PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 8, Number 44 (September 14, 2014) 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. Noel Hinners, 1935-2014 2. The 4th International Workshop on LunarCubes 3. Early Mars Postdoc at University of Chicago 4. NASA Postdoctoral Program 5. Key 8th Mars Conference Presentations Now Available 6. PDF of Classic NASA Report Now available as PDF 7. [NASA] PDS: Mars Exploration Rovers Data Release 41 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 NOEL HINNERS, 1935-2014 Noel Hinners, a former chief scientist for NASA who helped plan the scientific exploration of the moon for the Apollo program and later oversaw projects such as the Mars Surveyor Program, has died. Hinners' brother Bill Hinners said Saturday that Hinners died Friday after battling a brain tumor. He was 78. Hinners began his meteoric space career in 1963 by helping plan the lunar exploration and was just 33 when Apollo 11 landed on the moon. He worked on the Apollo program until 1972, when he became the space agency's director of lunar programs. He later served as the director of the National Air and Space Museum in Washington and the director of the Goddard Space Flight Center. He retired from NASA as its third-ranking executive. (From the Washington Post) Other articles: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/12/us/noel-w-hinners-voice-for -scientific-research-at-nasa-dies-at-78.html?_r=0 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 THE 4TH INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON LUNARCUBES "Opening the Lunar Frontier" - will be held October 7-10, 2014 in Sunnyvale, CA. Scientists, engineers, investors and entrepreneurs are invited to attend this four day, interactive workshop to learn exactly how these tiny satellites are being used to explore space and the enormous potential they carry in opening the Lunar Frontier. The first three days of LunarCube Workshop 4 (LCW 4) will focus on the science, technology, missions and systems involved in using CubeSats, while the fourth day will focus on "Entrepreneurship for the Lunar Frontier". Don't sit on the sidelines. Learn how powerful and cost effective SmallSat technology can be in a super friendly, interactive learning environment. If you have questions, contact info@lsaworkshops.com. To register, go to: http://lunarinitiatives.com/lunar-cubes.com/registration 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 EARLY MARS POSTDOC AT UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO Department of the Geophysical Sciences at The University of Chicago seeks to hire a postdoctoral researcher to support investigations of the early climate of Mars through analysis of Mars topography and forward modeling of topographic change. The successful candidate will work with Assistant Professor Edwin Kite to assemble, analyze, and model crater-modification and crater-infilling datasets. Candidates should have a background in Planetary Science, Earth Science, or Astrophysics, and have experience working with large datasets. Experience with Mars is helpful but is not required. Start date is flexible. The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to develop a program of independent research aligned with the objectives of the group as exemplified by the projects listed at: http://geosci.uchicago.edu/~kite/proposals/ as well as to mentor undergraduate students. The University of Chicago hosts a vibrant planets and exoplanets research program, with particular emphasis on potentially habitable planets: http://geosci.uchicago.edu/planetary-science-planetary-atmospheres -and-exoplanets Application materials should be received by December 20 for full consideration. Applicants should send a CV, a brief description of research interests and experience, and the names of three referees as a single PDF file to kite@uchicago.edu. Please direct informal inquiries about this post to Edwin Kite (kite@uchicago.edu). 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) 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. 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. An example of one of the research opportunities in planetary science is: https://www3.orau.gov/NPDoc/Catalog/17613 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. The latest NPP Newsletter: http://bit.ly/1u0LcSj For further information and to apply, visit: http://nasa.orau.org/postdoc/description/index.htm Questions: 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 KEY 8TH MARS CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS NOW AVAILABLE The Eighth International Conference on Mars at Caltech last July saw over 650 "Martians" from 21 countries gathered to discuss the status of our exploration of the Red Planet. Three types of summary presentations from the conference have been posted on the conference web site: http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/8thmars2014/presentations/ 1. The introductory talks given by the invited speakers of each conference session. 2. Overviews of five upcoming Mars missions. 3. The Synthesis slides developed during the course of the meeting by the Integration teams, and presented in the concluding session of the Conference. For #1 and #2 above, 2-page abstracts can be found on the conference web site; additionally, full presentations are posted with the permission of the speakers. These reference materials provide a good snapshot of the state-of-the-art for Mars science as of July 2014. We invite you to delve into these resources, and to share this link with your colleagues. And we hope you can join us at Ninth Mars, which is tentatively scheduled for 2018! [Edited for length] 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 PDF OF CLASSIC BASA REPORT NOW AVAILABLE AS PDF The Ronald Greeley Center for Planetary Studies, the NASA Regional Planetary Information Facility at Arizona State University, has digitized the following classic NASA report from Greeley et al., 1978: Greeley, R., Womer, M.B., Papson, R.P., and Spudis, P.D. (1978). Aeolian Features of Southern California: A Comparative Planetary Geology Guidebook, NASA report, 264 pp. Feel free to download as a 438 MB PDF at: http://rpif.asu.edu/wordpress/index.php/rgcps/rgcps-downloads For more information or comments, please contact RGCPS Director David Williams at: David.Williams@asu.edu 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] PDS: MARS EXPLORATION ROVERS DATA RELEASE 41 The Planetary Data System (PDS) is pleased to announce Release 41 of Mars Exploration Rover data. This release includes data primarily from Sols 3511 through 3600, rover Opportunity (MER1/B), instruments: APXS Atmospheric Opacity HAZCAM NAVCAM MI PANCAM RAT Rover Motion Counter SPICE There are no Mini-TES, Moessbauer, or Radio Science data in this release. To access the above data, please visit the following link: http://pds.nasa.gov/subscription_service/SS-20140911.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 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 September 20-21, 2014 SpaceUp Toulouse http://www.spaceup.fr Toulouse, France June 2-4, 2015 Workshop on the Formation of the Solar System II https://indico.mpifr-bonn.mpg.de/FormationOfTheSolarSystem2 Bonn, Germany [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. 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