting and Publication Services USRA-Houston meetinginfo@hou.usra.edu 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 TRAINING OPPORTUNITY - PHOTOGRAMMETRIC PROCESSING OF PLANETARY IMAGERY USING ISIS AND SOCET SET The Planetary Photogrammetry Guest Facility at the Astrogeology Science Center of USGS would like to announce a training opportunity on September 23-25, 2013, on Photogrammetric Processing of Planetary Imagery using ISIS and SOCET SET. The training covers end-to-end, hands -on photogrammetric procedures for surface extraction from HiRISE images and data exchange between ISIS and SOCET SET. Seats are limited, so if you are interested in participating in this opportunity, please send an email to Dr. Raad Saleh (PlanetaryPhotogrammetry@usgs.gov) with contact information and a statement describing interest in the training. Please note: 1. The training is based exclusively on a standard set of HiRISE stereopairs. 2. While this training is based on HiRISE images, it would be our pleasure to advise participants on other planetary cameras for their projects. 3. If you would like to stay longer or visit later to generate your DTMs, please let us know. 4. If you are interested in ISIS training, please see: http://isis.astrogeology.usgs.gov/IsisWorkshop/index.php/IsisWorkshop 5. For FAQ, visit: http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/geology/photogrammetry-guest-facility Go to Downloads and follow the link "Planetary Photogrammetry Guest Facility FAQ". 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] ASTROBIOLOGY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR EXPLORING PLANETS WILL NOT BE SOLICITED IN ROSES-13 When the ROSES-2013 omnibus solicitation was released, the Astrobiology Science and Technology for Exploring Planets (ASTEP) program included a notice at the top that said in part "NASA may solicit research proposals under this program..." and the due dates were listed as "TBD." We regret to inform proposers that ASTEP will not be solicited in ROSES-13 due to a lack of funding. More information posted at: http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ Solicitation: NNH13ZDA001N Questions may be directed to: Mary Voytek (202) 358-1577 mary.voytek-1@nasa.gov [Edited for length.] 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 SOLID EARTH: THE EGU-OPEN ACCESS JOURNAL WELCOMES PLANETARY SUBMISSIONS Dear Colleagues, The EGU Open Access Journal "Solid Earth" (http://solid-earth.net) has recently started welcoming planetary contributions. In addition to terrestrial studies, the journal now focuses also on endogenic processes, interior and interior/surface interaction of and on solid Solar System bodies. The journal follows an Open Access policy and all published articles are available for free, and now has received its first Impact Factor (1.371). SE journal homepage: http://solid-earth.net Submission information: http://www.solid-earth.net/submission/general_terms.html Please, do not hesitate to contact us if you need more information or if you consider contributing with a paper. On behalf of the planetary topical editors Stephanie C. Werner & Angelo Pio Rossi -- Dr. Stephanie C. Werner Comparative Planetology Centre for Earth Evolution and Dynamics University of Oslo Norway http://folk.uio.no/stephaw/ -- Dr. Angelo Pio Rossi Jacobs University Bremen Germany http://www.faculty.jacobs-university.de/anrossi -- Stephanie C. Werner, Doris Breuer Angelo Pio Rossi http://www.dlr.de/pf/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-156/220_read-1025/ 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 IMPACT GEOLOGY - M.S. THESIS RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY Auburn University's Dept. of Geology and Geography - There is presently an opportunity for a new graduate student who wants to pursue a Masters in geology (M.S.) degree with emphasis on impact geology. The student's thesis research topic will be impact cratering on Earth and/or Mars. There is a two-year teaching assistantship associated with this opportunity. Qualified candidates must act quickly to pass through the university's admission process for fall term 2013 and must be willing to take up residence in Auburn, Alabama, and begin Masters studies on August 15, 2013. For more information, contact: David T. King, Jr. Professor of Geology 210 Petrie Hall Auburn University Auburn, AL 36849 USA KINGDAT@auburn.edu For more on our department please visit: http://www.auburn.edu/cosam/departments/geology/index.htm 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 POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) provides opportunities for scientists and engineers to conduct research largely of their own choosing, yet compatible with the research opportunities posted on the NPP Web site. An example of one of the research opportunities in planetary science is: https://www3.orau.gov/NPDoc/Catalog/17903 Selected by a competitive peer-review process, NPP Fellows complete one- to three-year Fellowship appointments that advance NASA's missions in earth science, heliophysics, planetary science, astrophysics, space bioscience, aeronautics and engineering, human exploration and space operations, and astrobiology. 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 $53,500 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. NPP Newsletter: http://bit.ly/162yBSO For further information: http://nasa.orau.org/postdoc/description/index.htm Questions: nasapostdoc@orau.org 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 DISCOVERY AND NEW FRONTIERS NEWS The May 2013 issue of the Discovery and New Frontiers News is now available at: http://discovery.nasa.gov/newsletter/newsletter.cfml Features include: - OSIRIS-REx Gets Green Light - Remembering Two Colleagues - GRAIL Analyzing Data - MESSENGER's Many Discoveries - Dawn Unravels Vesta's Past - New Horizons Plans for Hazards - Juno Readies for Earth Flyby - InSight Work Moves Forward - Strofio Nears Final Assembly - 150 Educators Attend Workshop 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 NEW HORIZONS ENCOUNTER HAZARD UPDATE Alan Stern (SwRI) & Hal Weaver (JHU/APL) The New Horizons Project recently completed a 1.5-year study of the potential dust impact hazard from small-satellite-generated debris as the spacecraft flies through the Pluto system in July 2015. This study concluded that the probability of a mission-ending dust impact is <0.3% if the spacecraft follows the current baseline plan, far below some early, more conservative estimates. Thus, the expectation is that the NH spacecraft will follow this baseline plan, with a close approach of ~12,500 km from the surface of Pluto. However, two alternative plans (SHBOTs, for Safe Haven By Other Trajectories) are also being developed to mitigate the (however- unlikely) possibility that new knowledge indicates the hazard risk is greater than predicted. One plan, GIS (Generic Inner SHBOT), has essentially the same trajectory as the baseline, but with the spacecraft turned so that the antenna faces the incoming dust particles ("Antenna-To-Ram", or ATR), thereby protecting the spacecraft underneath. The other plan, DIS (Deep Inner SHBOT), would also use ATR attitude as protection, but would additionally divert the trajectory to within ~3000 km of Pluto's surface, where atmospheric drag removes dust on very short timescales. Further discussion is available at: http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/overview/piPerspective.php [Edited for length.] 10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10 FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT - TARGET NEO 2 WORKSHOP July 9, 2013 8AM - 6PM National Academy of Sciences Building 2101 Constitution Ave, NW Washington, DC Target NEO 2 is the follow-on to the highly successful Target NEO Workshop held in February, 2011. This workshop supports the development of a robust human exploration program by ensuring that the technical viewpoints of experts in fields pertinent to robotic and human NEO exploration are provided and documented. Key questions: What are the technical challenges involved and what new capabilities are needed for the newly proposed Asteroid Retrieval Mission (ARM)? Are there any alternative approaches? What technical information is still needed to support and sustain a robust human exploration program to a NEO? Registration is free. To register, view the agenda, and obtain additional information, go to: http://targetneo.jhuapl.edu/ Material from the first Target NEO workshop is available at: http://targetneo.jhuapl.edu/archives/2011.php 11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11 PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html October 14-18, 2013 Communicating Astronomy with the Public 2013 (CAP 2013) http://www.communicatingastronomy.org/cap2013/index.html Warsaw, Poland October 27-29, 2013 Workshop on Planetesimal Formation and Differentiation http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/planetesimal2013/ Washington, DC Feburary 9-14, 2014 AGU Chapman Conference on Magnetosphere-Ionoshpere Coupling in the Solar System http://chapman.agu.org/magnetosphere/ Yosemite National Park, CA [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.php, 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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