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

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

1. Soffen Travel Grant Announcement
2. [NASA] PDS: Mars 2020 Mission Release 15
3. Postdoctoral Position - Planetary Science
4. Postdoctoral Associate in Planetary Surface Processes, MIT
5. Community Survey: Field-based Studies & Sample Processing Facility
6. Planetary Meeting Calendar Additions
7. Planetary Science Journal - New Papers
8. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets - New Papers

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

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SOFFEN TRAVEL GRANT ANNOUNCEMENT

The Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Fund is pleased to announce the Spring
2026 Travel Grant application opportunity for undergraduate and
graduate students pursuing studies in fields of space science and
engineering.

The Travel Grants enable student recipients to attend professional
conferences to present their research. Recipients may use the Grant for
either virtual or in-person conferences. The Soffen Fund will award up
to $1000 in total, with no individual award greater than $500, to cover
expenses related to presenting research at either a virtual or
in-person conference. The number of awards will depend on applicants'
needs.

The Spring 2026 Travel Grant application deadline is April 17, 2026.
Jerry Soffen, a biologist by training, led a distinguished career in
NASA, including serving as the Project Scientist for Viking and as an
architect for the NASA Astrobiology Institute. The Travel Grant
continues Jerry's dedication to educating and involving future
generations in space science and engineering pursuits. The electronic
application materials and instructions are located on the Soffen Fund
website:

https://soffenfund.org

Questions regarding the application or application process may be sent
to: ec@nasa-academy.org


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[NASA] PDS: MARS 2020 MISSION RELEASE 15

The NASA Planetary Data System announces Release of data from the Mars
2020 Perseverance Rover mission to Mars. This release contains raw,
calibrated, and derived data products covering sols 1620-1739 of the
mission, September 9, 2025, through January 9, 2026, and revisions to
previously released data. The data are archived at various PDS Nodes.
Links to all the archives can be found at

https://pds-geosciences.wustl.edu/missions/mars2020/index.htm

Data from the following science investigations are included in this
release:

- Mastcam-Z: Mast-mounted Zoom Camera System
- Engineering Hazard and Navigation Cameras
- EDLCam: Entry, Descent, and Landing System Cameras
- MEDA: Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer
- PIXL: Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry
- RIMFAX: Radar Imager for Mars Subsurface Exploration
- SHERLOC: Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence
  for Organics and Chemicals
- Superam: LIBS, Raman, Time-Resolved Fluorescence, VIS/IR
  spectrometers, Remote Micro-Imager and microphone
- SPICE: Observation geometry and ancillary data

To access the latest PDS Data Releases, please visit the following
link:

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

All available PDS data may be found at:

https://pds.nasa.gov/datasearch/data-search/

For further information, see the PDS Home Page:

https://pds.nasa.gov/


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POSTDOCTORAL POSITION - PLANETARY SCIENCE

The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of
Texas at San Antonio invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow
position in the Early Earth Laboratory (EEL).

Research areas include cosmochemistry, early Earth geochemistry, and
planetary systems modeling. The lab integrates quantitative modeling,
geochemical analysis, and experimental approaches to investigate the
evolution of planetary bodies and planetary systems.

Review of applications will begin April 30, 2026.

Full posting and application instructions:

https://bit.ly/4ctEvTH


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POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE IN PLANETARY SURFACE PROCESSES, MIT

The Gaia Lab at MIT invites applications for a Postdoctoral Associate
in Earth and Planetary Surface Processes (Cambridge, Massachusetts).
Our research focuses on hydrological systems and landscape evolution on
Mars, Earth, and beyond, and we encourage applicants with experience in
remote sensing, data analysis (including AI/ML), numerical modeling,
and/or fieldwork. Applicants are welcome to propose research directions
aligned with their own interests. For further details and to apply,
visit:

https://mit-gaia-lab-postdoc-ad2026.tiiny.site

For further information on current research, see also:

https://thegaialab.com

Deadline for full consideration is May 1, 2026.


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COMMUNITY SURVEY: FIELD-BASED STUDIES & SAMPLE PROCESSING FACILITY

Scientists at Northern Arizona University are conducting a research
study gathering views from members of the planetary science community
on field-based studies and the interest in a potential centralized
facility for sample processing and analysis.

The Field Sample Processing and Analysis (Field-SPA) facility is a
concept for a centralized facility to provide baseline sample
characterization capabilities. The services offered by Field-SPA are
meant to be complementary to more specialized capabilities available
via NASA's Planetary Science Enabling Facilities (e.g., PRECISE,
RELAB, K-ALPHAA).

We are interested in learning about individual experiences, and the
barriers members of the community may face when engaging in or planning
fieldwork. We are also attempting to determine whether a centralized
facility offering sample processing and consultation services would
change the way you approach and propose field-based investigations.

All responses are anonymous and we expect this survey to take <10
minutes to complete. You can access the survey using the following
link:

https://qualtrics.nau.edu/jfe/form/SV_7NXhYtVVHy6oX8q

If you have questions about this project or if you have a
research-related problem, you may contact Jean-Francois Smekens at
Jean-Francois.Smekens@nau.edu.

Thank you for considering participation.


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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

November 9-13, 2026
Illuminating the Cosmos: Chemical Elements in Stars, Planets, Nebulae,
and Transient Extra-galactic Events
https://indico.nbi.ku.dk/e/RTII
Heidelberg, Germany

November 30-December 4, 2026
Habitable Worlds Observatory 2026
https://hwo2026.sciencesconf.org
Paris, France


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PLANETARY SCIENCE JOURNAL - NEW PAPERS

Direct Links to Open Access Papers

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

Replenishment of Methane in Titan's Atmosphere by Intrusion-driven
Thermal Destabilization of Methane Clathrate Hydrates
Ashley Gerard Davies et al. 2026 PSJ 7:75
https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae47df

Measuring the Distances to Asteroids from One Observatory in One Night
with Upcoming All-sky Telescopes
Maryann Benny Fernandes et al. 2026 PSJ 7:76
https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae2fe0


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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

https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JE009447

Polarization Measurements and Source Locations of Saturn Electrostatic
Discharges During the Voyager Era
Masafumi Imai et al.
https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JE009079

Investigating the Detectability of Body Wave Phases From Tidal Ice
Cracking Events on Titan With the Dragonfly Short-Period Seismometer
L. Delaroque et al.
https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JE009432

Long-Term Variations of Jupiter's Stratospheric Planetary Waves
Modulated by the Quasi-Quadrennial Oscillation
Jialin Zhang et al.
https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JE009472

Rocket Exhaust Derived Surface Water Migration at Lunar Landing Sites
Mingyu Tian et al.
https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JE009582

Thank You to Our 2025 Reviewers and Volunteers
Amanda R. Hendrix,  Debra Buczkowski et al.
https://doi.org/10.1029/2026JE009815


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