Highlighted Events
Microsymposium 55: Scientific Destinations for Human Exploration —
Saturday, March 15, 1:00 p.m. to Sunday, March 16, 12:30 p.m., Montgomery Ballroom
The goal of Microsymposium 55 is to begin to provide a solid scientific foundation for the development of candidate human exploration destinations. As national and international plans to venture beyond low Earth orbit continue to develop, this solid scientific foundation can form the basis for discussions between scientists and engineers to ensure the type of shoulder-to-shoulder science and engineering synergism that characterized the very successful Apollo Lunar Exploration Program. Such a solid scientific foundation can provide a lasting legacy that will build on Apollo and extend well beyond humanity’s first flags and footprints. To view the program and register, please visit the Microsymposium website.
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Data Users Workshop —
Sunday, March 16, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., The Woodlands
Have you ever wanted to work with data from LRO? Here's a chance to learn about data from instruments on LRO, including where to find and use it, and what you need to know in order to get the most out of the data.
Workshop on MSR Campaign Sample Quality Requirements —
Sunday, March 16, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Panther Creek
The purpose of this planning meeting is to generate community feedback on threshold and baseline requirements for the quality of the Mars samples that may potentially be returned to Earth via MSR.
NASA Proposal Writing Practicum —
Sunday, March 16, 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Waterway 1
Sponsored by the Division of Planetary Science and NASA Headquarters, the NASA Proposal Writing Practicum is based on the cumulative experience of current and former Discipline Scientists who have managed a variety of Research and Announcement (R&A) programs at NASA Headquarters. The specific focus of this intense, educational session is to provide a greater understanding of NASA’s research programs and review process and offer constructive insight into writing an effective research proposal. The event is open to all at no charge. All interested planetary scientists, from graduate students through emeritus professors, are warmly encouraged to attend. To register, send an e-mail with your name, affiliation, and current position to [email protected].
Planetary Science Undergraduate Teaching Workshop —
Sunday, March 16, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Spring
This year we will be sharing a suite of teaching resources for your undergraduate classroom including EarthSpace (an online repository for higher education materials in Earth and space science), strategies for using social media to connect and share with your education communities, and techniques for assessment that will support and help share the story of your education efforts. Please contact Sanlyn Buxner with questions at [email protected].
Community Workshop for Users of ChemCam LIBS Data —
Sunday, March 16, 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Alden Bridge
The Community Workshop for Users of ChemCam LIBS Data is being held to educate potential proposers and/or other users of the planetary laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) data. Currently more than 7 GB of ChemCam data are accessible on the PDS, providing elemental composition information on more than 2100 locations along the Curiosity rover’s traverse in the first 360 sols of the landed mission. This represents a substantial dataset covering a highly diverse terrain in Gale Crater, Mars. Attendees are strongly encouraged to RSVP at http://msl-chemcam.com. The contact is Roger Wiens ([email protected]). The ChemCam data can be found at http://pds-geosciences.wustl.edu/missions/msl/chemcam.htm. Presentation materials will also be posted on the PDS.
SHARAD/MARSIS Data Users’ Workshop —
Sunday, March 16, 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Montgomery A
Radar sounding data from the SHARAD instrument on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) and the MARSIS instrument on Mars Express have provided a wealth of information on the near-subsurface of Mars. This workshop will provide an introduction to the data (radargrams) in both digital and image formats and explain how to locate the data on the planet, how to distinguish subsurface returns from surface clutter, and how to choose observations that minimize clutter just for starters. For more information and to register, visit www.ig.utexas.edu/sharad_marsis. Thanks to the generous sponsorship of the University of Texas Institute of Geophysics, there is no registration fee, but all attendees MUST register in advance.
45th LPSC Registration and Welcome Event —
Sunday, March 16, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Waterway Ballrooms 4/5
Check in early and avoid the lines on Monday morning! Registration will open at 4:00 p.m., and the welcome event will begin at 5:00 p.m. This event will give you a chance to network and visit with past colleagues. The speaker-ready room will also be open at this time, so Monday speakers can check in their talks in advance. Tuesday poster presenters will be able to install their posters during this time as well.
Dwornik Award Judges Meeting —
Sunday, March 16, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Grogan’s Mill
Training and information meeting for the Dwornik Award judges.
Microblogger Meet Up —
Sunday, March 16, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Waterway 1
An opportunity for the LPSC Microbloggers to meet and greet, compare interests, strategize on session coverage, and consult with conference staff.
Apollo 17: New Insights from Field Notes, Photodocumentation, and Analytical Data —
Monday, March 17, 12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., Waterway 1
A number of new insights into the geology of the valley of Taurus-Littrow and surrounding regions of the Moon have resulted from recent synthesis and integration of transmitted field notes, field recollections, and photodocumentation with more than 40 years of data from sample analysis and geophysical measurements. This noontime talk will be given by astronaut Harrison “Jack” Schmitt, Apollo 17’s Lunar Module Pilot, who became the 12th and final man — and only trained geologist — to set foot on the Moon.
Minority Institution Astrobiology Program —
Monday, March 17, 12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., Oak Ridge
The NASA Astrobiology Program Minority Institution Research Support (NAI-MIRS) Program was created in 2002 to broaden the participation of faculty and students from Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) in astrobiology research laboratories. The program provides sabbatical support, follow-up funding, and travel opportunities for faculty and students from MSIs to engage in joint research with NASA-sponsored astrobiology research laboratories. Come join us to learn more about participating as a host of faculty fellows.
MESSENGER Visible and Infrared Spectrograph (VIRS) Data Users Workshop 2014 —
Monday, March 17, 12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., Panther Creek
Since entering orbit in 2011, MESSENGER’s Visible and Infrared Spectrograph (VIRS) has acquired >9 million spectra of Mercury’s surface and created the first spectral maps of the solar system’s innermost planet. This workshop will introduce the available VIRS products, the calibrations applied, and tools for finding and using VIRS data. It is intended for anyone interested in using these data. Please visit http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/workshop2014/workshop.html to register for the workshop and for more information about the agenda and presentations.
Target NEO 2 Open Community Workshop: Final Report —
Monday, March 17, 12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., The Woodlands
The Target NEO 2: Open Community Workshop was held on July 9, 2013, to bring together experts for a technical discussion of the key issues surrounding NASA’s proposed Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM). The workshop addressed the following questions: What are the technical challenges involved and what new capabilities are needed for the ARRM? What technical information is still needed? And finally, are there any alternative approaches? This lunchtime meeting is an opportunity for LPSC attendees to learn about the workshop format, the participants and subject matter experts, the topic areas discussed, and the final report’s conclusions and recommendations. All are encouraged to attend!
Plenary Session Featuring Masursky Lecture —
Monday, March 17, 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Waterway Ballrooms 4/5
This year’s Masursky Lecture will be presented by Apollo 15 Mission Commander Col. David R. Scott, USAF (Retired). His talk, entitled “Masursky’s Moon and the Science of Apollo 15,” will discuss Harold (“Hal”) Masursky's contributions to Apollo 15, and the manner in which human exploration capabilities of today can be applied to four other specific lunar sites identified by Masursky and observed during Apollo 15. The winners of the 2013 Dwornik Awards, the 2014 LPI Career Development Awards, and the McGetchin Memorial Scholarship will also be recognized.
NASA Headquarters Briefing —
Monday, March 17, 5:30 p.m., Waterway Ballrooms 4/5
Representatives from NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, Jim Green and Jonathan Rall, will address the community.
Opening of Exhibits and Student/Scientist Networking Event —
Monday, March 17, immediately following the NASA Headquarters Briefing, Town Center Exhibit Hall
Did someone say “ice cream”? Come build your own ice cream sundae, visit with the exhibitors, congratulate the student award winners, get a sneak preview of the Tuesday posters, and have an opportunity to mix and mingle with all the students presenting at this year’s LPSC.
NASA AO Town Hall Meeting —
Tuesday, March 18, 12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., Waterway 6
The preparation of an Announcement of Opportunity (AO) is an arduous process involving a large group of stakeholders and interested parties. The Planetary Science Division has begun planning for the next Discovery and New Frontiers AOs by issuing a Response for Information from the community elucidating lessons learned, evaluating the effectiveness and impact of past AO policies, and considering changes to the AO process and its policies and requirements. As a followup to this RFI NASA is hosting a community discussion at LPSC. NASA participants will include Dr. Michael New, Lead Program Scientist for the Discovery Program, and Dr. Curt Niebur, Lead Program Scientist for the New Frontiers Program. Interested participants can share their experience and feedback during a discussion led by New and Niebur.
Golden Spike: Commercial Opportunities for Lunar Exploration — THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED
Tuesday, March 18, 12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., Waterway 1
The community is welcomed to attend an informal meeting about the commercial enterprise to the lunar surface, Golden Spike.
Lunarcubes Low Cost Distributed Science Network Gateway Interest Group —
Tuesday, March 18, 12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., Grogan’s Mill
As a follow up to the extremely productive and successful LunarCubes Workshop held in November 2013, we formed the Lunarcubes Science and Advanced Concepts for Lunar Exploration Special Interest Group (SPACLE SIG), with a goal of putting a network of up to 50 nanoscale packages to do advanced multidimensional science in cislunar space (orbit or surface) before 2020, doable with current technology and extremely affordable if costs are shared by participants. The objectives of the meeting will be to (1) discuss, get suggestions for, and invite others to participate in current activities of the SIG; (2) give “open mic” opportunities to present your views and latest work relevant to this topic; (3) disseminate information on upcoming opportunities, create collaborative teams, and strategize on how to create future opportunities to develop payloads and supporting technologies for cubesats in deep space; and (4) make attendees aware of the material on the use of cubesats for deep space exploration posted at lunarcubes.com as a “central clearing house.” We think it is especially important that everyone “be at the table,” including a broad cross-section of scientists, engineers, program/project administrators, technologists, and entrepreneurs, for these interactions to be meaningful. We’ve been talking almost exclusively among those within our disciplines or our organizations for far too long.
Education and Public Outreach Help Desk —
Tuesday, March 18, 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Indian Springs
Scientists are invited to work one-on-one with E/PO professionals to (1) determine ways to get involved in E/PO that match their time and resources and (2) achieve maximum impact with their E/PO efforts. Come join us to talk about E/PO!
Young Scientists for Planetary Exploration —
Tuesday, March 18, 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., The Woodlands
The loosely organized group Young Scientists for Planetary Exploration is hosting a two-part panel discussion and primer aimed at those just entering the planetary science field. In the first part, we will go over the basics of how NASA is organized, including tips on proposal writing and the newly restructured R&A programs, plus how to get on mission teams, grant review panels, and more. The second part of the agenda will focus on the current budget situation and how to take action by contacting your legislators. We will provide opportunities for attendees to do so in real time.
NASA PSD R&A Town Hall —
Wednesday, March 19, 12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., Montgomery Ballroom
Conference participants will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with various program officers from NASA’s Planetary Science Division to ask individual questions regarding the specific implementation of the new R&A restructuring and how their research most appropriately fits within the new programs.
BUDGET 2015: Planetary Community Town Hall —
Wednesday, March 19, 12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., Waterway 4
With the release of the 2015 budget this month, attendees will have an opportunity to hear from the Societies that serve the Planetary Science community, discuss the impact of the proposed budget on the future of planetary science, and review options for mitigating the cuts to our valued programs.
Education and Public Outreach Help Desk —
Wednesday, March 19, 12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., Panther Creek
Scientists are invited to work one-on-one with E/PO professionals to (1) determine ways to get involved in E/PO that match their time and resources and (2) achieve maximum impact with their E/PO efforts. Come join us to talk about E/PO!
NASA’s Astromaterials Curation Database —
Wednesday, March 19, 12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., Grogan’s Mill
Demonstration of NASA’s Astromaterials Curation database, including features that are useful for planetary sample science community and can aid in allocation requests. This session will also provide a forum for user feedback, as we will be soliciting questions and suggestions for future development.
Sixth Annual Susan Niebur Women in Planetary Science Event —
Wednesday, March 19, 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Montgomery Ballroom
Presentation and discussion on harassment and strategies for dealing with it. Opportunity for networking after the formal event in small-group dinners offsite. As always, all are welcome regardless of gender. For more information, please refer to the agenda.
Antarctic Meteorite Slide Show —
Wednesday, March 19, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Waterway 6
A light-hearted, colorful, and always humorous review of the most recently completed Antarctic Search for Meteorites season, hosted by the PIs and presented by the field party members themselves. Oh, and pictures of meteorites.
Education and Public Outreach Help Desk —
Thursday, March 20, 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Panther Creek
Scientists are invited to work one-on-one with E/PO professionals to (1) determine ways to get involved in E/PO that match their time and resources and (2) achieve maximum impact with their E/PO efforts. Come join us to talk about E/PO!
Venus Exploration Town Hall
Thursday, March 20, 12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., Indian Springs
Please stop by to hear about the latest Venus Exploration activities (updates to VEXAG documents and Venera-D Science Definition Team activities).
LEAG Town Hall —
Thursday, March 20, 12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., Waterway 4
Annual Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG) Town Hall meeting to update the community on the group’s activities and new programmatic information with respect to lunar research and missions.
Town Hall: Observations in the Solar System with HST and JWST —
Thursday, March 20, 12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., Waterway 1
This Town Hall meeting is proposed to give the community an opportunity to provide input to the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) solar system committee and a chance to hear the current status of the committee’s activities. Additionally, we will present the accomplishments and status of the recommendations provided to the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) team last year regarding solar system observations and solicits the community for further input. It is envisaged that there would be a half hour of brief presentations from both projects followed by a science talk and discussion. Our goal is to fully engage the solar system community to provide them with the tools they need to propose for time on HST and begin planning their observations with JWST. A key output of the workshop will be capability objectives for the JWST team to consider for further pre-launch operational studies, so that a broad suite of solar system observations will be enabled.
Implications of Program Restructuring on the Early Careers of the Next Generation: A Discussion (Sponsored by the Next Generation Lunar Scientists and Engineers) — THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED
Thursday, March 20, 12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., Waterway 6
The Next Generation Lunar Scientists and Engineers (NGLSE) group is holding a discussion forum to provide an opportunity for graduate students, post-docs, and early career scientists to gain a better understanding of how NASA program restructuring will affect them and what they should consider as they plan their career timelines/transitions. Some time will be dedicated to focusing on lunar-related issues.
Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA) Status Update —
Thursday, March 20, 12:00 to 1:15 p.m., The Woodlands
The Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission is an international cooperation to demonstrate asteroid mitigation by deflection of an asteroid with a spacecraft kinetic impact. AIDA team members will give an overview of NASA and ESA pre-Phase A studies of AIDA and discuss opportunities for members of the planetary science community to get involved with the AIDA mission. The AIDA mission design features two independent spacecraft, one impactor (DART) and one rendezvous probe (AIM). The target of this mission is the binary asteroid system Didymos. For a successful joint mission, one spacecraft, DART, would impact the secondary of the Didymos binary system while AIM would observe and measure any change in the relative orbit. AIDA will also include coordinated groundbased observing and modeling campaigns to study the asteroid deflection, which will produce a measurable period change of the binary.