Highlighted Events

The following events are open to all interested members of the community. Updates to locations and times will be posted as they occur.

Monday, March 20

A Toast to Absent Friends: John Glenn, Ed Mitchell, and Gene Cernan —
Monday, 11:45 AM to 12:00 PM, Waterway 1-3
Apollo 17 astronaut and lunar module pilot Harrison ("Jack") Schmitt offers tributes and some personal thoughts on the recent passing of three pioneers of the American space program.

Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA) Mission Update —
Monday, 12:00 to 1:15 PM, Shenandoah
The Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission will be the first demonstration of asteroid deflection by a spacecraft kinetic impact. AIDA features two spacecraft, a NASA kinetic impactor (DART) and an ESA rendezvous probe (AIM). The mission target is the binary asteroid Didymos, whose mutual orbit will be changed by the impact. The AIDA Mission Update will be an open meeting. All are invited to come hear about the latest mission activities and plans.

Career Paths in Planetary Science —
Monday, 12:00 to 1:00 PM, Waterway 1-3
The Next Generation Lunar Scientists and Engineers (NextGen) group will be holding a panel discussion on planetary science career paths. We will have panelists from NASA, Moon Express, the Planetary Science Institute (soft money), engineering companies, and universities present. Topics of discussion will include selecting a career path, how funding works for each career path, mission involvement, etc. Significant time will be allotted for an open Q&A discussion. Everyone is welcome!

Ice Giants Mission Study Town Hall —
Monday, 12:15 to 1:15 PM, Montgomery A-C
This town hall will present the final results of the recent JPL/NASA Ice Giants Mission Study. Join us to hear about the results of the study, including the breadth and priority of the science, the studied mission architectures, and the study recommendations.

Plenary Session Featuring the Masursky Lecture —
Monday, 1:30 to 2:30 PM, Waterway 4-5
This year’s Masursky Lecture, "Planetary Topography from Laser Altimetry," will be presented by Dr. David E. Smith of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The winners of the 2016 Dwornik Awards, the 2017 Pierazzo International Student Travel Award, and the 2017 LPI Career Development Awards will also be recognized. This session will be streamed live on the LPSC Livestream page.

Rice Planetarium "Discovery Dome" —
Monday, 4:00 to 9:00 PM, Town Center Foyer
How do magnetic fields influence the planets, protecting life on Earth and organizing the galaxy? Watch a preview version of the new Rice/HMNS/E&S planetarium show: "MAGNETISM: Defending the Planet, Defining the Cosmos" in the portable Discovery Dome, which will be located in the foyer area outside the north entrance to the Town Center Exhibit Hall. Every hour, we will show a full version of the magnetism show, plus a 10-minute piece on the upcoming total solar eclipse, plus a short "best of" 10-minute version of the Magnetism show. Only got a few minutes? Feel free to stick your head in and take a peek (assuming it's not jammed full). The show will be available to download in low resolution from http://mms.rice.edu. The eclipse clips are available at http://space.rice.edu/eclipse. The Dome will also be set up on on Tuesday and Thursday evening from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m.

NASA Headquarters Briefing —
Monday, 5:30 to 6:30 PM, Waterway 4-5
Representatives from the Planetary Science Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate will address the community. This event will be streamed live on the LPSC Livestream page.

Opening of Exhibits —
Monday, 6:30 to 9:00 PM, Town Center
The Exhibitor Showcase will officially open immediately after the conclusion of the NASA Headquarters Briefing. Refreshments will be provided, so come grab a bite and check out the exhibit booths while networking with old friends and colleagues!