PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 6, Number 17 (April 15, 2012) 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. Call to Action! Contact Congress to Restore the NASA Planetary Budget! 1. [NASA] Planning Group Takes Key Steps for Future Mars Exploration 3. National Planetary Exploration Car Wash & Bake Sale 4. Last Call for Abstracts - Planetary Data: A Workshop for Users and Software Developers 5. Postdoctoral Researcher: Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) Microprobe Analysis 6. Postdoctoral Position in Planetary Science 7. NASA Postdoctoral Fellowships 8. Mars Exploration Program Proposals 9. Astronomer Job at STScI 10. 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 CALL TO ACTION! CONTACT CONGRESS TO RESTORE THE NASA PLANETARY BUDGET! Over the next two weeks, House and Senate subcommittees will be marking up the NASA budget. We need to engage Congress to restore the devastating cuts to the NASA planetary budget proposed by the Administration for FY13 and beyond. Go to: http://dps.aas.org/news/time-action for contact information and detailed talking points. Talking points are also available at: http://planetarypolicy.org/talking_points.pdf http://www.psi.edu/position/mars_restoration.html If the NASA planetary budget can be restored to its FY12 level and kept flat at that level, NASA should be able to implement most of the highest priority recommendations of the recent NRC Planetary Decadal Survey (i.e., R&A and Technology Development support, support for continuing missions, putting Discovery on a 24 month call), begin a restoration of the Mars exploration program (excluding multi-decade surface sample return), and allow for starting a possible Outer Planets flagship mission in several years if the economy improves. For details, go to: http://planetarypolicy.org/NASA_PSD_Budget_Report.pdf Mark V. Sykes sykes@psi.edu 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 [NASA] PLANNING GROUP TAKES KEY STEPS FOR FUTURE MARS EXPLORATION NASA's Mars Program Planning Group (MPPG), established to assist the agency in developing a new strategy for the exploration of the Red Planet, has begun analyzing options for future robotic missions and enlisting the assistance of scientists and engineers worldwide. NASA is reformulating the Mars Exploration Program to be responsive to high-priority science goals and the President's challenge of sending humans to Mars in the 2030s. Ideas and abstracts may be submitted online as part of NASA's effort to seek out the best and the brightest ideas from researchers and engineers in planetary science. Selected abstracts will be presented during a workshop in June hosted by the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston. These ideas will inform a strategy for exploration within available resources, beginning as early as 2018 and stretching into the next decade and beyond. The new strategy also will be designed to maintain America's critical technical skills, developed over decades, to achieve the highest priority science and exploration objectives. The call for abstracts and workshop information, are at: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/marsconcepts2012 For more information about NASA's Mars programs, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mars [Edited for length. The full text is at: http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2012/apr/12-112_MPPG_Update.html] 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 National Planetary Exploration Car Wash & Bake Sale To attract media and Congressional attention to the perilous NASA planetary exploration cuts proposed to take place 1 October, and the need to restore the planetary budget to FY12 or higher levels, a National Planetary Exploration Car Wash and Bake Sale is being planned for June 9th. Planetary groups and institutions are invited to join, sponsoring their own event locally and inviting media coverage to their event. Those already involved include planetary groups at: LPL, LPI, Moon Express (Google Lunar X Prize), Notre Dame, PSI, SwRI, UCF, UCLA, and the University of Maryland. More about the National Planetary Exploration Car Wash and Bake Sale on June 9th can be found at: http://www.boulder.swri.edu/~con/June9/PlanetaryCarWash.html and at our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/NationalPlanetaryExplorationCarWashBakeSaleDay Please consider organizing a local event of your own for June 9th, and registering it at the URL above. For more information, contact the Alan Stern, astern@swri.edu, nationwide coordinator for the National Planetary Exploration Car Wash and Bake Sale. 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 LAST CALL FOR ABSTRACTS - PLANETARY DATA: A WORKSHOP FOR USERS AND SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS Flagstaff, AZ (USA) June 25-29, 2012 http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/groups/Planetary-Data-Workshop We are pleased to announce Planetary Data: A Workshop for Users and Software Developers to be held June 25-29, 2012, at Northern Arizona University (NAU) in Flagstaff, Arizona. The meeting facility is at the du Bois Conference Center on the NAU campus. The two content tracks will share a common day on Wednesday to hold talks of overlapping interest. One or both tracks can be attended and there is no registration fee for either. Abstract submissions are due by April 30, 2012. Planetary Data Users Track * Share information on digital planetary data, including availability, access and analysis methods. * Present how-to guides for locating, acquiring, processing and working with digital planetary data. Planetary Software Developers Track * Bring researchers and technology experts together to discuss and exchange ideas to identify difficult planetary research issues that can be addressed by software development. * Present planetary data processing and software development methods and techniques. * If you cannot attend, we would like to invite you to share your thoughts on needed software technologies for the planetary community (5-10min survey). [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 POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER: SECONDARY ION MASS SPECTROMETRY (SIMS) MICROPROBE ANALYSIS The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), part of the Universities Space Research Association, invites applications for a postdoctoral fellowship in the area of SIMS isotopic and elemental analysis of Martian meteorites. The successful candidate will work with an international team at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston. Candidate should be self-motivated, and must have a Ph.D. in geochemistry, cosmochemistry, or related. Strong background in ion microprobe analysis essential. Experience in analysis/interpretation of Pb isotopes is advantageous. Experience with a Cameca 1270/80 is also advantageous. Knowledge of Martian geochemistry and petrology is beneficial, but not essential. Travel is required. Candidates should also present an independent research plan that complements the Martian meteorite study. Position is for one year, with possible extension to a second year. Applicants should send a letter of interest, a curriculum vita with list of publications, a brief statement of research interests, and three references to resume@lpi.usra.edu. Further details contact: Justin Simon (justin.i.simon@nasa.gov) or John Jones (john.h.jones@nasa.gov). Information on research and facilities at the LPI can be found at: www.lpi.usra.edu Information on JSC facilities can be found at: http://ares.jsc.nasa.gov/ares/index.cfm The Universities Space Research Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 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 POSTDOCTORAL POSITION IN PLANETARY SCIENCE The Department of Geography at the University of Winnipeg http://www.uwinnipeg.ca invites applications for a postdoctoral position in the field of planetary science. The postdoc will be supervised by Professor Ed Cloutis and focus on the acquisition of laboratory spectra using a variety of planetary environment chambers, analysis of existing laboratory spectra relevant to a number of planetary missions, field work at a number of Mars analogue sites, and supervision of undergraduate and graduate students. Applicants with a strong background and interest in planetary spectroscopy are encouraged to apply. The appointment could begin as soon as possible and will be funded full-time for up to 3 years. Continuation beyond the first year will depend on progress and availability of funding. Applicants should send their CV, brief summary of research, list of publications, and the contact information of at least 3 references to Ed Cloutis (e.cloutis@uwinnipeg.ca). Further details concerning the position are available from Ed Cloutis. [Edited for Length.] 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) offers scientists and engineers unique opportunities to conduct research at NASA Centers. Each NPP fellowship opportunity is designed to advance NASA research in a specific project related to space science, earth science, aeronautics, exploration systems, lunar science, astrobiology, or astrophysics. 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 $50,000 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. For further information and to apply, visit: http://nasa.orau.org/postdoc/description/index.htm Questions may be submitted by e-mail to 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 MARS EXPLORATION PROGRAM PROPOSALS The Mars Exploration Program has issued a Request for Proposals for the Critical Data Products VII on April 2, 2012. This RFP seeks proposals supporting the development of a number of scientifically high-priority landing sites on Mars that would be added to a list for future landed missions. Details of the RFP are posted at: http://acquisition.jpl.nasa.gov/rfp/NKB-2691-042012 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 ASTRONOMER JOB AT STSCI The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) welcomes applications from outstanding astronomers for one or more openings in the coming year. We are seeking enthusiastic candidates with an exceptional research record in observational or theoretical astronomy, including those with a focus on instrumentation. Appointments can be made on either the tenure-track or the scientist-track, and at junior or senior levels. We particularly encourage applications from researchers with a background in solar system science or optics, and/or researchers with a strong technical background. Tenure-track astronomers spend 50% of their time on personal research and 50% in support of the science operations mission of the Institute. Scientist-track astronomers spend up to 80% of their time in support of science operations and 20% on independent research. Scientist track astronomers have the option of buying back up to an additional 30% of their time for independent research using external funding. Candidates must have a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in astronomy, physics, or planetary science, and have postdoctoral and/or other experience demonstrating a distinguished record of independent research or technical innovation. Applications received by May 15, 2012 will receive primary consideration. For the full posting see: https://rn11.ultipro.com/SPA1004/JobBoard/JobDetails.aspx?__ID= *3780EA0670AE4E99 [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 PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html No new calendar items. [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. Title plus text is limited to 200 words. 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