January 2021 |
| 7
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Searching for Lunar Water with LunaH-Map: Tiny Interplanetary Spacecraft With Big Science and Exploration Goals (Craig Hardgrove, Arizona State University),
Virtual 
LunaH-Map is a new type of NASA planetary science mission manifested for launch on Space Launch System Artemis-1. Following in the footsteps of the MarCO cubesat's successful interplanetary mission, the LunaH-Map spacecraft is a miniaturized, shoebox-sized, interplanetary spacecraft that will use a small ion propulsion system to navigate into lunar orbit and a neutron spectrometer to map enrichments of hydrogen across the lunar South Pole. The maps produced by LunaH-Map will help constrain the amount of hydrogen within permanently shadowed regions, which will inform our understanding of sources and sinks for polar volatile deposits, as well as planning future lunar exploration missions.
To R.S.V.P., visit http://ow.ly/JW5b50CZI4h
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| 14
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A subterranean hydrothermal system and microbial nursery beneath the floor of the Chicxulub impact crater (David A. Kring, Lunar and Planetary Institute),
Virtual
An expedition sponsored by the International Ocean Discovery Program and International Continental Scientific Drilling Program recovered rock core from the peak ring of the ~180 km-diameter Chicxulub impact crater. Mineral assemblages in the core indicate the crater hosted a substantial and long-lived hydrothermal system. Furthermore, sulfur isotope compositions of pyrite framboids that precipitated in the hydrothermal system indicate it was inhabited by sulphate-reducing thermophilic organisms. The findings support the impact origin of life hypothesis, which posits prebiotic chemistry and the early evolution of life occurred in similar impact-generated systems during the Hadean on Earth and potentially in other planetary systems where similar hydrothermal systems are generated. To R.S.V.P., visit https://bit.ly/3ouPVuT
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| 20-21
|
Lunar Surface Science Workshop,
Virtual Session 7: Space Biology
The Space Biology virtual session will inform the community about lunar surface science programmatic activities at NASA and solicit input from the community on the potential for new scientific research that could be enabled by Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) and human exploration on the Moon and the technologies needed to conduct the research investigations.
|
| 21
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MSR Sample Caching Strategy Workshop,
Virtual
In October 2020, NASA and ESA formalized a partnership to bring samples of Mars to Earth. One crucial piece of planning that will have a large impact on the potential number, nature, and diversity of returned samples, and thus on the science that can be performed on the samples, is the caching strategy for the samples collected by the rover Perseverance. The delivery of cached samples to the Sample Retrieval Lander (SRL)is possible via transport by two pathways: 1) retrieval of samples cached on the Mars surface by the Sample Fetch Rover (SFR) and then transport to the Sample Retrieval Lander; and/or 2) delivery of samples retained on Perseverance to the SRL. Thus, there are multiple options for caching. The samples can be cached in one or more depots on the surface of Mars, and the Perseverance rover itself can carry a cache, allowing one or both of the above pathways to be utilized. Which strategies are actually implemented will depend on the nature and perceived value of each sample, the diversity of the samples at a depot, landing site accessibility for SRL, the capabilities of Perseverance and Sample Fetch Rover, lifetime projections for Perseverance and SFR, and the projected risk of rover survivability and trafficability of the terrain encountered. Potential scenarios may include acquiring duplicate samples as well as where, when, and how many depots are established. We solicit your participation in a four-hour workshop on January 21, 2021 (8am-12pm PST) to consider the strategy for establishing the caches on Mars. Key discussion points wil include: • What are the minimum attributes of a cache that warrants sample return? • What should be the strategy for duplicate sampling? • What approach(es) will offer the best balance between minimizing risk and maximizing the scientific value of the samples to be returned? The workshop will present a review of relevant material, and a forum for community discussion on possible viable scenarios for a sample caching strategy. More detailed information will be forthcoming. Please let us know of your interest so we can properly scope the meeting by filling out the Indication of Interest form at https://forms.gle/gf4rxQ1BjFqdVe9BA. Gerhard Kminek and Michael Meyer on behalf of the Caching Strategy Steering Committee (CSSC).
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| 21
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A tale of lunar water (Casey Honniball, Goddard Space Flight Center),
Virtual
For decades the lunar surface was believed to be anhydrous, however, reports by three independent spacecraft in 2009 changed this view when they detected a 3 µm hydration band on the Moon. The 3 µm absorption band is attributed to hydroxyl (OH) and possibly molecular water (H2O). The band exhibits variations with lunar time of day, temperature, soil maturity, and composition that has been interpreted as variations in water concentrations.
Data from an infrared spectrometer, the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) onboard the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, is widely used to study the 3 µm band, its spectral range, however, only covers half the hydration band. Due to the limited wavelength range of M3, variations of hydration has been called into question. To investigate the validity of variations in the 3 µm band we used the Spex infrared cross-dispersed spectrograph at the NASA InfraRed Telescope Facility (IRTF) at Maunakea Observatory in Hawaiʻi. Our improved data showed that the variation in hydration is real.
But is hydroxyl or water responsible for the variations? Distinction between OH and H2O from spacecraft measurements at 3 µm is difficult due to their similar spectral properties. We have developed a new approach for unambiguous detection of the water molecule on the sunlit lunar surface. At 6.07 µm the fundamental H-O-H bend of H2O is exhibited and is strictly due to H2O without contribution by OH. The only current observatory capable of 6 µm observations of the Moon at 6 µm is the Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). Using data from SOFIA we report the first direct detection of the water molecule on the sunlit lunar surface.
To R.S.V.P., visit Https://rb.gy/7z77ll
|
| 26-27
|
24th Meeting of the NASA Small Bodies Assessment Group (SBAG),
Virtual
The Small Bodies Assessment Group (SBAG) was established by NASA in March 2008 to identify scientific priorities and opportunities for the exploration of asteroids, comets, interplanetary dust, small satellites, and Trans-Neptunian Objects.
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| 27
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MEPAG Virtual Meeting #11,
Virtual
The next virtual meeting (VM11) of the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG), is scheduled for Wednesday, January 27th, 2021, from 10:00 am-2:00 pm PST, 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. EST.
Agenda items are expected to include updates about recent MEPAG, Mars Exploration Program, and Mars Sample Return Program activities, as well as presentations from Jim Watzin and Eric Ianson on Mars Ice Mapper and a discussion led by Scott Hubbard on Humans to Mars activities. The VM11 agenda and 2nd Information Circular will be shared in early January on the MEPAG meeting website (https://mepag.jpl.nasa.gov/meetings.cfm).
WebEx connectivity information will be included in the 2nd Information Circular. This meeting is open to all members of the Mars science community including our international colleagues, and we look forward to your participation.
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February 2021 |
| 3-5
|
Mercury Exploration Assessment Group (MExAG),
Virtual
This will be the first meeting of the newly chartered MExAG. The agenda will include an overview of NASA programs, ongoing science of the innermost planet, updates on ongoing and concepts for future spacecraft missions, and initiation of the development of a goals document for the future of Mercury science and exploration.
|
| 9-11
|
OPAG Meeting,
Virtual
The next Outer Planets Assessment Group (OPAG) meeting will be delivered virtually on February 9–11, 2021. The focus of this meeting will be on aspects of the Decadal Survey that are relevant to OPAG. Status reports will be requested from the Decadal Survey co-chairs and panel chairs. The meeting agenda will be posted at a later date.
Invited presenters are required to upload a presentation file two weeks prior to the start of the meeting, using the USRA meeting portal. Detailed instructions will be forthcoming.
|
| 22-26
|
Habitable Worlds,
Virtual
The Nexus for Exoplanet System Science (NExSS), a NASA research coordination network devoted to the study of habitability and detectability of life on exoplanets, is pleased to announce a virtual workshop on Habitable Worlds 2021. This workshop will generate input from the astronomical community during October 2020, culminating in a synchronous online meeting the week of 22-26 February 2021. The goal of the workshop is to identify opportunities and obstacles to cross-disciplinary collaboration on the questions of what makes planets habitable, and life on them detectable.
|
| 24-25
|
Lunar Surface Science Workshop,
Virtual Session 8: Structuring Real-Time Science Support of Artemis Crewed Operations
When astronauts walked on the Moon during the Apollo program, scientists were embedded in the Flight Control Team (FCT). These scientists populated a science backroom, and they were responsible for helping direct science activities, including sampling, instrument deployment, and other exploration tasks. In this way, the science backroom was critical in maximizing the productivity of the Apollo missions. Part of the reason for their success was that the scientists were able to work closely with the flight controllers, astronauts, and other critical members of the Apollo Program before, during, and after the missions. In the same way, scientists will work with Artemis Program flight controllers, flight directors, astronauts, and spaceflight engineers to achieve mission success and maximize scientific productivity by ensuring that the Artemis lunar surface missions effectively and efficiently accomplish high-priority science objectives.
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March 2021 |
| 15-19
|
52nd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (#lpsc2021),
Online
This conference brings together international specialists in petrology, geochemistry, geophysics, geology, and astronomy to present the latest results of research in planetary science.
|
| 22-24
|
Triple Evolution and Dynamics 3 (TRENDY 3),
Virtual
In this meeting we aim to explore the various observational and theoretical aspects of triple (multiple) evolution and dynamics, and the unique role played by triple (and hierarchical) systems in the (1) evolution of stellar and planetary systems; (2) merger of compact objects; and (3) formation of exotica. The workshop aims to serve as a focal point for researchers working on triple (and hierarchical) systems on all scales, to connect theorists and observers, and to link together and share knowledge and tools between groups working on similar questions. We will discuss the current state-of-the-art, identify open questions and find a way forward to answer them.
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April 2021 |
| 12-16
|
16th Spacecraft Charging and Technology Conference (#SCTC2021) *Postponed to Spring 2022*,
Cocoa Beach, Florida
The SCTC is an international series focusing on the science and technology of electrical charging of spacecraft by the space environment.
|
| 14-16
|
The UK Exoplanet Community Meeting 2021,
Birmingham, UK
UKEXOM aims to showcase the dynamic research on any topic related with exoplanets that takes place in the United Kingdom. The conference particularly encourages submissions by PhD students and postdoctoral researchers.
|
| 19-30
|
EGU General Assembly 2021,
Virtual
The European Geophysical Union (EGU) has announced that its General Assembly 2021, traditionally held each spring in Vienna, Austria, will instead take place entirely online due to the continuing risks posed by the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting restrictions on international travel. While we deeply regret another missed opportunity to meet with colleagues and friends in person next year, we’re committed to graciously accepting circumstances that are beyond our control and continuing the Union’s efforts to minimize the impacts of COVID-19 on Earth, planetary, and space science research. EGU is therefore excited to announce that we will instead host vEGU21: Gather Online (#vEGU21). This virtual event will be an entirely different experience from last year’s meeting, Sharing Geoscience Online, which we had just five weeks to plan. vEGU21 will provide a much more complete representation of the experience that EGU members enjoy at the annual meeting in Vienna. vEGU21, which will be accessible from around the globe, will feature the 2020 and 2021 awards ceremonies and lectures, mentoring, networking events, and many more activities in addition to nearly 700 scientific sessions. The current plan is to extend the meeting dates to April 19–30 but to schedule all technical sessions during the last week of April.
|
| 26-30
|
7th IAA Planetary Defense Conference,
Vienna, Austria
The International Academy of Astronautics will hold its 7th conference in 2021 in Vienna, Austria. The bi-annual conference brings together world experts to discuss the threat to Earth posed by asteroids and comets and actions that might be taken to deflect a threatening object. Highlight/Spotlight topic areas: Key International and Policy Developments; Advancements in Near Earth Object (NEO) Discovery; New NEO Characterization Results
Deflection & Disruption Modeling and Testing; Mission & Campaign Design; Impact Management & Consequences; Disaster Management & Response; Public Education and Communication; The Decision to Act: Political, Legal, Social and Economic Aspects.
To pre-register please use the following link:
https://atpi.eventsair.com/7th-iaa-planetary-defense-conference-2021/pre-registration/Site/Register
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May 2021 |
| 3-5
|
Heliophysics 2050 Workshop,
TBD
The workshop will examine current scientific understanding and what near-term investigations can enable and inform future investigations. From this scientific progression, the workshop will create a “Science Web” that maps current understanding to the next set of science investigations which, in turn, will lead to still later studies. These investigations will cover the range of work from basic research to operational efforts and would be agnostic to their mode of execution (e.g., theory, observations, spaceflight missions).
|
| 9-14
|
Origins and Exploration: From Stars to Cells (AbSciCon),
Atlanta, GA
The conference brings the astrobiology community together every two years to share research, collaborate, and plan for the future. Diversity, interdisciplinary research, and engaging topics make AbSciCon the premier conference for astrobiology
|
| 11-15
|
Distributed Volcanism and Distributed Volcanic Hazards,
Flagstaff, AZ
Most subaerial volcanoes are found in widely distributed volcanic fields made up of tens to hundreds of vents. Eruption styles and potential impacts also vary. Explosive activity ranges from mild Strombolian and ash-producing eruptions that produce localized tephra fall to more explosive eruptions that result in widespread ashfall. Effusive eruptions can produce far-reaching lava flows, and non-eruptive open-vent outgassing degrades downwind air quality. Many distributed fields on Earth are poorly instrumented and their eruptive histories are not well understood, which limits our ability to forecast the potential location, timing and magnitude of future eruptions.
The purpose of this Chapman is to bring together scientists to discuss, develop, and test conceptual models of distributed volcanism. Focus by the scientific community is especially important now because of continuing growth of cities, communities, and critical infrastructure within sparsely monitored volcanic fields.
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June 2021 |
| 8-11
|
Mercury: Current and Future Science of the Innermost Planet,
Orléans, France
Mercury 2021 : Current and Future Science of the Innermost Planet will focus on all scientific aspects of the planet Mercury, including both the current state of knowledge and the prospects for future endeavors. The meeting will welcome and encourage participation by the wide-ranging and diverse international Mercury science community, covering topics such as Mercury’s:
- exosphere and magnetosphere,
- surface geology and composition,
- deep interior geophysical and geochemical structure, and
- origin and evolution in the context of the Solar System.
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| 20-25
|
Asteroids, Comets, Meteors Conference,
Canceled
After much thought and consideration, we have made the decision to cancel the Asteroids, Comets, Meteors Conference that was to be held June 20-25, 2020, in Flagstaff, Arizona, due to the
rapid spread of and uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus. The welfare and safety of our community and staff is very important to us.
|
| 28-Jul 2
|
5th Planetary Data Workshop and Planetary Science Informatics & Data Analytics,
Virtual
The goal of this five-day meeting is to bring together data users, providers, engineers, and software designers and developers for discussion and training sessions. Topics will include the status of planetary data and accessibility, updates on mission archives and tools, informatics applications, data analytics technologies and capabilities, and new processing and visualization tools.
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July 2021 |
| 19-23
|
2021 Sagan Summer Workshop: Circumstellar Disks and Young Planets
The 2021 Sagan Summer Workshop will focus on young planets and the circumstellar disks from which they form during the first few million years of a star's lifetime. As a protoplanet accretes material from the disk, dynamical interactions drive migration and produce disk substructures such as the gaps, rings and spirals now detected in high-resolution optical, near-infrared, and submillimter images. Over the next 100 million years, planetary systems continue to evolve through processes such as collisions, differentiation, and scattering. These late-epoch evolutionary processes are reflected in the structure and distribution of secondary dust disks. These debris disks, formed as the result of planetesimals stirring, serve as signposts for the presence of planetary systems.
As with last year, we expect that the 2021 workshop will be fully virtual. However we will post updates to this page should that change.
The Sagan Summer Workshops are aimed at advanced undergraduates, grad students, and postdocs, however all are welcome to attend. There is no registration fee for these workshops.
Attendees will also participate in hands-on tutorials and have the chance to meet in smaller groups with our speakers.
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August 2021 |
| 1
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Experimental Analysis of the Outer Solar System II (#ExOSS) *Postponed*,
Fayetteville, Arkansas
The purpose of this 2.5-day workshop is to gather and network with those who work specifically in the experimental regime of the outer solar system and share ideas for improving instrumentation in the laboratories and future mission concepts.
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September 2021 |
| 13-24
|
Spatially Resolved Spectroscopy with Extremely Large Telescopes,
Oxford, UK
Due to the ongoing uncertainty with COVID-19, this workshop has been postoned until 2021. Please save the weeks of Sept. 13-17 and Sept. 20-24. The new dates will be confirmed ASAP.
The forthcoming generation of Extremely Large Telescope (ELTs) will reach unprecedented spectroscopic sensitivity coupled with high angular resolution in the near infrared. This workshop will bring together the international astronomical community to explore the transformational science that the spectroscopic instrument suites of the ELTs (GMT, TMT and ELT) will achieve. High resolution simulations have played a key role in the development of the instrument science cases providing a quantifiable means to determine feasibility and to predict the scientific outcomes that can be achieved. By bringing together theoreticians, modelers and observers, with interests ranging from exoplanets to cosmology, the goals of the workshop are to: explore the spectroscopic capabilities of the first‐light instrument suite of the ELTs identifying synergies and complementarities between them; encourage development of ELT science cases including preparatory projects on existing telescopes; provide hands‐on experience using the HARMONI simulator (H-SIM); encouraging collaboration and transfer of expertise between the instrument teams and the wider community; and explore synergies with other facilities.
The meeting will set the stage for the community to plan and coordinate ELT science programmes and pre-cursor observations, making use of quantitative estimates of what the ELTs can achieve.
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October 2021 |
| 4-6
|
Martian Geological Enigmas: From the Late Noachian Epoch to the Present Day (#marsenigmas2021) *New Dates*,
Houston, Texas
The Enigma Workshop is trans-chronological and encourages the participation of planetary scientists whose work has unearthed or addressed quandaries relating to Mars' atmosphere, surface/near-surface, and/or interior across the ages.
|
| 4-29
|
Gaps, Rings, Spirals, and Vortices: Structure Formation in Planet-Forming Disks,
Munich, Germany
Planets are formed inside the ubiquitous disks found around young stars. The unprecedented resolution and sensitivity of ALMA and high contrast infrared imagers have revealed spectacular features, such as gaps, rings, spirals, and vortices. It is now clear that disks are much more complex, dynamic objects than previously thought and a full explanation of the richness and diversity of features presents a formidable challenge to modelers.
This MIAPP program will bring together theorists and observers of circumstellar disks to join forces to decipher these observations and find new ways to probe the processes that drive disk evolution. The program format emphasizes time for discussions and collaborative work with a small number of focused presentations intended to foster interactions.
|
| 5-9
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Ultraviolet Astronomy in the XXI Century: 5th Workshop of the Network for Ultraviolet Astronomy - Face-to-Face,
Vitoria, Spain
The workshop has been split into two events to the covid-19 pandemic. The face-to-face meeting has been moved to October 5th-9th, 2021. In addition, a virtual meeting will be hold from October 27th-29th, 2020 (during the week of the previously scheduled workshop) to address fundamental issues concerning the world-wide coordination of the UV astronomy community. The meeting will be held from (tentatively) 15:00 to 18:00 Central European Time to enable world-wide participation.
The topics covered in the NUVA workshops include an in-depth review of the scientific needs and objectives, as well as an update on technological developments and status of projects. This workshop is especially important, being held at a time when major investments in UV astronomy are being discussed, and coordination is needed. In addition, the UV Astronomy Working Group within Division B (Facilities, Technologies and Data Science) of the I.A.U. has elaborated a proposal for a standard UV photometric system that requires review and approval by the UV community.
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| 25-28
|
Brines Across the Solar System: Modern Brines,
Virtual
The LPI’s Brines Across the Solar System (BAS) initiative dives into brines as a planetary process, from modern to ancient brines and the technologies needed to explore them.
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