PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 3, Number 28 (June 21, 2009) PEN Website: http://planetarynews.org Editor: Nic Richmond Co-Editors: Mark V. Sykes, Matt Balme Email: pen_editor at psi.edu o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o 1. [NASA] Learning Technologies Project Office Releases FY 2009 Cooperative Agreement Notice 2. Soliciting Abstracts for Impact Cratering Session, GSA Annual Meeting 3. Radio Isotope Power Systems: An Imperative for Maintaining U.S. Leadership in Space Exploration 4. Job Announcement 5. Graduate Student Opportunity to Participate in Planetary Science Decadal Survey 6. Preliminary Agenda for 6-8 July Planetary Science Decadal Survey Meeting 7. June 2009 Discovery and New Frontiers Newsletter is Now Online 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 [NASA] LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES PROJECT OFFICE RELEASES FY 2009 COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT NOTICE The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center's Learning Technologies Project Office (LTPO) has released a Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN) to conduct research and evaluation on the design and usage of Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOG) and Persistent Immersive Synthetic Environments (Virtual Worlds) for NASA Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education and Training. This solicitation seeks proposals that communicate the required approach and skills to contribute to NASA and other federal agencies, private industry and academia's research initiatives to improve STEM content and delivery approaches that promote the development of our nation's future workforce, workforce applications, and missions. The LTPO NASA Cooperative Agreement Notice is available on the NASA Headquarters solicitations website: http://nspires.nasaprs.com. Additionally, any Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) that arise after the announcement is released will be posted on NSPIRES. The NASA point of contact regarding the LTPO is: James L. Harrington, Jr. Learning Technologies Goddard Space Flight Center Mail Stop 606.3 Greenbelt, MD 20771 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 SOLICITING ABSTRACTS FOR IMPACT CRATERING SESSION, GSA ANNUAL MEETING Portland, Oregon, 18-21 October 2009 (Abstracts Due: August 11, 2009) Session T94. Impact Cratering from the Microscopic to the Planetary Scale Sponsored by: GSA Planetary Geology Division; International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP); GSA Sedimentary Geology Division; GSA Structural Geology and Tectonics Division; GSA Geophysics Division; Paleontological Society; GSA International Division Conveners: Christian Koeberl (Univ. Vienna, Austria) , Jared Morrow (San Diego State Univ., CA, USA) This session welcomes contributions on any aspect of the study of terrestrial impact craters, from their formation to structure, from ejecta to shock deformation, from geological to biological effects, including comparative planetology, and recent controversies. Submit an abstract to this session: http://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2009AM/top/papers/index.cgi?sessionid=23967 General: http://www.geosociety.org/meetings/2009/techprog.htm 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 RADIO ISOTOPE POWER SYSTEMS: AN IMPERATIVE FOR MAINTAINING U.S. LEADERSHIP IN SPACE EXPLORATION http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12653&page=R1 Please note this book can be downloaded for free. In addition, Jen Stutsman, a spokeswoman for the Energy Department, said the agency has requested $30 million in its fiscal 2010 budget proposal to restart the fuel-making process. 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 JOB ANNOUNCEMENT The Space Science and Engineering Center, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, seeks a postdoctoral Research Associate in Planetary Atmospheres, for analysis of imaging and spectroscopic observations of the outer planets under the direction of Senior Scientist Dr. L. A. Sromovsky. Extensive data sets to be analyzed are from the Keck II telescope and NASA Infrared Telescope, the Hubble Space Telescope, and from the Galileo, Cassini, and New Horizons missions. The primary analysis targets are the cloud structures and parent gas mixing ratios on Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune. Applications are due by 31 July 2009. For information on requirements, salary range, start date, benefits, application procedures, and SSEC, visit: http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/employment 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 GRADUATE STUDENT OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN PLANETARY SCIENCE DECADAL SURVEY The Planetary Science Decadal Survey extends an invitation to graduate students to act as observers/rapporteurs during meetings of the Planetary Science Decadal Survey's Steering Group and its five Panels. These notes will be posted on the decadal survey's website for use by survey members and the larger planetary science community. Attending a meeting will give students the unique opportunity to experience an insider's view of the activities of Planetary Science Decadal Survey; plus the opportunity to interact with committee members, briefers and agency officials. The SSB is not able to provide travel or lodging expenses. However, students will receive a small honorarium as well as meals during the meetings. Please note that students will need to sign a non-disclosure agreement to participate in closed sessions. More information, including the application procedure and list of meeting dates and locations, can be found at: http://www7.nationalacademies.org/ssb/planetary_decadal_grad_ students.pdf [Editor Note: The web address in this announcement extends over two lines] 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 PRELIMINARY AGENDA FOR 6-8 JULY PLANETARY SCIENCE DECADAL SURVEY MEETING A preliminary draft of the agenda for the 6-8 July meeting of the Planetary Science Decadal Survey's Steering Group is now available at: http://www7.nationalacademies.org/ssb/planetary_decadal_steering_ agenda1.pdf [Editor Note: The web address in this announcement extends over two lines] 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 JUNE 2009 DISCOVERY AND NEW FRONTIERS NEWSLETTER IS NOW ONLINE New Frontiers Program AO Released Next Discovery Program AO on the Way Kepler Mission Begins Search for Other Earths Interview with William Borucki - Kepler P.I. M3 Findings Confirm Lunar Highland Theory NASA Selects New Studies of Mars and Mercury MESSSENGER Reveals Mercury as a Dynamic Planet Pluto Planning Underway Dawn Swings by Mars, Resumes Thrusting EPOXI Characterizes Comet Hartley 2 Stardust-NExT Keeps on Cruising ASPERA-3/Mars Express Extended GRAIL Conducts Reviews Juno Completes Critical Design Review Go to: http://discoverynewfrontiers.nasa.gov to view and subscribe. Also check out the new Mission Milestone Interactive. 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. [Editor Note: If there is a planetary-related meeting, conference or workshop that you think your colleagues should be aware of, 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 * * To unsubscribe, go to http://planetarynews.org/pen_unsubscribe.html * * 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. Go to the PEN website for submission directions. ************************************************************************