Editor: Alex Morgan
Co-Editors: Mark V. Sykes, Matthew R Perry
Email: pen_editor@psi.edu
X: @pen2tweets
Bluesky: @planetarynews.bsky.social

o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o

1. [LPSC] NASA PSD Director Open Office Hours
2. [LPSC] Early-Career Networking Event for Ocean World 
   Researchers
3. [LPSC] Enabling Science with Space Communications and Navigation 
   Opportunity for User Input
4. Free Digital Elevation Models And Orthorectified Images Provided by 
   USGS Astrogeology for S-Cubed Martian And Lunar Proposers
5. Save the Date: Small Bodies Assessment Group (SBAG) 35
6. Lightning Talk Opportunity at April MEPAG Meeting
7. [NASA] PDS: Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Data Release 65
8. Novel Research: Seeking Subject Matter Experts on Meteoritics, 
   Particularly Martian Meteorites
9. Planetary Meeting Calendar Additions
10. Planetary Science Journal - New Papers
11. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets - New Papers

o---------------------------------------------------------------------o

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[LPSC] NASA PSD DIRECTOR OPEN OFFICE HOURS

The NASA Planetary Science Division Director (PSD) Director will hold 
four separate open office hours during LPSC, one of which is open only 
to Early Career LPSC attendees. For more information and to sign up:

https://forms.gle/kArp17HtKgyjBXwo8


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[LPSC] EARLY-CAREER NETWORKING EVENT FOR OCEAN WORLD RESEARCHERS

Student and early career attendants at LPSC are invited to join Future 
Leaders of Ocean Worlds (FLOW) for a lunch time networking event on 
Tuesday, March 17 from 11:30 am to 1 pm. We'll be meeting at the Food 
Truck Village (turn left out of the convention center and walk left 
along Lake Robbins Dr to the village). Look for us at one of the 
folding tables with a FLOW sign. Drop by any time during the lunch 
break to socialize with other early career ocean world researchers, 
discuss your research, share job advice, and network with a few 
special invited guests! We appreciate it if you can RSVP to let us 
know if you plan to come, but all are welcome whether you RSVP ahead 
of time or not. Lunch will not be provided, but can be purchased from 
any of the food trucks at your own expense. If you have any questions, 
reach out to Peri Johnson at pejohnso@purdue.edu.

RSVP:

https://forms.gle/i2V4QbaFLY9CLyk36 


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[LPSC] ENABLING SCIENCE WITH SPACE COMMUNICATIONS AND NAVIGATION 
OPPORTUNITY FOR USER INPUT

NASA's SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) Program is the 
essential connection to our human explorers, our science missions, and 
our partners. Its networks enable more than 100 missions to explore 
the unknown, innovate for the benefit of humanity, and inspire the 
world through discovery. 

The network of today must continue to evolve to meet future user 
needs. As NASA prepares to increase its cadence of missions under the 
Artemis program to achieve the national objective of returning 
American astronauts to the moon, it will require new communication and 
navigation capabilities.

On Wednesday, March 18 from 10-11 am CDT in the Panther Creek 
conference room, Dr. Ben Ashman, Deputy Program Manager for SCaN's 
Mission and Stakeholder Engagement, will host a listening session on 
how the network can support future science missions and invites you to 
come share your science priorities for the next decade to inform 
network architecture development.


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FREE DIGITAL ELEVATION MODELS AND ORTHORECTIFIED IMAGES PROVIDED BY 
USGS ASTROGEOLOGY FOR S-CUBED MARTIAN AND LUNAR PROPOSERS

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Astrogeology Planetary 
Photogrammetry Lab offers a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and 
orthorectified image production service to the scientific community to 
supply NASA-selected investigators with high-quality HiRISE and LROC 
NAC DEMs and orthorectified images. This service is offered at no 
charge to NASA-selected investigations through the ROSES program. 
Proposers need only to reach out to USGS Astrogeology around initial 
submission or at least three weeks prior to submission of E&R 
documents for a Letter of Technical Confirmation, or a Letter of 
Support. More information on the program, requirements for issuing a 
Letter, and how to request a letter can be found on our website:

https://tinyurl.com/5ya22n36


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SAVE THE DATE: SMALL BODIES ASSESSMENT GROUP (SBAG) 35

The SBAG steering committee wishes to share a "save the date" for the 
next SBAG meeting: SBAG35, which will be a fully virtual meeting, will 
take place within the window of June 8-11, 2026. The specific 
timeslots within those dates will be shared in coming weeks.

This is undoubtedly a time of change for SBAG in light of NASA's shift 
away from financial support of all 8 planetary science Assessment 
Groups (collectively the "AGs", see PSD Director Dr. Louise Prockter's 
January letter). Since this announcement, the steering committee has 
received and appreciates questions and opinions from the community 
concerning the plans and purpose of SBAG moving forwards. Though the 
situation continues to evolve, SBAG meetings provide unique benefits 
to the small bodies community, which is why the Steering Committee is 
moving forward with SBAG35. As Dr. Prockter says in her letter, "the 
community input of the AGs to SMD remains valuable", and we intend for 
SBAG to continue to serve as a focal point for building consensus and 
fostering community.

We thank the community for their continued engagement and look forwards 
to preparing an exciting and impactful meeting this summer.

Sincerely,
SBAG Steering Committee


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LIGHTNING TALK OPPORTUNITY AT APRIL MEPAG MEETING

The next MEPAG meeting will be held both virtually and in Baltimore, 
MD from 21-23 April:

https://www.lpi.usra.edu/mepag/meetings/mepagapril2026/

There is no fee to participate, but registration is required. There 
will be two sessions of lightning talks open to the science community 
and commercial partners. 

The first session is dedicated to ongoing mission updates and concepts 
for Mars missions and instruments. The second session is 
dedicated to new Mars science results and opportunities for community 
engagement. Please note that at this last NASA- and LPI-supported 
meeting, we will not be able to include presentations discussing DEI 
topics. Each session will be followed by a 30-minute break.

These sessions will take place on April 22 and 23 - we need your 
indication of interest for scheduling purposes. Assignment of slots 
for talks will begin on the 13 of March and all indications of 
interest must be received by 20 March. 

Please fill out the form at the link below. Note that presentations 
will be strictly limited to three minutes and no more than two slides 
(please plan to use QR codes to point attendees to longer 
presentations or papers).

Link to sign-up form:

https://forms.gle/dCCkB2YizxAuoyWQ9

[Edited for length]


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[NASA] PDS: LUNAR RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER DATA RELEASE 65

The NASA Planetary Data System announces Release 65 of data from the 
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission. This release contains raw, 
calibrated, and derived data products covering the nominal time period 
from September 15 through December 14, 2025. Some instrument teams are 
delivering more recent data. The data are archived at various PDS 
nodes.

- CRaTER at the PPI Node
- Diviner at the Geosciences Node
- LAMP at the Cartography and Imaging Sciences Node
- LEND at the Geosciences Node
- LOLA at the Geosciences Node
- LROC at the LROC Data Node
- Mini-RF at the Geosciences Node
- Radio Science at the Geosciences Node
- SPICE at the NAIF Node

LAMP has been delayed, and Radio Science has no data for this release.

The data may be accessed from:

https://pds-geosciences.wustl.edu/missions/lro/.

Or for a dataset-oriented perspective:

https://pds.nasa.gov/datasearch/subscription-service/SS-20260313.shtml

LRO releases occur every three months. The next release is scheduled 
for June 15, 2026.


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NOVEL RESEARCH: SEEKING SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS ON METEORITICS, 
PARTICULARLY MARTIAN METEORITES

I am an author writing a novel whose protagonist is an expert in 
meteoritics, and am seeking scientists who can advise on the 
protagonist's knowledge and lived experience to ensure accuracy and 
authenticity. Particular knowledge on Martian meteorites would be 
welcomed.

Why get involved with a piece of fiction? Our brains are wired for and 
hooked by story, and my hope is that a novel which weaves meteorites 
into the narrative will reach people who aren't typically drawn to 
scientific journals or nonfiction.

Fiction also allows a deeper exploration of what meteorites mean to 
humans, beyond their scientific utility. How they can be vehicles for 
exploring our own value and the fleeting nature of human existence in 
the greater story of the cosmos.

Email Kate at vkatehutchings@gmail.com for more information on the 
story premise and a list of my questions, with no obligation to answer 
them and get involved! 


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PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS

Note: Many face-to-face meetings going forward will have online
components. Check their websites for details.

Posted at https://planetarynews.org/meetings.html

May 24-29, 2026
JpGU-AGU Joint Meeting 2026
https://www.jpgu.org/meeting_e2026/
Chiba, Japan

July 21-23, 2026
2026 NASA Exploration Science Forum (NESF2026)
https://sservi.nasa.gov/nesf2026/
Moffett Field, CA

August 9-13, 2026
2026 Taiwan Lunar Symposium
https://twspaceunion.org/2026-taiwan-lunar-symposium/
Sun Moon Lake, Taiwam

August 20-21, 2026
4th Texas Area Planetary Science (TAPS) Meeting
https://sites.google.com/view/tapsmeeting/home
Austin, TX


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PLANETARY SCIENCE JOURNAL - NEW PAPERS

Direct Links to Open Access Papers

Editor, Brian Jackson
https://psj.aas.org

First Global Map of Mercury's Surface Roughness Down to Kilometric
Baselines: Implications for the Planet's Geologic Evolution
Gaku Nishiyama et al. 2026 PSJ 7:59
https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae447c

Observed Changes in Mars Soil Thermophysical Properties Due to Rover
Wheel Interactions: MER Mini-TES Observations and Applications to
Upcoming Lunar Rover Exploration
Benjamin D. Byron et al. 2026 PSJ 7:61
https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae45a6

Revealing Exotic Nanophase Iron in Lunar Samples through Impact-driven
Spatial Fingerprints
Ziyu Huang and Masatoshi Hirabayashi 2026 PSJ 7:62
https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae4504


11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11

JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH: PLANETS - NEW PAPERS

Direct Links to Open Access (OA) Papers

Editors-in-Chief, Amanda Hendrix & Debra Buczkowski
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/21699100

Exploring the Interior Structure of (16) Psyche Through Basin-Scale 
Collisions
Namya Baijal et al.
https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JE009231

Early Solar Wind and Dynamo Magnetic Field Topology Predictions for 
(16) Psyche and Other Asteroids
Atma Anand et al.
https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JE009219

Experimental Hypervelocity Dust Impacts in Olivine-Multiscale Insights 
Into Microcrater Shock and Melting Effects From Coordinated SEM/TEM 
Observations
R. Christoffersen et al.
https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JE009257

Rover-Induced Mineral Transformations: Extent of the Effect for the 
Mars Science Laboratory and Opportunities for Future Landed Mission
J. M. Meusburger et al.
https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JE009631

Effect of Boulder-Size Distributions on Thermally Derived Rock 
Abundances on the Moon
Brian Amaro et al.
https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JE008769

Shortwave Infrared Microimaging Spectroscopy of the Martian Meteorites
J. K. Miura,  B. L. Ehlmann,  R. Greenberger,  E. Cutts
https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JE009353

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