Since the recent U.S. Presidential transition, a number of Executive Orders and a memo from the Office of Management and Budget have negatively impacted AAS/DPS members and the broader scientific community. A list of presidential actions may be found at:
These directives have resulted in the temporary freezing of thousands of federal planetary science grants and programs that enable DPS members and other researchers to carry out their professional responsibilities, advancing U.S. space science and the good of the nation. These directives have also resulted in the pausing of all meetings and activities of the planetary science Analysis/Assessment Groups that exist to provide scientific analyses and assessments to NASA. These include ExMAG, LEAG, MAPSIT, MEPAG, MExAG, OPAG, OWWG, SBAG, and VEXAG, and the Cross-AG Working Group along with other groups or activities developed by the AGs, as indicated in letters received from NASA HQ by Analysis/Assessment Group leads.
We understand that several federal agencies are implementing different and evolving actions restricting grants, travel, communications, and scientific publications. These impact the ability of our planetary science community to objectively and efficiently conduct its activities and serve the needs of the nation and of science. It also creates confusion and uncertainty among our colleagues, especially students and early career scientists, putting at significant risk current and future research efforts as well as U.S. leadership in space exploration and planetary defense. Indeed, several meetings planned for the first half of 2025 have been paused or were cancelled outright, and the groups listed above are stopping work until further notice, with no indication of how soon work may resume.
Furthermore, science advancement is accomplished by individuals building on each other’s efforts through a wide range of experiences and perspectives. It is critical to recognize that these directives have negatively impacted all planetary (and astronomy in general) scientists, and some individuals and groups significantly more than others. These changes have generated uncertainties and fears about near-term resources that are slowing or halting individual science investigations, with a particular impact on early career researchers who cannot weather an indefinite pause in building their research foundations. Funding delays and reductions in outreach and internship programs specifically hurt student recruitment efforts that are vital for continued growth of the U.S. technical workforce. DPS reiterates that all DPS members, and all planetary scientists, are valued community members and contributors towards science advancements.
Thus, DPS expresses its dismay at these actions leading to possible disruption and halting of scientific research programs, including planetary science, as well as other activities with congressional mandates. We request that more communication and information be dispensed by NASA and NSF as it becomes available.
At DPS, we also plan to dedicate Capitol Hill visits in spring and summer of 2025 to advocacy for the value of broad involvement in space science, including our and our colleagues’ research, NASA projects, and NASA missions. We will join forces with other scientific institutions and organizations, including at the international level, and inform our membership as the situation evolves.
To help us in this advocacy, we urge all DPS members to urgently contact their congressional representatives and express your support for ending the disruptions to open scientific research and to activities of Planetary Science Analysis / Assessment Groups, which are an important tool for NASA to tap the corporate knowledge of the science community.
In case you missed it, the AAS Public Policy Office is asking DPS members to share your story about how government decisions are affecting you, your careers, your work, your scientific discipline, and your communities. You may participate anonymously, and your feedback is invaluable in helping the AAS work in support of science and our scientific community.
AGU has also issued a statement and invites their members to participate in their short survey on how government decisions are affecting you, your careers, your work, your scientific discipline, and your communities. You may also participate anonymously.
THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DISASTER AFFECTING OUR COMMUNITY: CALL FOR SUPPORT
EPSC-DPS JOINT MEETING 2025 CALL-FOR-SESSIONS
URANUS ORBITER AND PROBE SCIENCE QUESTIONNAIRE: TOUR DRIVERS
NEW HORIZONS SCIENCE SPOTLIGHT WEBINAR
SAVE THE DATE: 87TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE METEORITICAL SOCIETY
COMMUNITY INPUT FOR THE NASA DECADAL ASTROBIOLOGY RESEARCH AND EXPLORATION STRATEGY THROUGH WHITE PAPERS
NASA PLANETARY SCIENCE DIVISION LEADERSHIP CHANGES
LIST OF PLANETARY SCIENCE INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
EXPLORATION SCIENCE SUMMER INTERN PROGRAM LPI
EUROPA ICONS: STEM INTERNSHIP FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
DIVERSE + INCLUSIVE NAVAL OCEANOGRAPHIC SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
ANNOUNCING APOPHIS T-4 YEARS WORKSHOP
MARS MATISSE COMMUNITY WORKSHOP
46TH SCIENTIFIC ASSEMBLY OF THE COMMITTEE ON SPACE RESEARCH (COSPAR) AND ASSOCIATED EVENTS “COSPAR 2026”
6TH SYMPOSIUM OF THE COMMITTEE ON SPACE RESEARCH (COSPAR): SPACE EXPLORATION 2025: A SYMPOSIUM ON HUMANITY’S CHALLENGES AND CELESTIAL SOLUTIONS “COSPAR 2025”
LATE ABSTRACT SUBMISSION FOR EGU GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2025 DUE TO SESSION CONVENERS BEFORE JANUARY 21
CURRENT TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THE PLANETARY SCIENCE JOURNAL AND ICARUS
JOBS, POSITIONS, AND OPPORTUNITIES
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THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DISASTER AFFECTING OUR COMMUNITY: CALL FOR SUPPORT
The news out of southern California is devastating and points to an unprecedented disaster affecting our community. Four life-threatening wildfires are wreaking havoc across Los Angeles County. Two of the fires, the Pacific Palisades and the Eaton Canyon fires, each have an extent of more than 10,000 acres and, as of recently, are less than 15% and 35% contained. Tens of thousands have been forced to evacuate their homes; many have lost everything they own.
The planetary and space science community at Caltech, JPL and nearby sister organizations has been particularly impacted by the fires. Hundreds of people in the Caltech/JPL community have lost all their possessions and their homes. Many of our colleagues, most especially within the JPL/Caltech/Carnegie communities but also others, live and work in the affected areas and have suffered immensely from the wildfires and lost so much. This includes students, postdocs, researchers, staff members and professors, many with children. These people need literally everything right now, and others are still threatened. Our thoughts and sympathy are with all of them.
The community response has been amazing so far, but the need is greater still. In a spirit of solidarity, may you consider donating to one of the following relief funds to help those in our community who have been impacted by this disaster. Please consider that community support is very helpful to the mental health of those affected as they face the grim task of rebuilding their lives. It will be a long road.
Please consider donating if you can to one of these relief funds:
The Caltech-JPL Community: NASA JPL is untouched by fire due to the brave dedication of our first responders. But that community has been very seriously impacted with over 150 employees having lost their homes and many more displaced. Please consider donating to the Caltech and JPL Disaster Relief Fund. The Caltech and JPL Disaster Relief Fund – Advancement and Alumni Relations
With our deep support, our warmest thoughts and wishes for clearer skies soon to all suffering at these terrible times.
The DPS Committee
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EPSC-DPS JOINT MEETING 2025 CALL-FOR-SESSIONS
Dear colleagues,
The EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2025 will be held at Finlandia Hall, Helsinki, Finland on 7–12 September 2025.
The Europlanet Science Congress (EPSC) is the annual meeting place of the Europlanet community, which invites contributions from planetary scientists from all over the world. First held in Berlin in 2006 and regularly attracting 1,200 participants, EPSC is the largest planetary science meeting held in Europe. It covers the entire range of planetary sciences with an extensive mix of talks, workshops, and poster sessions while providing a unique space for networking and exchange of experiences. In 2011 EPSC joined forces for the first time with the Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) and they held their first joint meeting in Nantes, France. The intent of the joint meetings is not only to connect the European and US planetary science communities, but also to consolidate two major meetings, which should motivate planetary scientists from all over the globe to attend. This year will mark the third iteration of a joint Europe-based meeting. Given the record number of participants at the last two EPSCs we expect to exceed 2000 participants this year.
The success of our meetings is founded on the excellence of the scientific sessions held by the session conveners. We therefore encourage you to submit session proposals through the conference website by 5 March 2025.
Looking forward to a great joint meeting this year in Helsinki !
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URANUS ORBITER AND PROBE SCIENCE QUESTIONNAIRE: TOUR DRIVERS
All members of the planetary science community are invited to take part in a voluntary, non-binding, questionnaire about the Uranus Flagship mission’s orbital tour design. This community-led poll is designed to better understand the parameters needed for studying each aspect of the Uranus system, based on the Decadal Survey’s science objectives. The poll will close on March 30, and the aggregated results will be posted to public webpages (past workshops and/or OPAG, as appropriate) for broader community use.
Join us on 23 January 2025, 2:30-3pm EST (11:30-12 PST,12:30-1pm MST,1:30-2pm CST)
New Horizons continues its operation, now at 60.7au from the Sun. Since 2015 it has made ground-breaking discoveries of the Pluto-Charon system, flown past the small contact KBO binary Arrokoth and collected phase and light curve data for some three dozen additional KBOs and the ice giants. It has also been sampling dust density throughout the solar system and studying the cosmic optical background. To raise awareness of New Horizon’s scientific impact we are beginning a new spotlight seminar series (30 min, fourth week each month) which we invite you to attend online, or watch recorded at your convenience.
Our speaker will be J. Michael Shull of University of Colorado Boulder and he will be speaking on:
“Excess Ultraviolet Emission at High Galactic Latitudes: A New Horizons View”
For questions, contact New Horizons CoI Susan Benecchi, [email protected]
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SAVE THE DATE: 87TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE METEORITICAL SOCIETY
You are cordially invited to attend the 87th annual meeting of The Meteoritical Society, which will take place on July 14–18, 2025, at thePerth Convention and Exhibition Center (PCEC) in Perth, Western Australia. The meeting will be in person only, with no virtual component available.
The meeting is hosted by Curtin University’s School of Earth and Planetary Sciences and the Space Science and Technology Centre. Onsite conference registration will begin at 3:00 p.m. on July 13, 2025, with a welcome reception commencing at 5:00 p.m. at the WA Museum Boola Bardip, home of one of the largest meteorite collections in the world. Oral and poster sessions, as well as the Barringer Invitational Lecture, will take place at the PCEC. Proposals for additional special sessions are encouraged. Further details regarding the scientific program will be provided at a future date. Please note that the Meteoroids conference is also happening in Perth a week before MetSoc for those brave enough to undertake back-to-back meetings.
To be added to the mailing list to receive additional information about this meeting, submit anindication of interest.
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COMMUNITY INPUT FOR THE NASA DECADAL ASTROBIOLOGY RESEARCH AND EXPLORATION STRATEGY THROUGH WHITE PAPERS
NASA is inviting community input for the NASA Decadal Astrobiology Research and Exploration Strategy (NASA-DARES) through white papers, which are due on February 4, 2025. They seek broad engagement from the scientific community that may have an important stake in the future of astrobiology at NASA.
To foster collaboration, ExoPAG has created a community spreadsheet to coordinate white paper preparation for NASA-DARES. You can explore this resource here:https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exep/exopag/NASA-DARES/.
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NASA PLANETARY SCIENCE DIVISION LEADERSHIP CHANGES
The past several months has seen several changes in the leadership of NASA’s Planetary Science Division (PSD). As of December 1, 2024, Dr. Charles Webb is the Acting PSD Director. Starting in Spring 2025, Dr. Louise Prockter will take on the PSD Director for a one-year term. For full details of all the changes, please read the letter to the community from Dr Nicky Fox (Associate Administrator for Science) posted online:
LIST OF PLANETARY SCIENCE INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
The Planetary Geology Division of GSA has created a crowd-sourced spreadsheet specifically for sharing internship opportunities in planetary sciences. The goal of this sheet is to create a
single-source list of opportunities particularly for internships, including opportunities not associated with an institutional program which can be harder to advertise.
Please contribute opportunities to grow the internship list, and share the link with your students.
The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) is accepting applications for the 2025 Exploration Science Summer Intern Program, which will run from May 27 to July 25, 2025, in Houston, Texas. This program offers students the opportunity to contribute to the next era of lunar exploration, including supporting missions such as Artemis II, upcoming lunar landings near the lunar south pole, and efforts tied to the Global Exploration Roadmap.
The LPI invites applications from graduate students in geology, planetary science, and related programs. Selected interns will receive financial support to cover living expenses in Houston and up to $1,000 for reimbursement of travel expenses.
EUROPA ICONS: STEM INTERNSHIP FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
The Europa ICONS program will pair Europa Clipper science team members with undergraduate students for a 10-week research experience during which the students will perform original scientific research. Internships may be in person at a Europa Clipper science team member’s institution, virtual, or hybrid, depending on the research project and individuals needs of the intern and mentor. Mentors and interns will convene the week of July 28, 2025 for a mini conference at the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, MD to build relationships and to present the work completed over the summer.
Interns will get a $12,000 stipend; travel costs to APL will be paid for by NASA. For in-person interns, NASA will pay up to $1000 for relocation and provide a housing stipend. Apply via stemgateway.nasa.gov. Search for “Europa ICONS” to see projects available. This opportunity is only open to US Citizens. Applications are due February 28, 2025.
Questions? Contact Dr. Amanda Nahm, Europa Clipper Deputy Program Scientist [email protected]
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DIVERSE + INCLUSIVE NAVAL OCEANOGRAPHIC SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Are you (or do you know) an undergraduate interested in doing paid planetary/earth science research this summer? If so, please apply to the University of Washington Applied Physics Lab DINOSIP program before 2/28/25!
DINO SIP aims to provide underrepresented minority students with an opportunity to experience and conduct project-based research, participate in professional development, build community with other young scientists, and learn how to navigate the pathways to a career in planetary/earth science, maritime and oceanographic science, technology, mathematics, or engineering (STEM) fields.
Members of historically underrepresented minorities (including, but not limited to, African-, Hispanic- and Native-Americans, Pacific Islanders, first generation, LGBTQ+, military veterans and families, and disabled individuals) in STEM fields are highly encouraged to apply. Falling short of prerequisites will not necessarily result in rejection, so we encourage any student that is highly interested to apply, especially since projects will be matched to the student’s level of experience. I will host two virtual info sessions, and the Zoom links are posted on our webpage.
For any queries regarding the program, or application, please contact Dr. Amanda Labrado ([email protected])
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ANNOUNCING APOPHIS T-4 YEARS WORKSHOP
The Apophis T-4 Years: Knowledge Opportunity for the Science of Planetary Defense workshop will be held April 9-10, 2025, at the University of Tokyo.
This workshop will focus on international collaboration opportunities for both Earth–based observations and in situ investigations, the OSIRIS–APEX mission, Destiny+, and other implementable mission or instrument concepts. There are adjacent workshops at the same location dedicated to Hera (April 7–8, 2025) and RAMSES (April 11, 2025). Apophis T–4 (April 9–10, 2025) will place the greatest emphasis on Apophis science. Hera and RAMSES Workshop information will be available soon. Both in-person and virtual attendance are anticipated.
The abstract deadline is February 3, 2025. Please register your indication of interest at the meeting website and check for ongoing updates, including details on limited travel grant support for students and early-career researchers. https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/apophis2025/
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MARS MATISSE COMMUNITY WORKSHOP
The 2025 “Mars Magnetosphere ATmosphere Ionosphere and Space-weather SciencE” (M-MATISSE) community workshop will be held on 19-23 May 2025 at University College London, United Kingdom. Everyone with interest in the ESA Medium class (M7) mission candidate is welcome to participate.
The workshop aims to bring the scientific community together to discuss the M-MATISSE M7 mission candidate progress in order to help with the consolidation of the M-MATISSE science report (i.e., the Yellow Book) that it is due in early 2026. This is a chance to help shape the
science of the mission.
Participants are invited to submit abstracts addressing one or more of the scientific goals of the mission that can be found at:
Registration deadline: 31 March 2025 – There are no registration fees.
Early Career Support deadline: 24 January 2025. We are able to support a few early careers. The application for this support will open soon, please check our website for updates.
If you have any questions or wish to suggest any changes to the website, please contact us: [email protected]
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46TH SCIENTIFIC ASSEMBLY OF THE COMMITTEE ON SPACE RESEARCH (COSPAR) AND ASSOCIATED EVENTS “COSPAR 2026”
Host Organization: Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF)
Place: Florence, Italy
Date: 1 – 9 August 2026
Topics:
Approximately 150 meetings covering the fields of COSPAR Scientific Commissions (SC), Panels, and Task Groups:
SC A: The Earth’s Surface, Meteorology and Climate
SC B: The Earth-Moon System, Planets, and Small Bodies of the Solar System
SC C: The Upper Atmospheres of the Earth and Planets Including Reference Atmospheres
SC D: Space Plasmas in the Solar System, Including Planetary Magnetospheres
SC E: Research in Astrophysics from Space
SC F: Life Sciences as Related to Space
SC G: Materials Sciences in Space
SC H: Fundamental Physics in Space
Panel on Satellite Dynamics (PSD)
Panel on Scientific Ballooning (PSB)
Panel on Potentially Environmentally Detrimental Activities in Space (PEDAS)
Panel on Radiation Belt Environment Modelling (PRBEM)
Panel on Space Weather (PSW)
Panel on Planetary Protection (PPP)
Panel on Capacity Building (PCB)
Panel on Education (PE)
Panel on Exploration (PEX)
Panel on Interstellar Research (PIR)
Panel on Innovative Solutions (PoIS)
Panel on Social Sciences and the Humanities (PSSH)
Panel on IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility) (PIDEA)
Panel on Establishing a Constellation of Small Satellites (PCSS)
Panel on Machine Learning and Data Science (PMLDS)
Task Group on Establishing an International Geospace Systems Program (TGIGSP)
Selected papers published in Advances in Space Research and Life Sciences in Space Research, fully refereed journals with no deadlines open to all submissions in relevant fields.
6TH SYMPOSIUM OF THE COMMITTEE ON SPACE RESEARCH (COSPAR): SPACE EXPLORATION 2025: A SYMPOSIUM ON HUMANITY’S CHALLENGES AND CELESTIAL SOLUTIONS “COSPAR 2025”
Host Organizations: Cyprus Space Exploration Organization (CSEO)
Date: 3 – 7 November 2025
Place: Nicosia, Cyprus
Various sessions organized under the themes:
Humanity’s Challenges and the Potential of Space
Space as a Unifying Force: Fostering International Collaboration
Space Tech for Earth and Beyond: Innovation, AI, and Sustainable Solutions
The Ethics of Exploration: Responsible and Inclusive Space Endeavours
Capacity Building, CubeSats and Outreach Event
Planetary Protection
Selected papers published in Advances in Space Research and Life Sciences in Space Research, fully refereed journals with no deadlines, open to all submissions in relevant fields.
LATE ABSTRACT SUBMISSION FOR EGU GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2025 DUE TO SESSION CONVENERS BEFORE JANUARY 21
Dear PS Colleagues,
NOW is your opportunity to contribute to one of the world’s leading geoscience conferences by presenting your latest research and connecting with fellow scientists in our global community. We encourage you to explore the Planetary & Solar System Sciences (PS) sessions and consider submitting your abstracts under one of our diverse subprogram themes.
The abstract submission deadline was Wednesday, 15 January 2025, 13:00 CET.
Late abstract submissions must be sent to conveners well in advance of their January 21, 2025 13:00 CET strict upload deadline. EGU25 – How to submit an abstract
If you have any questions regarding specific sessions or subprogram groups, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the session conveners or the scientific officers for each subprogram. They are here to assist you and ensure a smooth experience with your submission. You can find their names and contact details on the EGU25PS Division page here.
Visit www.egu25.eu for all the information you need on abstract submissions, program details, and important deadlines. Monthly updates will also be posted there to keep you informed.
We look forward to your contributions and a vibrant Planetary & Solar System Sciences program. If you are late in submitting your abstract, please contact the conveners who can help out.
Best regards,
Anezina Solomonidou
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Anezina Solomonidou (she, her) PS Division President
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CURRENT TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THE PLANETARY SCIENCE JOURNAL AND ICARUS
The current issues for both DPS-affiliated journals are here:
Full details for several new positions can be found on the DPS job board.
A summary of recent job announcements and postdoc opportunities are listed below.
Staff Scientist NED Caltech/IPAC – Application Deadline March 15, 2025
IPAC has an immediate opening for a scientist to work with the NED team. The primary responsibility of this position is to contribute to keeping the content of the database current and accurate by assimilating the diverse and rapidly growing data published in the astrophysics literature and associated catalogs. The successful candidate will also help identify new approaches that can be implemented by NED to accelerate data ingest, and help to design, implement, and test those approaches. The scientist will also conduct astronomical research related to NED’s mission.
Postdoctoral Scholar: Asteroid Radar – University of Central Florida
The incumbent will be expected to participate in data analysis, physical and dynamical characterization of near-Earth asteroids using radar and optical data, and support archiving asteroid shape models in the Planetary Data System (PDS). This position is open until filled.
Data Systems Development Team Lead – Caltech/IPAC – Deadline Jan 31, 2025
PAC at Caltech has an opening for a Senior Applications Developer with a strong background in Unix software development to lead the Data Systems development team at the NASA/IPAC Infrared Science Archive (IRSA). Come be a part of the team that is helping astronomers and data scientists all over the world access and explore IRSA’s petabyte archives of astronomy data!
As lead of IRSA’s Data Systems Team, you will manage the activities of a group of IRSA scientists and developers who share the overarching goal of supporting community science with archival IRSA and other NASA data sets. Your development work may involve processing astrophysics space mission data, containerization & cloud technologies, large scale databases, and petabyte-scale storage. You will also work with scientists and other developers to help interpret and implement project requirements and document the work that you’ve accomplished.
NASA Postdoctoral Fellowship – Application Deadline March 1, 2025
The NASA Postdoctoral Program offers US and international scientists the opportunity to advance their research while contributing to NASA’s scientific goals. The NPP supports fundamental science; explores the undiscovered; promotes intellectual growth; and encourages scientific connections.
Selected by a competitive peer-review process, NPP Fellows complete one- to three-year Fellowship appointments that advance NASA’s missions in Earth science, planetary science, heliophysics, astrophysics, biological and physical science, aeronautics and engineering, human exploration systems, space operations, space technology, and astrobiology. Search for NPP research opportunities in Planetary Science here:NPP Research Opportunities.
Applicants must have a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in hand before beginning the fellowship, but may apply while completing the degree requirements. Please see currenteligibility requirements. Stipends start at $70,000 per year, with supplements for higher cost-of-living areas and for certain academic specialties. Financial assistance is available for relocation and health insurance, and $10,000 per year is provided for travel and professional development.
Applications are accepted three times each year: March 1, July 1, and November 1.
Research Positions at the Planetary Atmospheres Group, South Korea
The Planetary Atmospheres Group (PAG) invites highly motivated researchers for Venus atmospheric research. The work is leading one selection of the following available topics: (1) remote sensing data analysis using ground-based and space-based measurements, (2)
numerical modeling to understand radiative and/or dynamic processes in the atmosphere of Venus, and (3) global circulation modeling. For (1), experience in handling remote sensing data is required. For (2) and (3), planetary atmospheric numerical modeling experience, including
the Earth atmospheric modeling, is highly welcome. Our research focus will be on the atmosphere of Venus below 100 km altitude. Successful applicants are also expected to support the CubeSat project of PAG as team members and will have opportunities to collaborate with the
international consortium of PAG. The successful applicants will collaborate with Dr. Yeon Joo Lee, the Chief Investigator (CI) of PAG.
Three positions are available: One Senior Researcher position and Two Postdoctoral Research Associate positions
The deadline for the application is January 24, 2024 (18:00 KST).
Two Tenure-Track Faculty Positions at the University of Idaho
The Physics Department at the University of Idaho is seeking to hire two new tenure-track faculty members at the assistant professor level. We seek faculty members who will establish strong research programs in experimental, theoretical or computational physics that will complement or build on existing strengths within the department and the College of Science. The department currently has faculty working on various topics in astrophysics, biophysics, condensed matter, nuclear physics and planetary science, and the college is pursuing initiatives in biomedical and bioengineering fields. The new faculty members will be expected to mentor undergraduate and graduate students in the physics program. The University of Idaho places a high priority on hiring faculty with an array of backgrounds and experiences, as well as researchers with a variety of perspectives.
[NASA] ROSES-24 AMENDMENT 63: F.5 FINESST – SMD’S GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH CLARIFICATIONS AND CORRECTIONS
F.5 Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST) solicits proposals for graduate student-designed and performed research projects relevant to NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.
F.5 FINESST has been updated in several ways: Text in Sections 2.3 and 2.6 were moved for clarity, no changes to requirements or scope, clarifying language related to SMD citizen science was added to Section 2.6. A link to a NASA video on Biographical Sketches and Current and
Pending Requirements was added to Section 4.1.6, and a sentence about the opportunity provide a revised budget was added to Section 4.1.10. In Section 12.14 budget instructions were clarified. New text is in bold and deleted text is struck through. The Due date is unchanged: Proposals are due February 5, 2025. Playback information for the December 6, 2024 Webinar and Q/A is posted under other documents on the NSPIRES page for this program element. The Webinar Recording is available at:
EUROPA ICONS: STEM INTERNSHIP FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
ICE GIANT SYSTEMS SEMINAR SERIES: JANUARY 14TH
STUDENT AND EARLY CAREER TRAVEL GRANT DEADLINE: APOPHIS T-4 YEARS WORKSHOP
ANNOUNCING APOPHIS T-4 YEARS WORKSHOP
SUBMIT A PLANETARY SESSION TO THE 2025 GSA CONNECTS ANNUAL MEETING
DIVERSE + INCLUSIVE NAVAL OCEANOGRAPHIC SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
EGU SESSION PS7.2/GI3.3: OPEN SESSION ON PLANETARY INSTRUMENTATION AND DATA TECHNIQUES
INVITATION TO CONTRIBUTE TO EGU GA2025 PS6.1 – EMERGENCE, CHEMISTRY, AND EVOLUTION OF ORGANIC MATTER IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM
(EXO-)VENUS SESSION AT EGU 2025 FROM 27 APRIL – 2 MAY, 2025
EGU SESSION PS2.1: JUPITER’S ICY MOONS – WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE EUROPA CLIPPER AND JUICE CAN TAKE US
EGU 2025/SESSION PS2.3: TITAN EXPLORATION: VIENNA, AUSTRIA, 27 APRIL – 2 MAY, 2025
EGU 2025 GREAT DEBATE B1: VIENNA, AUSTRIA, 27 APRIL – 2 MAY, 2025
IMPACT CRATERING AND ASSOCIATED RESEARCH US (ICAARUS) WORKSHOP MAY 31 – JUNE 1, 2025, FLAGSTAFF, AZ
MARS MATISSE COMMUNITY WORKSHOP
6TH SYMPOSIUM OF THE COMMITTEE ON SPACE RESEARCH (COSPAR): SPACE EXPLORATION 2025: A SYMPOSIUM ON HUMANITY’S CHALLENGES AND CELESTIAL SOLUTIONS “COSPAR 2025”
46TH SCIENTIFIC ASSEMBLY OF THE COMMITTEE ON SPACE RESEARCH (COSPAR) AND ASSOCIATED EVENTS “COSPAR 2026”
URANUS ORBITER AND PROBE SCIENCE QUESTIONNAIRE: TOUR DRIVERS
CURRENT TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR ICARUS AND THE PLANETARY SCIENCE JOURNAL
JOBS, POSITIONS, AND OPPORTUNITIES
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NEW HORIZONS SCIENCE SPOTLIGHT WEBINAR
Join us on 23 January 2025, 2:30-3pm EST (11:30-12 PST,12:30-1pm MST,1:30-2pm CST)
New Horizons continues its operation, now at 60.7au from the Sun. Since 2015 it has made ground-breaking discoveries of the Pluto-Charon system, flown past the small contact KBO binary Arrokoth and collected phase and light curve data for some three dozen additional KBOs and the ice giants. It has also been sampling dust density throughout the solar system and studying the cosmic optical background. To raise awareness of New Horizon’s scientific impact we are beginning a new spotlight seminar series (30 min, fourth week each month) which we invite you to attend online, or watch recorded at your convenience.
Our speaker will be J. Michael Shull of University of Colorado Boulder and he will be speaking on:
“Excess Ultraviolet Emission at High Galactic Latitudes: A New Horizons View”
For questions, contact New Horizons CoI Susan Benecchi, [email protected]
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EUROPA ICONS: STEM INTERNSHIP FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
The Europa ICONS program will pair Europa Clipper science team members with undergraduate students for a 10-week research experience during which the students will perform original scientific research. Internships may be in person at a Europa Clipper science team member’s institution, virtual, or hybrid, depending on the research project and individuals needs of the intern and mentor. Mentors and interns will convene the week of July 28, 2025 for a mini conference at the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, MD to build relationships and to present the work completed over the summer.
Interns will get a $12,000 stipend; travel costs to APL will be paid for by NASA. For in-person interns, NASA will pay up to $1000 for relocation and provide a housing stipend. Apply via stemgateway.nasa.gov. Search for “Europa ICONS” to see projects available. This opportunity is only open to US Citizens. Applications are due February 28, 2025.
Questions? Contact Dr. Amanda Nahm, Europa Clipper Deputy Program Scientist [email protected]
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ICE GIANT SYSTEMS SEMINAR SERIES: JANUARY 14TH
Date/Time: January 14th, 11am ET
Speaker: Dr. Patrick Irwin (Oxford University)
Topic: The Clouds, Storms, and Colours of the Ice Giant Atmospheres
The Ice Giant Systems Seminar Series showcases recent developments in scientific topics covering all aspects of the ice giant systems, including atmospheres, satellites, rings, magnetic fields, interior structures, and science related to formation and evolution.
To access the virtual seminar, view the seminar schedule, and sign up for the listserv, visit the series website: http://icegiantsseminar.jhuapl.edu
Mallory Kinczyk & Jodi Berdis
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STUDENT AND EARLY CAREER TRAVEL GRANT DEADLINE: APOPHIS T-4 YEARS WORKSHOP
The Apophis T-4 Years: Knowledge Opportunity for the Science of Planetary Defense workshop will be held April 9-10, 2025, at the University of Tokyo.
January 13 is the deadline for applications toward Student and Early Career Travel Grants supporting airfare and registration for in-person attendance. (Local expenses will require cost sharing.) Full details are available at the meeting web page: https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/apophis2025/
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ANNOUNCING APOPHIS T-4 YEARS WORKSHOP
The Apophis T-4 Years: Knowledge Opportunity for the Science of Planetary Defense workshop will be held April 9-10, 2025, at the University of Tokyo.
This workshop will focus on international collaboration opportunities for both Earth–based observations and in situ investigations, the OSIRIS–APEX mission, Destiny+, and other implementable mission or instrument concepts. There are adjacent workshops at the same location dedicated to Hera (April 7–8, 2025) and RAMSES (April 11, 2025). Apophis T–4 (April 9–10, 2025) will place the greatest emphasis on Apophis science. Hera and RAMSES Workshop information will be available soon. Both in-person and virtual attendance are anticipated.
The abstract deadline is February 3, 2025. Please register your indication of interest at the meeting website and check for ongoing updates, including details on limited travel grant support for students and early-career researchers. https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/apophis2025/
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SUBMIT A PLANETARY SESSION TO THE 2025 GSA CONNECTS ANNUAL MEETING
Planetary Science will take center stage at the 2025 meeting as one of its three main themes:
From Earth to the Cosmos: Geoscience Beyond Our Planet
This theme invites exploration of planetary geoscience in its full scope, bridging terrestrial geology with the study of solid, icy, and gaseous bodies across the Solar System and extending to exoplanets. Planetary Science covers impacts, volcanism and tectonism, atmospheric,
sedimentary, and hydrologic processes, regolith formation, potential biosignatures and habitability. New frontiers include materials for In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), such as ice and critical minerals, which are crucial for supporting future human habitation on other worlds. Through this expanded lens, geoscientists can explore not only Earth’s unique attributes but also the geological and material diversity across our Solar System, contributing to advancements in both science of planetary environments and commercial space exploration.
GSA also welcomes proposals for field trips and short courses.
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DIVERSE + INCLUSIVE NAVAL OCEANOGRAPHIC SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Are you (or do you know) an undergraduate interested in doing paid planetary/earth science research this summer? If so, please apply to the University of Washington Applied Physics Lab DINOSIP program before 2/28/25!
DINO SIP aims to provide underrepresented minority students with an opportunity to experience and conduct project-based research, participate in professional development, build community with other young scientists, and learn how to navigate the pathways to a career in planetary/earth science, maritime and oceanographic science, technology, mathematics, or engineering (STEM) fields.
Members of historically underrepresented minorities (including, but not limited to, African-, Hispanic- and Native-Americans, Pacific Islanders, first generation, LGBTQ+, military veterans and families, and disabled individuals) in STEM fields are highly encouraged to apply. Falling short of prerequisites will not necessarily result in rejection, so we encourage any student that is highly interested to apply, especially since projects will be matched to the student’s level of experience. I will host two virtual info sessions, and the Zoom links are posted on our webpage.
For any queries regarding the program, or application, please contact Dr. Amanda Labrado ([email protected])
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EGU SESSION PS7.2/GI3.3: OPEN SESSION ON PLANETARY INSTRUMENTATION AND
DATA TECHNIQUES
The next EGU general assembly will take place in a hybrid format from 27 April – 2 May 2025. We (convener team: Bernard Foing, Caroline Haslebacher and Linus Stockli) are inviting you to join our session:
PS7.2/GI3.3 Open Session on Planetary Instrumentation and Data Techniques
This session invites contributions to new or improved instrumentation and methods for space and planetary exploration, including novel and established applications. The session is open to all branches of planetary and space measurement tools and techniques, including, but not limited to optical, electromagnetic, seismic, acoustic, and gravity measurements. This session is also intended as an open forum, where discussion between representatives of different fields within
planetary, space and geosciences will be strongly encouraged, looking for a fruitful mutual exchange and cross fertilization between scientific areas.
If you are interested in contributing you can find the details for your abstract submission here:
Abstracts submission deadline is Wednesday, 15 January 2025, 13:00 CET.
Best regards,
the conveners: Bernard Foing, Caroline Haslebacher, Linus Stockli
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INVITATION TO CONTRIBUTE TO EGU GA2025 PS6.1 – EMERGENCE, CHEMISTRY, AND EVOLUTION OF ORGANIC MATTER IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM
The convenor team (Nora Hänni, Niels Ligterink, Kelly Miller, Fabian Klenner, Cécile Engrand) of EGU’s session PS6.1 entitled ‘Emergence, chemistry, and evolution of organic matter in the Solar System’ is inviting your contribution. The EGU General Assembly 2025 will take place in Vienna (Austria) in a hybrid format 27 April – 2 May 2025 and we are aiming to enrich the meeting with a platform for the Solar System organics community.
The scope of our session is the following: We want to bring together scientists with backgrounds in laboratory experimentation, chemical modelling, space exploration, instrumentation, theoretical chemistry, and observations in order to share knowledge and progress our understanding of the evolution of organic chemistry in interplanetary / interstellar dust particles, meteorites, comets, asteroids, KBOs, icy moons, terrestrial planets, and planetary atmospheres and ask how future space exploration missions such as OSIRIS-REx, Hayabusa2, Europa Clipper, JUICE, Dragonfly, and Martian Moons Explorer (MMX) can push the boundaries of our current knowledge.
Key questions of our session are: How did organics in all those environments form? Was this chemical complexity inherited, did it emerge in the Solar System, or a combination of both? What do these molecules tell us about the physical conditions and formational history of planetary bodies and other objects in the Solar System? Is there a link between this organic matter and the emergence of life?
If you are interested in contributing and sharing your research in this session, you can find a more detailed session description here, where you also can submit your abstract to PS6.1:
Invited talk by: Prof. Stephen Kane(UC Riverside, USA)
Session Summary
In June 2021, NASA and ESA selected a fleet of three international missions to Venus, which are planned to launch in 2031. Moreover, other missions are in preparation, such as Shukrayaan-1 (ISRO), Venus Life Finder (Rocket Lab), and VOICE (Chinese Academy of Sciences). With the ‘Decade of Venus’ upon us, many fundamental questions remain regarding the planet. Did Venus ever have an ocean? How and when did intense greenhouse conditions develop? How does its internal structure compare to Earth’s? How can we better understand Venus’ geologic history as preserved on its surface as well as the present-day state of activity and couplings between the surface and atmosphere? Although Venus is one of the most uninhabitable planets in the Solar System, understanding our nearest planetary neighbor may unveil important lessons on atmospheric and surface processes, interior dynamics, and habitability. Moreover, as an early-Earth analogue, Venus may help us draw important conclusions on the history of our own planet. Beyond the solar system, Venus’ analogues are likely a common type of exoplanets, and we probably have already discovered many of Venus’ sisters orbiting other stars. This session welcomes contributions that address the past, present, and future of Venus science and exploration, and what Venus can teach us about (ancient) Earth as well as exo-Venus analogues. Moreover, Venus mission concepts, new Venus observations, Earth-Venus comparisons, exoplanet observations, new results from previous observations, and the latest lab and modelling approaches are all welcome to our discussion of solving Venus’ mysteries.
We hope you will consider submitting an abstract to this session. We are looking forward to it!
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EGU SESSION PS2.1: JUPITER’S ICY MOONS – WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE EUROPA
CLIPPER AND JUICE CAN TAKE US
The end of the year is fast approaching, and with it is the abstract submission for the upcoming EGU meeting! Do you have any exciting new results on Jupiter’s icy moons science? Please consider submitting an abstract to session PS2.1 entitled “Jupiter’s icy moons: where we are,
and where Europa Clipper and Juice can take us.”
More information about the session is available on the conference website:
The EGU abstract submission deadline is Wednesday 15 January 2025, 13:00 CET.
We look forward to receiving your abstracts!
Your convening team,
Ines Belgacem, Haje Korth, Thomas Cornet, and Umberto De Filippis
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EGU 2025/SESSION PS2.3: TITAN EXPLORATION: VIENNA, AUSTRIA, 27 APRIL – 2 MAY, 2025
Titan is one of the most complex environments in the solar system, a complexity expressed in a triad of manifestations: in the photochemically intense and seasonally varying atmosphere; in the unique hydrocarbon lakes and oceans, the dunes and other geomorphological features; and in the astrobiologically intriguing subsurface water ocean.
We invite the international Titan community to convene in the 2025 EGU general assembly where all above aspects will be discussed from observational, theoretical and experimental perspectives. We look forward discussing the latest discoveries from the analysis of Cassini-Huygens, JWST and ground-based observations, as well as exploring anticipated results from the forthcoming Dragonfly mission. This is also a great opportunity for the community to exchange ideas with colleagues studying the Earth, the only other planet matching Titan’s systemic complexity.
As our understanding of the solar system expands, so does our curiosity about the potential for life beyond Earth. This Union Symposium aims to bring together leading experts to discuss the latest research and ideas on the habitability of other worlds within our solar system. The symposium will focus on key celestial bodies such as Mars, Europa, Ganymede, Enceladus, and Titan, which have emerged as prime candidates in the search for environments that might support life.
The panel will delve into novel and cutting-edge research on the factors that could make these worlds habitable, addressing critical questions
This symposium will provide a platform for interdisciplinary discussion, drawing on expertise from planetary science, astrobiology, geology, and atmospheric science. The session will be structured as a moderated panel discussion of invited experts who are at the forefront of this research. These panelists will share their insights, engage in a dynamic discussion, and respond to questions from the audience, fostering a collaborative exploration of this critical topic.
The goal of this Union Symposium is to bridge the gap between different disciplines and encourage the sharing of ideas and perspectives that could lead to a deeper understanding of habitability within our solar system. This discussion is not only vital for the scientific community but also holds significant implications for future space exploration and the search for life beyond our planet.
IMPACT CRATERING AND ASSOCIATED RESEARCH US (ICAARUS) WORKSHOP MAY 31 – JUNE 1, 2025, FLAGSTAFF, AZ
The Barringer Crater Company is hosting a 2-day workshop in Flagstaff (and at Meteor Crater) to promote interdisciplinary impact crater science in the US.
The goal of ICAARUS is to reinvigorate impact cratering research in the United States by assessing the current state of impact crater research as well as the funding landscape, and to strategize ways to support a sustained impact cratering community. This workshop will be the first in a series that will consider outstanding scientific problems in impact cratering to generate creative interdisciplinary research and collaboration. This workshop is open to impact crater scientists with the focus on field work, laboratory work, modeling, astrobiology,
analogues, and more!
As part of their initiative to increase impact cratering research, The Barringer Crater Company is proud to host ICAARUS 2025 and fund participants’ travel to Flagstaff.
To all interested scientists, please submit an application due January 15, 2025. Responses will be sent by the organizing committee by February 1, 2025.
The 2025 “Mars Magnetosphere ATmosphere Ionosphere and Space-weather SciencE” (M-MATISSE) community workshop will be held on 19-23 May 2025 at University College London, United Kingdom. Everyone with interest in the ESA Medium class (M7) mission candidate is welcome to participate.
The workshop aims to bring the scientific community together to discuss the M-MATISSE M7 mission candidate progress in order to help with the consolidation of the M-MATISSE science report (i.e., the Yellow Book) that it is due in early 2026. This is a chance to help shape the
science of the mission.
Participants are invited to submit abstracts addressing one or more of the scientific goals of the mission that can be found at:
Registration deadline: 31 March 2025 – There are no registration fees.
Early Career Support deadline: 24 January 2025. We are able to support a few early careers. The application for this support will open soon, please check our website for updates.
If you have any questions or wish to suggest any changes to the website, please contact us: [email protected]
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6TH SYMPOSIUM OF THE COMMITTEE ON SPACE RESEARCH (COSPAR): SPACE EXPLORATION 2025: A SYMPOSIUM ON HUMANITY’S CHALLENGES AND CELESTIAL SOLUTIONS “COSPAR 2025”
Host Organizations: Cyprus Space Exploration Organization (CSEO)
Date: 3 – 7 November 2025
Place: Nicosia, Cyprus
Various sessions organized under the themes:
Humanity’s Challenges and the Potential of Space
Space as a Unifying Force: Fostering International Collaboration
Space Tech for Earth and Beyond: Innovation, AI, and Sustainable Solutions
The Ethics of Exploration: Responsible and Inclusive Space Endeavours
Capacity Building, CubeSats and Outreach Event
Planetary Protection
Selected papers published in Advances in Space Research and Life Sciences in Space Research, fully refereed journals with no deadlines, open to all submissions in relevant fields.
46TH SCIENTIFIC ASSEMBLY OF THE COMMITTEE ON SPACE RESEARCH (COSPAR) AND ASSOCIATED EVENTS “COSPAR 2026”
Host Organization: Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF)
Place: Florence, Italy
Date: 1 – 9 August 2026
Topics:
Approximately 150 meetings covering the fields of COSPAR Scientific Commissions (SC), Panels, and Task Groups:
SC A: The Earth’s Surface, Meteorology and Climate
SC B: The Earth-Moon System, Planets, and Small Bodies of the Solar System
SC C: The Upper Atmospheres of the Earth and Planets Including Reference Atmospheres
SC D: Space Plasmas in the Solar System, Including Planetary Magnetospheres
SC E: Research in Astrophysics from Space
SC F: Life Sciences as Related to Space
SC G: Materials Sciences in Space
SC H: Fundamental Physics in Space
Panel on Satellite Dynamics (PSD)
Panel on Scientific Ballooning (PSB)
Panel on Potentially Environmentally Detrimental Activities in Space (PEDAS)
Panel on Radiation Belt Environment Modelling (PRBEM)
Panel on Space Weather (PSW)
Panel on Planetary Protection (PPP)
Panel on Capacity Building (PCB)
Panel on Education (PE)
Panel on Exploration (PEX)
Panel on Interstellar Research (PIR)
Panel on Innovative Solutions (PoIS)
Panel on Social Sciences and the Humanities (PSSH)
Panel on IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility) (PIDEA)
Panel on Establishing a Constellation of Small Satellites (PCSS)
Panel on Machine Learning and Data Science (PMLDS)
Task Group on Establishing an International Geospace Systems Program (TGIGSP)
Selected papers published in Advances in Space Research and Life Sciences in Space Research, fully refereed journals with no deadlines open to all submissions in relevant fields.
URANUS ORBITER AND PROBE SCIENCE QUESTIONNAIRE: TOUR DRIVERS
All members of the planetary science community are invited to take part in a voluntary, non-binding, questionnaire about the Uranus Flagship mission’s orbital tour design. This community-led poll is designed to better understand the parameters needed for studying each aspect of the Uranus system, based on the Decadal Survey’s science objectives. The poll will close on March 30, and the aggregated results will be posted to public webpages (past workshops and/or OPAG, as appropriate) for broader community use.
Full details for several new positions can be found on the DPS job board.
A summary of recent job announcements and postdoc opportunities are listed below.
NASA Postdoctoral Fellowship – Application Deadline March 1, 2025
The NASA Postdoctoral Program offers US and international scientists the opportunity to advance their research while contributing to NASA’s scientific goals. The NPP supports fundamental science; explores the undiscovered; promotes intellectual growth; and encourages scientific connections.
Selected by a competitive peer-review process, NPP Fellows complete one- to three-year Fellowship appointments that advance NASA’s missions in Earth science, planetary science, heliophysics, astrophysics, biological and physical science, aeronautics and engineering, human exploration systems, space operations, space technology, and astrobiology. Search for NPP research opportunities in Planetary Science here:NPP Research Opportunities.
Applicants must have a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in hand before beginning the fellowship, but may apply while completing the degree requirements. Please see currenteligibility requirements. Stipends start at $70,000 per year, with supplements for higher cost-of-living areas and for certain academic specialties. Financial assistance is available for relocation and health insurance, and $10,000 per year is provided for travel and professional development.
Applications are accepted three times each year: March 1, July 1, and November 1.
Research Positions at the Planetary Atmospheres Group, South Korea
The Planetary Atmospheres Group (PAG) invites highly motivated researchers for Venus atmospheric research. The work is leading one selection of the following available topics: (1) remote sensing data analysis using ground-based and space-based measurements, (2)
numerical modeling to understand radiative and/or dynamic processes in the atmosphere of Venus, and (3) global circulation modeling. For (1), experience in handling remote sensing data is required. For (2) and (3), planetary atmospheric numerical modeling experience, including
the Earth atmospheric modeling, is highly welcome. Our research focus will be on the atmosphere of Venus below 100 km altitude. Successful applicants are also expected to support the CubeSat project of PAG as team members and will have opportunities to collaborate with the
international consortium of PAG. The successful applicants will collaborate with Dr. Yeon Joo Lee, the Chief Investigator (CI) of PAG.
Three positions are available: One Senior Researcher position and Two Postdoctoral Research Associate positions
The deadline for the application is January 24, 2024 (18:00 KST).
Two Tenure-Track Faculty Positions at the University of Idaho
The Physics Department at the University of Idaho is seeking to hire two new tenure-track faculty members at the assistant professor level. We seek faculty members who will establish strong research programs in experimental, theoretical or computational physics that will complement or build on existing strengths within the department and the College of Science. The department currently has faculty working on various topics in astrophysics, biophysics, condensed matter, nuclear physics and planetary science, and the college is pursuing initiatives in biomedical and bioengineering fields. The new faculty members will be expected to mentor undergraduate and graduate students in the physics program. The University of Idaho places a high priority on hiring faculty with an array of backgrounds and experiences, as well as researchers with a variety of perspectives.
[NASA] ROSES-24 AMENDMENT 63: F.5 FINESST – SMD’S GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH CLARIFICATIONS AND CORRECTIONS
F.5 Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST) solicits proposals for graduate student-designed and performed research projects relevant to NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.
F.5 FINESST has been updated in several ways: Text in Sections 2.3 and 2.6 were moved for clarity, no changes to requirements or scope, clarifying language related to SMD citizen science was added to Section 2.6. A link to a NASA video on Biographical Sketches and Current and
Pending Requirements was added to Section 4.1.6, and a sentence about the opportunity provide a revised budget was added to Section 4.1.10. In Section 12.14 budget instructions were clarified. New text is in bold and deleted text is struck through. The Due date is unchanged: Proposals are due February 5, 2025. Playback information for the December 6, 2024 Webinar and Q/A is posted under other documents on the NSPIRES page for this program element. The Webinar Recording is available at:
This is a special newsletter with just information pertaining to the upcoming DPS Meeting in Boise. The regular newsletter will resume after the meeting. But please note the first item about the Members Meeting, which is open to all DPS members, regardless of attendance at the Boise meeting.
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DPS MEMBERS MEETING MONDAY OCT 7 OPEN TO ALL
DPS 56 STATEMENT OF CARE REMINDER
WOMEN IN PLANETARY SCIENCE NETWORKING DISCUSSION HOUR AT THE 56TH DPS MEETING – Boise, Idaho and Virtual
2024 DPS MEETING FRS SPLINTER SESSION: POLICY PERSPECTIVES ON EUROPA CLIPPER AND FUTURE FLAGSHIP MISSIONS
RMS NODE USERS GROUP DURING DPS MEETING
DPS OPEN MIC NIGHT WED 10/9 BOISE CENTER
CITIZEN SCIENCE SESSION AT THE 56TH DPS MEETING
AAS PUBLISHING PEER REVIEW WORKSHOP AT THE 56TH DPS MEETING
PROFESSIONAL WEBSITE WORKSHOP AT THE 56TH DPS MEETING
JWST AND HST EVENTS AT THE 56TH DPS MEETING
DPS-NSBP SPEAKER AWARDEE WILL PRESENT ON TUESDAY AT THE DPS MEETING
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE DPS TRAVEL AWARDEES
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DPS MEMBERS MEETING MONDAY OCT 7 OPEN TO ALL
The DPS Members Meeting will take place on Monday October 7th from 5 pm to 6:30 pm Mountain Daylight Time. Watch for another e-mail closer to the event with information for virtual attendance. The members meeting is open to all DPS members, not just those in attendance at the DPS meeting.
DPS56 is approaching quickly and we are looking forward to reuniting with colleagues and following the exciting program the organizing committee has worked hard to put together.
All participants viewed and agreed to the Statement of Care (available here) during registration. As Covid-19 transmission is still concerning, we remind meeting participants to take prudent measures to protect the health of our community. Unless you have had a recent case of Covid-19, please consider getting an updated Covid-19 booster shot now. In addition, wearing masks in crowded indoor settings affords another layer of protection, especially during travel to the meeting. Finally, if you are not feeling well, do not attend the meeting in person and get a Covid test.
We encourage all participants to be mindful of protecting the health of your colleagues
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WOMEN IN PLANETARY SCIENCE NETWORKING DISCUSSION HOUR AT THE 56TH DPS MEETING – Boise, Idaho and Virtual
Interested in engaging in meaningful discussions about career challenges, opportunities, and experiences? All levels are welcome to join in at the Women in Planetary Science (WiPS) Networking & Discussion Event at DPS 2024 in Boise, ID and Virtually (Hybrid Event – see all details a the registration link below, if you are attending only this event virtually you do not need to be registered for the entire DPS meeting)! Date/time: Wednesday, October 8, 2024, from 12:15 pm MT – 1:15 pm MT
You do not need to identify as a woman to come and to learn professional development tips for yourself or your colleagues/students. All are welcome! Pre-registration is requested but not required (at this link http://bit.ly/DPS_WiPS_2024, separate from the main DPS registration) – so we can get a rough headcount. Also if you want to attend virtually please register so we can send you the link. An Idaho Potato Bar buffet lunch will be provided thanks to generous sponsorship from AURA and the DPS Committee
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2024 DPS MEETING FRS SPLINTER SESSION: POLICY PERSPECTIVES ON EUROPA CLIPPER AND FUTURE FLAGSHIP MISSIONS
Join the American Astronomical Society (AAS) Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) Federal Relations Subcommittee (FRS) for a lunchtime splinter session focused on different policy perspectives on Europa Clipper and future flagship missions. Panelists from NASA, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Professional Staff, and The Planetary Society will discuss topics ranging from flagship mission development to lessons learned. The splinter session is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 8th at 12:00 pm MT. Box lunches will be provided for the first 30 participants to arrive.
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RMS NODE USERS GROUP DURING DPS MEETING
We plan to convene the RMS Node Users Group on Wednesday, October 9th, at 2:30pm Mountain = 1:30pm Pacific = 4:30pm Eastern. This will be a hybrid meeting, taking place in person at the DPS Meeting in Boise, and also accessible via Zoom. The meeting will take up to two hours.
The PDS Ring-Moon Systems Node (RMS) hosts data and tools in which the focus is on rings, moons, and/or their primary bodies viewed as a dynamical system. Our user community includes researchers interested in icy satellite surfaces and planetary atmospheres, in addition to researchers interested in rings and other dynamical systems.
This meeting is an opportunity for friends of the PDS Ring-Moon Systems Node to hear us report on RMS Node updates and accomplishments during the past year, and for us to solicit your feedback regarding how we should proceed.
Those attending the DPS Meeting are welcome to join us in person.
For remote attendees, the Zoom coordinates and agenda will be sent by email. To be added to our list, please contact Matt Tiscareno ([email protected]).
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DPS OPEN MIC NIGHT WED 10/9 BOISE CENTER
We will be holding the 2024 DPS open mic night on Wednesday 10/9 at the Boise Centre running from 7:30 to 10:30 pm.
Any registered DPS attendee is encouraged to sign up. We typically have musical acts, poetry, spoken word, etc, so don’t be shy. You can either email Joe Spitale ([email protected]) ahead of time to reserve a slot, or sign up during the show for a five-minute walk-on slot, subject to availability. To reserve a slot, send the following information by 10/4:
Name of act, if any
Names of participant(s)
Description of act (e.g., Music w/ singing; opera; aerial acrobatics)
Contact email address
Requested duration
Requested equipment
Any equipment you are willing to share
Regarding the last point, please do not feel in any way pressured or obligated to share any of your personal equipment if you are not comfortable doing so.
Please note that I won’t be able to let you know how much time we can actually give you until after the sign-ups close, but I’ll do my best to get everyone in!
Citizen scientists have discovered most of the known comets and found hundreds of exoplanets. They have counted craters, marked alluvial fans, cataloged vortices, and helped repaint our picture of the asteroid belt. As data rates from NASA missions skyrocket, we’ll need their help even more! At this splinter session, we’ll discuss:
How to get started building a project and finding funding for it.
Pairing citizen science with AI and machine-learning,
Working with historically marginalized communities
We’ll brainstorm future citizen science projects about the Moon, Venus, and Small Bodies. Let’s open the doors of science wide and welcome everyone in!
You’ll need to be registered for the DPS meeting to participate. Registration for the splinter session is necessary if you’d like to give a talk—optional otherwise.
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AAS PUBLISHING PEER REVIEW WORKSHOP AT THE 56TH DPS MEETING
Are you attendingDPS 2024 in Boise, Idaho, and interested in learning about the peer review process at the AAS journals? You’re in luck: we are offering an in-personpeer review workshop on Sunday, 6 October, from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm MT. Lunch will be provided. To attend the workshop you must register for the DPS meeting.
This in-person workshop focuses on key aspects of the peer review process at the AAS journals. Through extensive training with hands-on labs, participants gain familiarity with the AAS peer review process and learn how to better use peer review for their own manuscripts. Be ready to interact with your fellow participants and Scientific Editors. This is not a passive, online, slide-oriented workshop!
Learn about the peer review process at the AAS journals from its Scientific Editors
Explore examples of referee reports
Gain experience by writing a referee report during the workshop
On successful completion of the training, participants receive a graduation certificate.
PROFESSIONAL WEBSITE WORKSHOP AT THE 56TH DPS MEETING
Need help starting a professional website or improving one you already have? Want to share your tips and tricks for creating a good website with others? Join the DPS Professional Development Subcommittee to learn how to create or enhance professional websites for scientists at DPS 2024 in Boise, ID. The Professional Website Workshop will be held on Wednesday, October 9, 2024 from 5:30 pm MT – 6:30 pm MT.
We’ll cover essential elements for your website, platform options, design tips, and more. We’ll also have co-working sessions to start making your website at the workshop or make improvements to your current website. Our goal is to have each attendee leave the workshop with a new or improved website in hand!
You’ll need to be registered for the DPS meeting to participate. The workshop will be hybrid and can be attended in-person or virtually.
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JWST AND HST EVENTS AT THE 56TH DPS MEETING
The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) will be hosting two separate in-person events at DPS 2024 in Boise, Idaho:
JWST Cycle 4 Proposal Planning Office Hours
Date/time: Sunday, October 6th from 2 – 5 PM
Location: Boise Centre 110 A
Scope: The JWST Cycle 4 proposal deadline is on October 16th and we will be providing an opportunity for walk-in “office hours” where you can get one-on-one help from proposal planning experts on your Cycle 4 proposals. Questions shared with experts will be confidential. About 15 minutes will be spent at the beginning of the session to discuss changes to the proposal process and tools for Cycle 4.
STScI Townhall: Planetary Science with JWST and an Update on Hubble Operations
Date/time: Monday, October 7th from 12 – 1 PM
Location: Boise Centre 410 A
Scope: Status updates on Hubble and Webb will be provided. Specifically, details on JWST Cycle 3 statistics and major changes for JWST Cycle 4 (e.g., proposal length, proposal size categories, proprietary period) will be presented. An update on the reduced gyro mode (RGM) for HST and the effects on future planetary science observations will also be provided. Time will be allotted for questions at the end of the session.
JWST and HST experts will also be present at the STScI booth in the exhibit hall throughout the week and will be available to answer questions about proposal planning, data reduction, etc.
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DPS-NSBP SPEAKER AWARDEE WILL PRESENT ON TUESDAY AT THE DPS MEETING
We look forward to hearing from our DPS-NSBP Speaker Awardee, Kiana McFadden, at the 2024 DPS meeting! Kiana will present during the Tuesday oral session Asteroids: Missions, Mission Targets, Surveys, 4:24-4:36pm MT, on “Updated Diameters and Albedos for the Main Belt Asteroids Using WISE/NEOWISE Data” (#212.04). Kiana received this award based on her presentation at the 2023 NSBP meeting: “Size and Albedo Constraints for (152830) Dinkinesh Using WISE Data.” For more on her selection and the full partnership between DPS and the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP), please see https://dps.aas.org/leadership/nsbp_parnership.
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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE DPS TRAVEL AWARDEES
Congratulations to the 24 students and postdocs that received a Hartmann or URM Travel Grant from DPS this year! Their travel is supported for attending the DPS meeting (23 awards) or the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP) Meeting (1 award), this year held jointly with the National Society of Hispanic Physicists in Houston, TX, November 13-17. We look forward to hearing about their science!
At the DPS meeting, please check out the presentations by: Mariah Jones and Ziyu Huang (session: Exoplanet Dynamics and Census), Ian Matheson and Shane Bruski (poster: Asteroids), Kristen Nehring and Wilnelia Barea-Carrion (poster: Icy Moon Surfaces and Interiors), Evan Carrasco and Victor Oyiboka (Star Planet interactions and Planetary Formation), Cecilia Thieberger (Titan – Part 2), Cameron Collyer (Centaurs & TNOs: Surveys), Amelia Brumfield and Kyleshaquill Fred Velez (Europa Clipper and Ocean Worlds), Jaylen Shawcross and Flavia Luane Rommel (session: Centaurs & TNOs: Characterization), Prachi Vaijanath Chavan (Comets: Activity and Evolution of Long Period and Halley-type Comets), Sarah Loughran and Caleb Keaveney and Rafael (Jose) Fuentes (Exoplanets & Giant Planets: Atmospheric and Interior Modeling – Part 2), Xavier Inosencio (NEOs: Characterization), Jonathon Nosowitz (Titan – Part 1), Kaustub P. Anand (poster: Earth’s Moon and Phobos and Deimos), and Latika Joshi (poster: Terrestrial Planets: Surfaces). We also look forward to interactions with Grady Robbins at the DPS meeting and with Andrea Bryant at the NSBP meeting.
Donations from the community are critical for keeping these travel grant programs going. To donate, please log in to your AAS account, access https://my.aas.org/services/aas_member/Donate_Now/DPS/AAS_Member/Fundraising/DPS_Donations.aspx , and select the grant you wish to support. Donations to the URM Travel Grant fund through the end of October will be matched by a DPS community member, up to $4k.
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Send submissions to: Denise Stephens, DPS Secretary, at this address [email protected]
6TH SYMPOSIUM OF THE COMMITTEE ON SPACE RESEARCH (COSPAR): SPACE EXPLORATION 2025: A SYMPOSIUM ON HUMANITY’S CHALLENGES AND CELESTIAL SOLUTIONS “COSPAR 2025”
46TH SCIENTIFIC ASSEMBLY OF THE COMMITTEE ON SPACE RESEARCH (COSPAR) AND ASSOCIATED EVENTS “COSPAR 2026”
NASA PLANETARY SCIENCE DIVISION PLANETARY DATA ECOSYSTEM WEBSITE
ANNOUNCING APOPHIS T-4 YEARS WORKSHOP
INVITATION TO CONTRIBUTE TO EGU GA2025 PS6.1 – EMERGENCE, CHEMISTRY, AND EVOLUTION OF ORGANIC MATTER IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM
NEW HORIZONS SCIENCE SPOTLIGHT WEBINAR
SUBMIT A PLANETARY SESSION TO THE 2025 GSA CONNECTS ANNUAL MEETING
LAD DISSERTATION PRIZE, DEADLINE DEC 31, 2024, 11:59 ET
SUPERCAM MARS DATA USER WORKSHOP AT LPSC 2025
PEN: LUNAR RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER DATA RELEASE 60
ROSES-24 AMENDMENT 78: D.10 TESS GENERAL INVESTIGATOR PROGRAM FINAL TEXT AND DUE DATE
(EXO-)VENUS SESSION AT EGU 2025 FROM 27 APRIL – 2 MAY, 2025
EGU SESSION PS2.1: JUPITER’S ICY MOONS – WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE EUROPA CLIPPER AND JUICE CAN TAKE US
EGU SESSION P2.3: TITAN EXPLORATION
EGU GREAT DEBATE B1
SAVE THE DATE: BINARY ASTEROIDS VI
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (MEMBER AND CHAIR) OF THE EXOPLANET PROGRAM ANALYSIS GROUP (EXOPAG)
MARS MATISSE COMMUNITY WORKSHOP
VEXAG VENUS EXPLORATION STRATEGY RELEASED
INITIATIVE TO CREATE A PLANETARY SCIENCE DIAMOND OPEN ACCESS JOURNAL
IMPACT CRATERING AND ASSOCIATED RESEARCH US (ICAARUS) WORKSHOP MAY 31 – JUNE 1, 2025, FLAGSTAFF, AZ
CURRENT TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THE PLANETARY SCIENCE JOURNAL AND ICARUS
JOBS, POSITIONS, AND OPPORTUNITIES
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6TH SYMPOSIUM OF THE COMMITTEE ON SPACE RESEARCH (COSPAR): SPACE EXPLORATION 2025: A SYMPOSIUM ON HUMANITY’S CHALLENGES AND CELESTIAL SOLUTIONS “COSPAR 2025”
Host Organizations: Cyprus Space Exploration Organization (CSEO)
Date: 3 – 7 November 2025
Place: Nicosia, Cyprus
Various sessions organized under the themes:
Humanity’s Challenges and the Potential of Space
Space as a Unifying Force: Fostering International Collaboration
Space Tech for Earth and Beyond: Innovation, AI, and Sustainable Solutions
The Ethics of Exploration: Responsible and Inclusive Space Endeavours
Capacity Building, CubeSats and Outreach Event
Planetary Protection
Selected papers published in Advances in Space Research and Life Sciences in Space Research, fully refereed journals with no deadlines, open to all submissions in relevant fields.
46TH SCIENTIFIC ASSEMBLY OF THE COMMITTEE ON SPACE RESEARCH (COSPAR) AND ASSOCIATED EVENTS “COSPAR 2026”
Host Organization: Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF)
Place: Florence, Italy
Date: 1 – 9 August 2026
Topics:
Approximately 150 meetings covering the fields of COSPAR Scientific Commissions (SC), Panels, and Task Groups:
SC A: The Earth’s Surface, Meteorology and Climate
SC B: The Earth-Moon System, Planets, and Small Bodies of the Solar System
SC C: The Upper Atmospheres of the Earth and Planets Including Reference Atmospheres
SC D: Space Plasmas in the Solar System, Including Planetary Magnetospheres
SC E: Research in Astrophysics from Space
SC F: Life Sciences as Related to Space
SC G: Materials Sciences in Space
SC H: Fundamental Physics in Space
Panel on Satellite Dynamics (PSD)
Panel on Scientific Ballooning (PSB)
Panel on Potentially Environmentally Detrimental Activities in Space (PEDAS)
Panel on Radiation Belt Environment Modelling (PRBEM)
Panel on Space Weather (PSW)
Panel on Planetary Protection (PPP)
Panel on Capacity Building (PCB)
Panel on Education (PE)
Panel on Exploration (PEX)
Panel on Interstellar Research (PIR)
Panel on Innovative Solutions (PoIS)
Panel on Social Sciences and the Humanities (PSSH)
Panel on IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility) (PIDEA)
Panel on Establishing a Constellation of Small Satellites (PCSS)
Panel on Machine Learning and Data Science (PMLDS)
Task Group on Establishing an International Geospace Systems Program (TGIGSP)
Selected papers published in Advances in Space Research and Life Sciences in Space Research, fully refereed journals with no deadlines open to all submissions in relevant fields.
NASA PLANETARY SCIENCE DIVISION PLANETARY DATA ECOSYSTEM WEBSITE
NASA’s Planetary Science Division has developed a Planetary Data Ecosystem (PDE) website as a community resource and to help increase the discoverability of and access to planetary data, tools, and related information.
On this new website, you’ll discover Planetary Science Division funded:
Data repositories, databases, and catalogs that include data and higher-order data products from space missions and ground-based facilities and generated by research and analysis projects.
Software and tools including applications for data processing, mission support, visualization, models and simulation tools, and data analysis tools tailored for planetary science applications.
Standards and policies help researchers perform robust planetary science and following open science practices.
Learning resources, such as presentations, tutorials, past workshop materials, and upcoming events, so that we remain on the cutting edge of data analysis and lower barriers for using planetary data and tools.
Community groups focused on planetary science and exploration.
Comments and feedback on this website are welcome and encouraged. Please email the NASA Headquarters PDE Team with any comments, additional information, or corrections at [email protected].
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ANNOUNCING APOPHIS T-4 YEARS WORKSHOP
The Apophis T-4 Years: Knowledge Opportunity for the Science of Planetary Defense workshop will be held April 9-10, 2025, at the University of Tokyo.
This workshop will focus on international collaboration opportunities for both Earth–based observations and in situ investigations, the OSIRIS–APEX mission, Destiny+, and other implementable mission or instrument concepts. There are adjacent workshops at the same location dedicated to Hera (April 7–8, 2025) and RAMSES (April 11, 2025). Apophis T–4 (April 9–10, 2025) will place the greatest emphasis on Apophis science. Hera and RAMSES Workshop information will be available soon. Both in-person and virtual attendance are anticipated.
The abstract deadline is February 3, 2025. Please register your indication of interest at the meeting website and check for ongoing updates, including details on limited travel grant support for students and early-career researchers. https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/apophis2025/
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INVITATION TO CONTRIBUTE TO EGU GA2025 PS6.1 – EMERGENCE, CHEMISTRY, AND EVOLUTION OF ORGANIC MATTER IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM
The convenor team (Nora Hänni, Niels Ligterink, Kelly Miller, Fabian Klenner, Cécile Engrand) of EGU’s session PS6.1 entitled ‘Emergence, chemistry, and evolution of organic matter in the Solar System’ is inviting your contribution. The EGU General Assembly 2025 will take place in Vienna (Austria) in a hybrid format 27 April – 2 May 2025 and we are aiming to enrich the meeting with a platform for the Solar System organics community.
The scope of our session is the following: We want to bring together scientists with backgrounds in laboratory experimentation, chemical modelling, space exploration, instrumentation, theoretical chemistry, and observations in order to share knowledge and progress our understanding of the evolution of organic chemistry in interplanetary / interstellar dust particles, meteorites, comets, asteroids, KBOs, icy moons, terrestrial planets, and planetary atmospheres and ask how future space exploration missions such as OSIRIS-REx, Hayabusa2, Europa Clipper, JUICE, Dragonfly, and Martian Moons Explorer (MMX) can push the boundaries of our current knowledge.
Key questions of our session are: How did organics in all those environments form? Was this chemical complexity inherited, did it emerge in the Solar System, or a combination of both? What do these molecules tell us about the physical conditions and formational history of planetary bodies and other objects in the Solar System? Is there a link between this organic matter and the emergence of life?
If you are interested in contributing and sharing your research in this session, you can find a more detailed session description here, where you also can submit your abstract to PS6.1:
Abstracts are due Wednesday, 15 January 2025, 13:00 CET.
We thank you for considering a contribution to our session and for spreading the word to people you know may be interested.
Kind regards,
the conveners: Nora Hänni, Niels Ligterink, Kelly Miller, Fabian Klenner, Cécile Engrand
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NEW HORIZONS SCIENCE SPOTLIGHT WEBINAR
New Horizons continues its operation, now at 58.8au from the Sun. Since 2015 it has made ground-breaking discoveries of the Pluto-Charon system, flown past the small contact KBO binary Arrokoth and collected phase and light curve data for some three dozen additional KBOs and the ice giants. It has also been sampling dust density throughout the solar system and studying the cosmic optical background. To raise awareness of New Horizon’s scientific impact we are beginning a new spotlight seminar series (30 min, fourth week each month) which we invite you to attend online, or watch recorded at your convenience.
Planetary Science will take center stage at the 2025 meeting as one of its three main themes:
From Earth to the Cosmos: Geoscience Beyond Our Planet
This theme invites exploration of planetary geoscience in its full scope, bridging terrestrial geology with the study of solid, icy, and gaseous bodies across the Solar System and extending to exoplanets. Planetary Science covers impacts, volcanism and tectonism, atmospheric,
sedimentary, and hydrologic processes, regolith formation, potential biosignatures and habitability. New frontiers include materials for In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), such as ice and critical minerals, which are crucial for supporting future human habitation on other worlds. Through this expanded lens, geoscientists can explore not only Earth’s unique attributes but also the geological and material diversity across our Solar System, contributing to advancements in both science of planetary environments and commercial space exploration.
GSA also welcomes proposals for field trips and short courses.
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LAD DISSERTATION PRIZE, DEADLINE DEC 31, 2024, 11:59 ET
The Dissertation Prize is typically presented on an annual basis to recognize an outstanding theoretical or experimental doctoral dissertation (or the equivalent) in laboratory astrophysics. The prize is awarded to an individual who has completed their PhD or equivalent degree in any of the three calendar years immediately preceding the award year. Candidates must have already graduated before the prize deadline to be eligible.
The prize includes a cash award, a citation, and an invited lecture by the recipient at a meeting of the Laboratory Astrophysics Division.
The recipients for each year will be announced typically in January/February of that year, and they will be invited to present their prize talk at the annual LAD meeting, which is typically held jointly with the AAS Summer Meeting. Any nominee not selected will be automatically considered in the next two consecutive years, or as long as the nominee is eligible, whichever is less.
PRIZE NOMINATION PACKAGE DETAILS:
The Nomination package for the Dissertation Prize must include:
A nomination letter, including a one-sentence proposed citation. The letter should clearly state that it is the nomination letter. Only one signator is allowed.
Two letters of support. These are separate and distinct from the nomination letter and should clearly indicate that they are letters of support. Additional letters will not be considered. Only one signator per letter is allowed.
A summary of the thesis (not to exceed 5 pages including figures and bibliography).
A statement from the nominee’s university that a Ph.D. or equivalent degree has been awarded.
A curriculum vitae.
A publication list.
Additional material (such as reprints, etc.) will not be considered.
All nomination material must be emailed as a single or multiple PDF file(s) by the deadline to the LAD Secretary ([email protected]).
Please note that the entire package need not be compiled (though this is appreciated, in the order of the above list) or sent by any single or specific person. Anyone involved in the nomination or supporting materials, including the candidate, can email any of the components (1-6, above) to the LAD Secretary and the package will be considered as long as all components are received by the deadline.
Nominators, letter writers, and candidates need not be AAS or LAD members. Self-nominations are allowed. The deadline for receipt of the Dissertation Prize nomination package is 11:59 pm ET on December 31st each year.
Attracting and serving a diverse and inclusive membership worldwide is a primary goal for LAD. In calling for nominations, we wish to remind you how important it is to give full consideration to qualified women, members of underrepresented minority groups, and scientists from outside the United States.
The Perseverance/SuperCam instrument team will host a data user workshop at the Lunar & Planetary Science Conference the second week of March 2025. The workshop is for people outside of the team who are interested in using the publicly available data and/or collaborating
with others on the data. Data sets include visible & near infrared (VISIR) passive spectroscopy, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and derived elemental chemistry, time-resolved remote Raman and luminescence spectroscopy, acoustic data from the microphone, and
imaging. The day of the week and time of the workshop will be posted in early 2025. The SuperCam team has collected nearly four years of data from hundreds of targets in Jezero crater on Mars, and it is available at:
The NASA Planetary Data System announces Release 60 of data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission. This release contains raw, calibrated, and derived data products covering the nominal time period from March 15 through June 14, 2024. Some instrument teams are delivering more recent data. The data are archived at various PDS nodes.
CRaTER at the PPI Node
Diviner at the Geosciences Node
LAMP* at the Cartography and Imaging Sciences Node
LEND at the Geosciences Node
LOLA at the Geosciences Node
LROC at the LROC Data Node
Mini-RF at the Geosciences Node
Radio Science at the Geosciences Node
SPICE at the NAIF Node
NOTE: LAMP data is delayed and will be available soon in both PDS3 and PDS4 format with PDS4 LID urn:nasa:pds:lro_lamp
LRO releases occur every three months. The next release is scheduled for March 14, 2025.
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ROSES-24 AMENDMENT 78: D.10 TESS GENERAL INVESTIGATOR PROGRAM
FINAL TEXT AND DUE DATE
The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) General Investigator (GI) Program (NNH24ZDA001N) solicits proposals for the acquisition and analysis of scientific data from the TESS mission. The primary purpose of the TESS GI Program is to enhance and maximize the science return from TESS.
Phase-1 proposals are due by 4:30 pm Eastern time on March 27, 2025, via the Astrophysics Research Knowledgebase Remote Proposal System.
Programmatic questions regarding D.10 TESS GI, may be directed to John Wisniewski at [email protected] or to Joshua Pepper at [email protected]. Technical questions concerning this program element may be directed to the TESS General Investigator Program Lead Christina Hedges at [email protected]
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(EXO-)VENUS SESSION AT EGU 2025 FROM 27 APRIL – 2 MAY, 2025
We are pleased to announce the (exo-)Venus session at EGU 2025 from 27 April – 2 May 2025 (Vienna and online):
PS1.2 Venus: models, observations, (ancient) Earth- and exoplanet analogue
Invited talk by: Prof. Stephen Kane(UC Riverside, USA)
Session Summary
In June 2021, NASA and ESA selected a fleet of three international missions to Venus, which are planned to launch in 2031. Moreover, other missions are in preparation, such as Shukrayaan-1 (ISRO), Venus Life Finder (Rocket Lab), and VOICE (Chinese Academy of Sciences). With the ‘Decade of Venus’ upon us, many fundamental questions remain regarding the planet. Did Venus ever have an ocean? How and when did intense greenhouse conditions develop? How does its internal structure compare to Earth’s? How can we better understand Venus’ geologic history as preserved on its surface as well as the present-day state of activity and couplings between the surface and atmosphere? Although Venus is one of the most uninhabitable planets in the Solar System, understanding our nearest planetary neighbor may unveil important lessons on atmospheric and surface processes, interior dynamics, and habitability. Moreover, as an early-Earth analogue, Venus may help us draw important conclusions on the history of our own planet. Beyond the solar system, Venus’ analogues are likely a common type of exoplanets, and we probably have already discovered many of Venus’ sisters orbiting other stars. This session welcomes contributions that address the past, present, and future of Venus science and exploration, and what Venus can teach us about (ancient) Earth as well as exo-Venus analogues. Moreover, Venus mission concepts, new Venus observations, Earth-Venus comparisons, exoplanet observations, new results from previous observations, and the latest lab and modelling approaches are all welcome to our discussion of solving Venus’ mysteries.
We hope you will consider submitting an abstract to this session. We are looking forward to it!
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EGU SESSION PS2.1: JUPITER’S ICY MOONS – WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE EUROPA
CLIPPER AND JUICE CAN TAKE US
The end of the year is fast approaching, and with it is the abstract submission for the upcoming EGU meeting! Do you have any exciting new results on Jupiter’s icy moons science? Please consider submitting an abstract to session PS2.1 entitled “Jupiter’s icy moons: where we are,
and where Europa Clipper and Juice can take us.”
More information about the session is available on the conference website:
The EGU abstract submission deadline is Wednesday 15 January 2025, 13:00 CET.
We look forward to receiving your abstracts!
Your convening team,
Ines Belgacem, Haje Korth, Thomas Cornet, and Umberto De Filippis
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EGU 2025/SESSION PS2.3: TITAN EXPLORATION: VIENNA, AUSTRIA, 27 APRIL – 2 MAY, 2025
Titan is one of the most complex environments in the solar system, a complexity expressed in a triad of manifestations: in the photochemically intense and seasonally varying atmosphere; in the unique hydrocarbon lakes and oceans, the dunes and other geomorphological features; and in the astrobiologically intriguing subsurface water ocean.
We invite the international Titan community to convene in the 2025 EGU general assembly where all above aspects will be discussed from observational, theoretical and experimental perspectives. We look forward discussing the latest discoveries from the analysis of Cassini-Huygens, JWST and ground-based observations, as well as exploring anticipated results from the forthcoming Dragonfly mission. This is also a great opportunity for the community to exchange ideas with colleagues studying the Earth, the only other planet matching Titan’s systemic complexity.
As our understanding of the solar system expands, so does our curiosity about the potential for life beyond Earth. This Union Symposium aims to bring together leading experts to discuss the latest research and ideas on the habitability of other worlds within our solar system. The symposium will focus on key celestial bodies such as Mars, Europa, Ganymede, Enceladus, and Titan, which have emerged as prime candidates in the search for environments that might support life.
The panel will delve into novel and cutting-edge research on the factors that could make these worlds habitable, addressing critical questions
This symposium will provide a platform for interdisciplinary discussion, drawing on expertise from planetary science, astrobiology, geology, and atmospheric science. The session will be structured as a moderated panel discussion of invited experts who are at the forefront of this research. These panelists will share their insights, engage in a dynamic discussion, and respond to questions from the audience, fostering a collaborative exploration of this critical topic.
The goal of this Union Symposium is to bridge the gap between different disciplines and encourage the sharing of ideas and perspectives that could lead to a deeper understanding of habitability within our solar system. This discussion is not only vital for the scientific community but also holds significant implications for future space exploration and the search for life beyond our planet.
We are pleased to announce the 6th Binary Asteroids Meeting will be hosted by the Nice Observatory next year. The workshop will be focused on binary and multiple systems among the NEO, Hungaria, main-belt, Trojan, Centaur, and TNO populations. We hope to gather experts on all topics related to binaries, including their detection, characterization, formation, and dynamical evolution.
When: September 15-17, 2025
Where: Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, Nice, France
Further details and registration information will follow. Please fill out the following form if you are interested in receiving future updates and registration information:https://forms.gle/dCVgFa2t6WXVLMuM8
Regards,
The local organizing committee: Harrison Agrusa, Benoit Carry, Luana Liberato, Raphael Marschall, Patrick Michel, Kate Minker, Paolo Tanga
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CALL FOR NOMINATIONS TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (MEMBER AND CHAIR) OF THE EXOPLANET PROGRAM ANALYSIS GROUP (EXOPAG)
Dear Colleagues:
The Astrophysics Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate is pleased to issue this open call for nominations to serve on the Executive Committee (EC) of NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program Analysis Group (ExoPAG), both as an EC member and/or as Chair. In the coming months, NASA anticipates making several new appointments to the ExoPAG EC, replacing four current members of the committee who have reached the end of their terms. NASA also anticipates making a new appointment to serve as Chair of the ExoPAG EC. New appointments will start in the Spring of 2025 and will be for a period of three years.
NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program (ExEP, http://exoplanets.nasa.gov) is the NASA program office that serves as the focal point for exoplanet science and technology, and devises strategies to help NASA achieve its goals in the area of exoplanet science. The ExoPAG is an open, interdisciplinary forum that provides a way for the scientific community to give input to ExEP, and for conducting analyses in support of ExEP science objectives and their implications for planning and prioritization of Program activities. The ExoPAG is led by a Chair who also serves on NASA’s Astrophysics Advisory Committee (APAC). The Chair works with a volunteer Executive Committee, whose membership is chosen to reflect the broad range of scientific disciplines and interests represented in the exoplanet field (e.g. spanning Astrophysics, Planetary Science, Heliophysics, and Earth Science). Together, the ExoPAG Chair and Executive Committee are responsible for capturing and organizing community input, overseeing ExoPAG analyses, reporting ExoPAG findings and inputs to the Astrophysics Division Director, and keeping the scientific community apprised of ongoing activities and opportunities within ExEP. Detailed information about the structure and function of the ExoPAG, including the current and past membership of the EC, can be found at http://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exopag.
Nominations for the ExoPAG EC and/or EC Chair should be submitted via email to the address: [email protected] . Nominations must include both a cover letter and a one-page CV summarizing the nominee’s relevant background. The cover letter should provide a description of the nominee’s area of expertise, qualifications for service, commitment to NASA’s core value of inclusion, and anticipated contributions to the ExoPAG Executive Committee. Cover letters should indicate whether the applicant is interested in serving on the EC or in chairing the EC (or both). Nominations will only be accepted for scientists who are employed at a U.S. institution for the period of the service. There are no citizenship restrictions. Nominations from individuals at academic institutions—university, college, or non-NASA research laboratory—are strongly encouraged. Self-nominations are welcome and treated equally as external nominations. The deadline for nominations is January 31, 2025, with announcement of selections anticipated in Spring of 2025. Selections will be announced by the ExoPAG mailing list (http://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exep/exopag/announcementList).
We look forward to working with all of our stakeholders to develop a robust and compelling Exoplanet Exploration Program.
Sincerely,
Dr. John Wisniewski, NASA Headquarters Deputy Exoplanet Exploration Program Scientist, ExoPAG Executive Secretary
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MARS MATISSE COMMUNITY WORKSHOP
The 2025 “Mars Magnetosphere ATmosphere Ionosphere and Space-weather SciencE” (M-MATISSE) community workshop will be held on 19-23 May 2025 at University College London, United Kingdom. Everyone with interest in the ESA Medium class (M7) mission candidate is welcome to participate.
The workshop aims to bring the scientific community together to discuss the M-MATISSE M7 mission candidate progress in order to help with the consolidation of the M-MATISSE science report (i.e., the Yellow Book) that it is due in early 2026. This is a chance to help shape the
science of the mission.
Participants are invited to submit abstracts addressing one or more of the scientific goals of the mission that can be found at:
Registration deadline: 31 March 2025 – There are no registration fees.
Early Career Support deadline: 24 January 2025. We are able to support a few early careers. The application for this support will open soon, please check our website for updates.
If you have any questions or wish to suggest any changes to the website, please contact us: [email protected]
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VEXAG VENUS EXPLORATION STRATEGY RELEASED
In response to the 2023 Origins, Worlds, and Life Decadal Survey, the Venus Exploration Analysis Group has developed a new strategy for Venus exploration in the coming decade and beyond.
The strategy report will be maintained as a living document and updated as needed. Community input and ideas for Venus science, exploration, and partnerships are always solicited and welcome!
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INITIATIVE TO CREATE A PLANETARY SCIENCE DIAMOND OPEN ACCESS JOURNAL
Members of the planetary science community are leading an initiative to create a planetary science diamond open access journal. Diamond open access means that it is free for authors to publish, and free for readers and libraries to access. Over the past couple of years there
has been an explosions of such journals in the geosciences (like Volcanica, Seismica, Tektonika, and Geodynamica, to name a few), and we will be following a similar approach that they used.
All of our internal discussions are occurring in an open forum, and if this is a project that interests you, please feel free to sign in using this link: https://tinyurl.com/yte5zbez
You can subscribe to our email list by sending a message to [email protected] with the subject: subscribe planetary-science.doaj
We plan to have an open call for editors and associate editors in March at LPSC, and the launch date is expected to be January 2026 or earlier
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IMPACT CRATERING AND ASSOCIATED RESEARCH US (ICAARUS) WORKSHOP MAY 31 – JUNE 1, 2025, FLAGSTAFF, AZ
The Barringer Crater Company is hosting a 2-day workshop in Flagstaff (and at Meteor Crater) to promote interdisciplinary impact crater science in the US.
The goal of ICAARUS is to reinvigorate impact cratering research in the United States by assessing the current state of impact crater research as well as the funding landscape, and to strategize ways to support a sustained impact cratering community. This workshop will be the first in a series that will consider outstanding scientific problems in impact cratering to generate creative interdisciplinary research and collaboration. This workshop is open to impact crater scientists with the focus on field work, laboratory work, modeling, astrobiology,
analogues, and more!
As part of their initiative to increase impact cratering research, The Barringer Crater Company is proud to host ICAARUS 2025 and fund participants’ travel to Flagstaff.
To all interested scientists, please submit an application due January 15, 2025. Responses will be sent by the organizing committee by February 1, 2025.
Full details for several new positions can be found on the DPS job board.
A summary of recent job announcements and postdoc opportunities are listed below.
Software Developer for NASA’s Near-Earth Object Surveyor mission
IPAC at Caltech invites applications for a Software Developer to join the team that is developing the Survey Data System for NASA’s Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor mission. As a Software Developer, you will build and maintain the software that will prepare, reformat, and package the NEO Surveyor Survey Data Systems (NSDS) data products for routine ingestion into the NASA/IPAC Infrared Science Archive (IRSA).
IPAC at the California Institute of Technology invites applications for one or more Quality Assurance Scientists to work on the Near-Earth Object Surveyor (NEOS) program. NEOS is a NASA Planetary Defense mission, scheduled for launch in late 2027, that will detect, track, and characterize solar system small bodies that pose a hazard to the Earth. The NEOS observatory consists of a passively cooled 50 cm telescope located near Sun-Earth L1 equipped with a wide-field camera that will image the sky simultaneously in two mid-infrared bands. NEOS will detect approximately 200,000 Main Belt Asteroids, NEOs, and comets each day against a background of hundreds of millions of distant stars and galaxies.
Two Tenure-Track Faculty Positions at the University of Idaho
The Physics Department at the University of Idaho is seeking to hire two new tenure-track faculty members at the assistant professor level. We seek faculty members who will establish strong research programs in experimental, theoretical or computational physics that will complement or build on existing strengths within the department and the College of Science. The department currently has faculty working on various topics in astrophysics, biophysics, condensed matter, nuclear physics and planetary science, and the college is pursuing initiatives in biomedical and bioengineering fields. The new faculty members will be expected to mentor undergraduate and graduate students in the physics program. The University of Idaho places a high priority on hiring faculty with an array of backgrounds and experiences, as well as researchers with a variety of perspectives.
Postdoctoral Research Associate in Planetary Atmospheric Modeling
The Lunar & Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona has an opening for a Postdoctoral Research Associate I in the field of planetary atmospheres. Efforts from this postdoctoral associate will emphasize developing convection-resolving models and applications of these tools to sub-stellar objects. The postdoctoral associate will also co-develop a computational methods training program delivered to undergraduate researchers from historically underrepresented groups.
[NASA] ROSES-24 AMENDMENT 63: F.5 FINESST – SMD’S GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH CLARIFICATIONS AND CORRECTIONS
F.5 Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST) solicits proposals for graduate student-designed and performed research projects relevant to NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.
F.5 FINESST has been updated in several ways: Text in Sections 2.3 and 2.6 were moved for clarity, no changes to requirements or scope, clarifying language related to SMD citizen science was added to Section 2.6. A link to a NASA video on Biographical Sketches and Current and
Pending Requirements was added to Section 4.1.6, and a sentence about the opportunity provide a revised budget was added to Section 4.1.10. In Section 12.14 budget instructions were clarified. New text is in bold and deleted text is struck through. The Due date is unchanged: Proposals are due February 5, 2025. Playback information for the December 6, 2024 Webinar and Q/A is posted under other documents on the NSPIRES page for this program element. The Webinar Recording is available at:
Questions regarding F.5 FINESST may be directed to [email protected]
Research Associate in Mega-Constellation Space Physics
The rise of satellite mega-constellations in low Earth orbit is unlocking the possibility of ubiquitous global monitoring of our planet. This Research Associate in Mega-Constellation Space Physics will explore the potential of harnessing mega-constellations for monitoring the solar wind – magnetosphere – ionosphere interaction to advance space weather science and operations.
By becoming a key member of the exciting UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship project “Harnessing mega-constellations to probe space weather globally” in the Department of Physics at Imperial College London (UK), you will undertake original research exploring how satellite mega-constellation could dramatically improve upon current capabilities. You will develop global spatiotemporal fitting and data assimilation methods for mega-constellation magnetic field observations to unveil the dynamic magnetosphere – ionosphere current systems present. These methods will be tested using Imperial’s global magnetospheric simulations to understand the capabilities of current and future satellite constellations for space weather operations and science. Ultimately the methods will be applied to data collected from Eutelsat OneWeb’s Gen1 mega-constellation of over 630 satellites to advance our current scientific and operational capabilities in space weather. Through this work you will not only set new directions for space missions and satellite operators, but also improve our understanding of the dynamics of the solar wind – magnetosphere – ionosphere interaction in general.
DPS will have an exhibit at the AGU meeting that will take place December 9-13, 2024 in Washington DC. Come and meet DPS committee members and learn more about the various functions of the division and how we serve you. In particular, we will be promoting DPS membership and benefits. If you plan to attend the AGU and would like to learn more or are a member and would like to stop by and say hello or help, please come and visit the exhibit.
relationship between the American Astronomical Society’s Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) and the Europlanet Association Internationale Sans But Lucratif (AISBL).
Joint activities between the DPS and the Europlanet AISBL (organizing the EPSC) foster international exchange in planetary science research and promote international opportunities for the membership of both organizations. To that effect, the DPS and Europlanet AISBL will promote the following activities:
Exchange of information on key programs and initiatives.
Expansion of membership of both organizations through possible joint programs.
Exchange of information and possible joint activities concerning educational opportunities, student programs, and professional services.
Exchange of information and possible co-organization of scientific conferences
The MoU specifies the terms under which this collaboration will be carried out from 2025 to 2028. This MoU is all the more important at this time as we’re looking forward to the Joint EPSC-DPS Meeting on 7-12 September 2025 in Helsinki, Finland. Look out for the web site of the meeting which will be soon up and running.
The DPS has also responded via AAS to the NASA RFI #NNH25ZDA006L on proposals for Conferences on Lunar, Planetary and Space Sciences. The DPS is interested in exploring possible partnership opportunities with NASA around the organization of future iterations of the Lunar, Planetary and Space Sciences Conference (LPSC). The AAS and the DPS Committee signified that they would like to participate in discussions of how to structure planetary science meetings to ensure the greatest benefits to the NASA and broader planetary science communities.
NASA PLANETARY SCIENCE DIVISION PLANETARY DATA ECOSYSTEM WEBSITE
ANNOUNCING APOPHIS T-4 YEARS WORKSHOP
ASSOCIATE EDITOR OPENING ICARUS
OCEAN WORLDS WORKING GROUP SEEKING NEW SCIENCE GROUP CO-LEAD
SUBMIT A PLANETARY SESSION TO THE 2025 GSA CONNECTS ANNUAL MEETING
LSST SOLAR SYSTEM PREDICTIONS AND ANALYSIS SOFTWARE AAS JOURNALS FOCUS ISSUES
MERCURY SCIENCE AND EXPLORATION ANNUAL MEETING 2025
MARS EXPLORATION SCIENCE PROGRAM NEWSLETTER FOR NOVEMBER 2024
MERCURY SCIENCE AND EXPLORATION NOVEMBER 2024 NEWSLETTER RELEASED
(EXO-)VENUS SESSION AT EGU 2025 FROM 27 APRIL – 2 MAY, 2025
NEW HORIZONS SCIENCE SPOTLIGHT WEBINAR
SAVE THE DATE: BINARY ASTEROIDS VI
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (MEMBER AND CHAIR) OF THE EXOPLANET PROGRAM ANALYSIS GROUP (EXOPAG)
CURRENT TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR ICARUS AND THE PLANETARY SCIENCE JOURNAL
JOBS, POSITIONS, AND OPPORTUNITIES
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MESSAGE FROM THE DPS CHAIR
The DPS is happy to announce that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in November in order to establish a collaborative relationship between the American Astronomical Society’s Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) and the Europlanet Association Internationale Sans But Lucratif (AISBL).
Joint activities between the DPS and the Europlanet AISBL (organizing the EPSC) foster international exchange in planetary science research and promote international opportunities for the membership of both organizations. To that effect, the DPS and Europlanet AISBL will promote the following activities:
Exchange of information on key programs and initiatives.
Expansion of membership of both organizations through possible joint programs.
Exchange of information and possible joint activities concerning educational opportunities, student programs, and professional services.
Exchange of information and possible co-organization of scientific conferences
The MoU specifies the terms under which this collaboration will be carried out from 2025 to 2028. This MoU is all the more important at this time as we’re looking forward to the Joint EPSC-DPS Meeting on 7-12 September 2025 in Helsinki, Finland. Look out for the web site of the meeting which will be soon up and running.
The DPS has also responded via AAS to the NASA RFI #NNH25ZDA006L on proposals for Conferences on Lunar, Planetary and Space Sciences. The DPS is interested in exploring possible partnership opportunities with NASA around the organization of future iterations of the Lunar, Planetary and Space Sciences Conference (LPSC). The AAS and the DPS Committee signified that they would like to participate in discussions of how to structure planetary science meetings to ensure the greatest benefits to the NASA and broader planetary science communities.
Athena Coustenis, DPS Chair
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DPS AT THE AGU
DPS will have an exhibit at the AGU meeting that will take place December 9-13, 2024 in Washington DC. Come and meet DPS committee members and learn more about the various functions of the division and how we serve you. In particular, we will be promoting DPS membership and benefits. If you plan to attend the AGU and would like to learn more or are a member and would like to stop by and say hello or help, please come and visit the exhibit.
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NASA PLANETARY SCIENCE DIVISION PLANETARY DATA ECOSYSTEM WEBSITE
NASA’s Planetary Science Division has developed a Planetary Data Ecosystem (PDE) website as a community resource and to help increase the discoverability of and access to planetary data, tools, and related information.
On this new website, you’ll discover Planetary Science Division funded:
Data repositories, databases, and catalogs that include data and higher-order data products from space missions and ground-based facilities and generated by research and analysis projects.
Software and tools including applications for data processing, mission support, visualization, models and simulation tools, and data analysis tools tailored for planetary science applications.
Standards and policies help researchers perform robust planetary science and following open science practices.
Learning resources, such as presentations, tutorials, past workshop materials, and upcoming events, so that we remain on the cutting edge of data analysis and lower barriers for using planetary data and tools.
Community groups focused on planetary science and exploration.
Comments and feedback on this website are welcome and encouraged. Please email the NASA Headquarters PDE Team with any comments, additional information, or corrections at [email protected].
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ANNOUNCING APOPHIS T-4 YEARS WORKSHOP
The Apophis T-4 Years: Knowledge Opportunity for the Science of Planetary Defense workshop will be held April 9-10, 2025, at the University of Tokyo.
This workshop will focus on international collaboration opportunities for both Earth–based observations and in situ investigations, the OSIRIS–APEX mission, Destiny+, and other implementable mission or instrument concepts. There are adjacent workshops at the same location dedicated to Hera (April 7–8, 2025) and RAMSES (April 11, 2025). Apophis T–4 (April 9–10, 2025) will place the greatest emphasis on Apophis science. Hera and RAMSES Workshop information will be available soon. Both in-person and virtual attendance are anticipated.
The abstract deadline is February 3, 2025. Please register your indication of interest at the meeting website and check for ongoing updates, including details on limited travel grant support for students and early-career researchers. https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/apophis2025/
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ASSOCIATE EDITOR OPENING ICARUS
The role of Associate Editor, along with the Editor-in-Chief and other members of the Editorial Board of the Journal and Elsevier, is to manage the peer review process for manuscripts submitted to the journal using the online journal system. The Associate Editor is empowered to make decisions autonomously on manuscripts but is also welcome (and expected) to seek the opinion of the wider editorial team.
The Associate Editor role entails:
Responsibility for the scientific content of the Journal within a specific area relating to the Journal, taking into account the Aims and Scope, the Publisher’s editorial policies as updated from time to time (including without limitation those on ethics in publishing at the Publisher’s website) and the editorial policy of the Journal.
The evaluation and selection of articles for publication in the Journal that are consistent with the high standards of the journal. This includes coordinating an objective and unbiased peer-review process for submitted Articles, obtaining a minimum of (2) reviews for each article, and will reject, or return for revision to the authors Articles that do not meet the required standards of the Journal.
Ensuring an appropriate and sufficient level of submissions of Articles for publication to meet the publication goals of the Journal. If necessary, the Editor will solicit Articles to help meet such publication goals.
Conduct activities in accordance with generally accepted industry standards for integrity and objectivity in all matters respecting the selection, editing, acceptance and reviewing of Articles
Alongside the review process the Associate Editors are asked to periodically participate in discussions with Elsevier about the journal’s development and potential new initiatives. The team of Editors will hold meetings approximately twice a year via video call, as well as in-person meetings in conjunction with certain events or training sessions, as required.
The applicants:
Must have a PhD in a field of study relevant to the scope of this journal
Must have demonstrated broad expertise in the area of surface morphology, for both planets, satellites and small bodies.
Be knowledgeable in research publishing, managing a journal publication, the peer review process and in growing a journal
Demonstrate skills as a good collaborator with ability to lead a team effectively
Elsevier is committed to inclusion and diversity in our work and want the Journal to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. We are therefore committed to ensuring that the Editorial Board is representative, and encourage all individuals interested to apply for a position with the board.
Interested candidates are asked to provide a complete CV, including publication record, as well as a one-page summary of their relevant experience and area of expertise for this Associate Editor position by December 20, 2024. Please include up to three references.
Applications and relevant supporting documents must be sent to Christina Gifford, Publisher, [email protected].
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OCEAN WORLDS WORKING GROUP SEEKING NEW SCIENCE GROUP CO-LEAD
The Ocean Worlds Working Group (OWWG) is seeking a new co-lead for the Science Goals subgroup. The Science Goals subgroup is tasked with developing both immediate and long-term science goals for ocean worlds exploration, and working with the Technology subgroup to develop an ocean worlds technology roadmap. Over the next 12 months, both subgroups will produce input (including but not limited to reports, white papers, and publications) that will feed into a broader Ocean Worlds Strategy Document. This is a volunteer position, and all are encouraged to apply regardless of institution or career stage. Applications are due by December 15, 2024.
Planetary Science will take center stage at the 2025 meeting as one of its three main themes:
From Earth to the Cosmos: Geoscience Beyond Our Planet
This theme invites exploration of planetary geoscience in its full scope, bridging terrestrial geology with the study of solid, icy, and gaseous bodies across the Solar System and extending to exoplanets. Planetary Science covers impacts, volcanism and tectonism, atmospheric,
sedimentary, and hydrologic processes, regolith formation, potential biosignatures and habitability. New frontiers include materials for In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), such as ice and critical minerals, which are crucial for supporting future human habitation on other worlds. Through this expanded lens, geoscientists can explore not only Earth’s unique attributes but also the geological and material diversity across our Solar System, contributing to advancements in both science of planetary environments and commercial space exploration.
GSA also welcomes proposals for field trips and short courses.
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LSST SOLAR SYSTEM PREDICTIONS AND ANALYSIS SOFTWARE AAS JOURNALS FOCUS
ISSUES
Beginning at the end of next year, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) will usher in a new era of Solar System science. The survey is expected to discover and monitor ~5 million Solar system objects over the next decade. We are organizing two AAS Publishing Focus Issues. One Focus Issue in the Astronomical Journal (AJ) aims to be a collection of papers presenting software designed to facilitate Solar System science with the LSST. The Second Focus Issue in the Planetary Science Journal (PSJ) is a collection of papers on the latest predictions for the small body discoveries with the LSST. Anyone with papers on these topics is welcome to submit to the Focus Issues. Papers can be submitted to any of the AAS Journals (except for AAS Research Notes). Further details about submission and the scope of the Focus Issues can be found at:
MERCURY SCIENCE AND EXPLORATION ANNUAL MEETING 2025
The annual Mercury Exploration Assessment Group (MExAG) meeting will be held 4-6 February, 2025 in person at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (Laurel, MD) and around the world virtually. This meeting will bring together the international Mercury community to share new
and ongoing science and to shape the future of Mercury exploration through technology- and community-focused sessions.
Abstracts for the meeting are short (1,000 characters maximum) and are submitted through the meeting website. The abstract deadline is December 11, 2024, 5:00 p.m. U.S. Central Standard Time (GMT-6). Abstracts are open to projects of all maturity levels, from back-of-the-envelope ideas to recently published results.
Travel and participation stipends to support students and early-career attendees will be offered. Details available soon at the meeting website.
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MARS EXPLORATION SCIENCE PROGRAM NEWSLETTER FOR NOVEMBER 2024
Thanks to everyone to presented at and attended the MEPAG Virtual Meeting #18 earlier this month. As a reminder, several members of the Steering Committee will be stepping down in the next 6 months, so we anticipate an open call (in early 2025) for applications to serve on the MEPAG Steering Committee. I also want to encourage people to submit topics for the Mars Surface Science Workshop (MSSW) series focused on human exploration of Mars:
The first group of suggested topics will be reviewed and prioritized in January 2025, and all suggestions will be held for ongoing consideration.
Please make sure your colleagues know about this mailing list – not only does MEPAG use it to send out this Newsletter, but we also use it for distribution of draft findings, as well as announcements about events and opportunities to get involved with MEPAG activities. To
join, please e-mail [email protected]. Your e-mail address will be forwarded to LPI automatically for inclusion in their meeting announcements list.
MERCURY SCIENCE AND EXPLORATION NOVEMBER 2024 NEWSLETTER RELEASED
The Mercury Exploration Assessment Group (MExAG) is circulating Issue 17 of “The Mercury Newsletter”. The quarterly community newsletter can be accessed online at:
This edition highlights the upcoming MExAG Annual Meeting (abstracts due December 11, 2024), features Mercury-focused content at AGU next month (don’t forget to RSVP for the Mercury Social by December 3, 2024), reports Mercury science and exploration news, spotlights early
career members, notes upcoming meetings, shares community announcements, and includes recent publications. All quarterly newsletters can be found online at:
Please send your future Mercury community announcements and calendar items for inclusion in the newsletter to the MExAG Steering Committee at [email protected], or use this online form to submit an advertisement to the MExAG community:
Invited talk by: Prof. Stephen Kane(UC Riverside, USA)
Session Summary
In June 2021, NASA and ESA selected a fleet of three international missions to Venus, which are planned to launch in 2031. Moreover, other missions are in preparation, such as Shukrayaan-1 (ISRO), Venus Life Finder (Rocket Lab), and VOICE (Chinese Academy of Sciences). With the ‘Decade of Venus’ upon us, many fundamental questions remain regarding the planet. Did Venus ever have an ocean? How and when did intense greenhouse conditions develop? How does its internal structure compare to Earth’s? How can we better understand Venus’ geologic history as preserved on its surface as well as the present-day state of activity and couplings between the surface and atmosphere? Although Venus is one of the most uninhabitable planets in the Solar System, understanding our nearest planetary neighbor may unveil important lessons on atmospheric and surface processes, interior dynamics, and habitability. Moreover, as an early-Earth analogue, Venus may help us draw important conclusions on the history of our own planet. Beyond the solar system, Venus’ analogues are likely a common type of exoplanets, and we probably have already discovered many of Venus’ sisters orbiting other stars. This session welcomes contributions that address the past, present, and future of Venus science and exploration, and what Venus can teach us about (ancient) Earth as well as exo-Venus analogues. Moreover, Venus mission concepts, new Venus observations, Earth-Venus comparisons, exoplanet observations, new results from previous observations, and the latest lab and modelling approaches are all welcome to our discussion of solving Venus’ mysteries.
We hope you will consider submitting an abstract to this session. We are looking forward to it!
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NEW HORIZONS SCIENCE SPOTLIGHT WEBINAR
Join us on 19 December 2024, 2:30-3pm EST (11:30-12 PST,12:30-1pm MST,1:30-2pm CST)
New Horizons continues its operation, now at 58.8au from the Sun. Since 2015 it has made ground-breaking discoveries of the Pluto-Charon system, flown past the small contact KBO binary Arrokoth and collected phase and light curve data for some three dozen additional KBOs and the ice giants. It has also been sampling dust density throughout the solar system and studying the cosmic optical background. To raise awareness of New Horizon’s scientific impact we are beginning a new spotlight seminar series (30 min, fourth week each month) which we invite you to attend online, or watch recorded at your convenience.
Our speaker will be Wesley Fraser of Herzberg Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics and he will be speaking on: “Candidate Distant Trans-Neptunian Objects Detected by the New Horizons Subaru TNO Survey”
For questions, contact New Horizons CoI Susan Benecchi, [email protected]
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SAVE THE DATE: BINARY ASTEROIDS VI
We are pleased to announce the 6th Binary Asteroids Meeting will be hosted by the Nice Observatory next year. The workshop will be focused on binary and multiple systems among the NEO, Hungaria, main-belt, Trojan, Centaur, and TNO populations. We hope to gather experts on all topics related to binaries, including their detection, characterization, formation, and dynamical evolution.
When: September 15-17, 2025
Where: Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, Nice, France
Further details and registration information will follow. Please fill out the following form if you are interested in receiving future updates and registration information: https://forms.gle/dCVgFa2t6WXVLMuM8
Regards,
The local organizing committee: Harrison Agrusa, Benoit Carry, Luana Liberato, Raphael Marschall, Patrick Michel, Kate Minker, Paolo Tanga
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CALL FOR NOMINATIONS TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (MEMBER AND CHAIR) OF THE EXOPLANET PROGRAM ANALYSIS GROUP (EXOPAG)
Dear Colleagues:
The Astrophysics Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate is pleased to issue this open call for nominations to serve on the Executive Committee (EC) of NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program Analysis Group (ExoPAG), both as an EC member and/or as Chair. In the coming months, NASA anticipates making several new appointments to the ExoPAG EC, replacing four current members of the committee who have reached the end of their terms. NASA also anticipates making a new appointment to serve as Chair of the ExoPAG EC. New appointments will start in the Spring of 2025 and will be for a period of three years.
NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program (ExEP, http://exoplanets.nasa.gov) is the NASA program office that serves as the focal point for exoplanet science and technology, and devises strategies to help NASA achieve its goals in the area of exoplanet science. The ExoPAG is an open, interdisciplinary forum that provides a way for the scientific community to give input to ExEP, and for conducting analyses in support of ExEP science objectives and their implications for planning and prioritization of Program activities. The ExoPAG is led by a Chair who also serves on NASA’s Astrophysics Advisory Committee (APAC). The Chair works with a volunteer Executive Committee, whose membership is chosen to reflect the broad range of scientific disciplines and interests represented in the exoplanet field (e.g. spanning Astrophysics, Planetary Science, Heliophysics, and Earth Science). Together, the ExoPAG Chair and Executive Committee are responsible for capturing and organizing community input, overseeing ExoPAG analyses, reporting ExoPAG findings and inputs to the Astrophysics Division Director, and keeping the scientific community apprised of ongoing activities and opportunities within ExEP. Detailed information about the structure and function of the ExoPAG, including the current and past membership of the EC, can be found at http://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exopag.
Nominations for the ExoPAG EC and/or EC Chair should be submitted via email to the address: [email protected] . Nominations must include both a cover letter and a one-page CV summarizing the nominee’s relevant background. The cover letter should provide a description of the nominee’s area of expertise, qualifications for service, commitment to NASA’s core value of inclusion, and anticipated contributions to the ExoPAG Executive Committee. Cover letters should indicate whether the applicant is interested in serving on the EC or in chairing the EC (or both). Nominations will only be accepted for scientists who are employed at a U.S. institution for the period of the service. There are no citizenship restrictions. Nominations from individuals at academic institutions—university, college, or non-NASA research laboratory—are strongly encouraged. Self-nominations are welcome and treated equally as external nominations. The deadline for nominations is January 31, 2025, with announcement of selections anticipated in Spring of 2025. Selections will be announced by the ExoPAG mailing list (http://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exep/exopag/announcementList).
We look forward to working with all of our stakeholders to develop a robust and compelling Exoplanet Exploration Program.
Sincerely,
Dr. John Wisniewski, NASA Headquarters Deputy Exoplanet Exploration Program Scientist, ExoPAG Executive Secretary
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CURRENT TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR ICARUS AND THE PLANETARY SCIENCE JOURNAL
The current issues for both DPS-affiliated journals are here:
Full details for several new positions can be found on the DPS job board.
A summary of recent job announcements and postdoc opportunities are listed below.
Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at NOIRLAB
NSF NOIRLab is the preeminent US national center for ground-based optical-infrared astronomy, providing services across a range of programs: Gemini, Rubin, CTIO, KPNO, and CSDC; with facilities in three locations: Arizona, Chile and Hawai’i. NOIRLab’s mission is to enable breakthrough astrophysical discoveries by developing and operating state-of-the-art ground-based observatories and providing data products and services for a diverse and inclusive community.
We invite applications for the NOIRLab Postdoctoral Research Fellowship. We encourage applications from early career scientists with interests in forefront optical-infrared astronomy research, including but not limited to, innovative observational techniques, instrumentation, large data sets and data systems, artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in astronomy, solar system science, and computation and theory.
Fellows will develop an independent research program of their choosing. Applicants are encouraged to propose research programs that connect with NOIRLab facilities and programs. We particularly welcome projects that connect with Rubin Observatory’s Legacy Survey of Space and Time early science.
The three-year position can be taken at any of the three NOIRLab sites. Please submit your application by December 23, 2024.
SETI Institute’s 2025 Frank Drake Postdoctoral Fellowship
The SETI Institute is pleased to announce the call for applications to the Frank Drake Postdoctoral Fellowship focusing on “Innovation in the Search for Life in the Universe.”
JOINT DIRAC FELLOWSHIP AND BAUM POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW FOR INNOVATIVE ASTRONOMY
We invite applications for the 2025 Joint DiRAC Fellowship and Baum Postdoctoral Fellow for Innovative Astronomy in the University of Washington’s Astronomy Department. These up to 3-year postdoctoral positions are available to promising early-career scientists who are ready to engage in self-directed research that complements the work done at UW’s Institute for Data-Intensive Research in Astrophysics and Cosmology (DiRAC). Active areas include: Transients and Variable Star Science, Solar System Science, Milky Way Structure, Extragalactic Science, Cosmology, and Astronomical Software Development.
Applicants with innovative research programs involving early science with Rubin Observatory and the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) are especially encouraged to apply.
DiRAC’s mission is to expand the frontiers of astrophysics enabled by breakthroughs in large surveys, data-intensive algorithms, and software. The Institute comprises seven faculty and senior fellows, and over 30 postdoctoral researchers, research scientists, software engineers, and graduate students. DiRAC leads the construction of Rubin Observatory’s time domain and solar system processing pipelines and is a founding Hub of LINCC, the LSST Interdisciplinary Network for Computing and Collaboration.
Applications are due by December 31, 2024. Please direct questions to Jim Davenport ([email protected]).
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW – SCHOOL OF EARTH AND ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES, GEORGIA TECH, ATLANTA, GA
The application deadline is December 31, 2024 or until the position is filled. This is a fixed term position for 18 months. The postdoctoral scholar’s specific research topic is open and will be
chosen based on the mutual interests of the postdoctoral scholar and the supervisor Dr. Shi Joyce Sim ([email protected], joycesim.github.io).
Access to high-performance computing resources is available through Partnership for an Advanced Computing Environment (PACE) at Georgia Institute of Technology.
[NASA] ROSES-24 AMENDMENT 63: F.5 FINESST – SMD’S GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH FINAL TEXT AND DUE DATE RELEASED
Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST F.5) solicits proposals for graduate student-designed and performed research projects relevant to NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. The graduate student shall be the primary author, with input or supervision from the proposal’s Principal Investigator (PI) or mentor, as appropriate. FINESST awards are research grants for up to three years at up to $50K per year.
ROSES-2024 Amendment 63 releases final text and due dates for F.5 FINESST, which had been listed as “TBD”. An optional preproposal conference will occur on December 6, 2024, at 3 pm Eastern Time, see Section 12.11 for connect information. Notices of Intent are not requested, and proposals are due February 5, 2025. Submissions must be formatted for Dual Anonymous Peer Review, see Section 4.2.
Questions concerning F.5 FINESST may be directed to [email protected].
Research Associate in Mega-Constellation Space Physics
The rise of satellite mega-constellations in low Earth orbit is unlocking the possibility of ubiquitous global monitoring of our planet. This Research Associate in Mega-Constellation Space Physics will explore the potential of harnessing mega-constellations for monitoring the solar wind – magnetosphere – ionosphere interaction to advance space weather science and operations.
By becoming a key member of the exciting UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship project “Harnessing mega-constellations to probe space weather globally” in the Department of Physics at Imperial College London (UK), you will undertake original research exploring how satellite mega-constellation could dramatically improve upon current capabilities. You will develop global spatiotemporal fitting and data assimilation methods for mega-constellation magnetic field observations to unveil the dynamic magnetosphere – ionosphere current systems present. These methods will be tested using Imperial’s global magnetospheric simulations to understand the capabilities of current and future satellite constellations for space weather operations and science. Ultimately the methods will be applied to data collected from Eutelsat OneWeb’s Gen1 mega-constellation of over 630 satellites to advance our current scientific and operational capabilities in space weather. Through this work you will not only set new directions for space missions and satellite operators, but also improve our understanding of the dynamics of the solar wind – magnetosphere – ionosphere interaction in general.
If you are thinking of applying, you are encouraged to contact the project PI Dr Martin Archer ([email protected]).
McCray Postdoctoral Fellowship for Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences
The Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences (APS) at the University of Colorado Boulder is seeking applications for the inaugural Richard McCray Postdoctoral Fellowship for Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences. The award is open to scholars in all fields represented by faculty in our department including astrophysics, planetary sciences, solar and space physics, and astronomy education research.
The initial appointment will be made for two years, with the possibility of extending to a third year. The fellowship provides an initial stipend of $85,000/yr. Fellows will also receive reimbursement for up to $5,000 in moving expenses and a research fund of $12,000/yr to be used in support of research and professional development activities. Fellows are expected to pursue research in collaboration with APS faculty, researchers, and/or students, and may also participate in departmental teaching, service, and public outreach activities. Candidates should identify a faculty member in the APS department who has agreed to be their sponsor prior to submitting their application. The APS department recognizes that the effectiveness and creativity of a group is strengthened by contributions from a broad range of perspectives. As such, we particularly welcome candidates from groups that have been historically underrepresented in astrophysics and planetary science and/or have demonstrated leadership toward building an equitable and inclusive scholarly environment.
Application materials must be submitted electronically at www.colorado.edu/jobs, to posting #59873.
Johns Hopkins’ Department of Earth and Planetary Science is currently recruiting its next Blaustein Postdoctoral Fellow. This is a 1+1 year position which comes with research freedom, a salary of $65,000/year plus healthcare and other benefits, and a generous research allowance.
The EPS department is located in the Wyman Park Forest on Johns Hopkins’ expansive campus in northern Baltimore, approximately 30 miles from the US Capitol in Washington DC. As an institution, Johns Hopkins has led all other universities in research spending every year for the last 44 years (FY22: $3.4bn) and employs more than 10,000 people in science, engineering, and allied/support roles across multiple campuses and the Applied Physics Laboratory.
McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowship
Washington University in St. Louis invites applicants to conduct independent research as a postdoctoral fellow of the McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences (MCSS) in the broad field of space sciences. We welcome applicants with interests in Astromaterials, Cosmochemistry, or Meteoritics; Experimental, Theoretical, or Observational Astrophysics; Planetary Science; Particle and Nuclear Physics, Cosmology and Gravitation; and Earth as a Planet. In their application materials, the candidate should describe their research interests and list potential
collaborators from among the faculty fellows of the MCSS.
Employment in this fellowship is planned to begin in July 2025 for an anticipated initial one-year term, with the possibility of renewal for a second year.
Candidates must have a PhD or be a May 2025 degree candidate specializing in one of the fields listed above and have a record of excellent scholarship. Ideal candidates will have demonstrated
expertise in relevant observational, lab-based, theoretical, and computational methodologies.
Applications and reference letters are due December 20, 2024, and should be submitted (along with reference letters) through Interfolio:
CURRENT TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THE PLANETARY SCIENCE JOURNAL AND ICARUS
JOBS, POSITIONS, AND OPPORTUNITIES
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LSST SOLAR SYSTEM PREDICTIONS AND ANALYSIS SOFTWARE AAS JOURNALS FOCUS ISSUES
Beginning at the end of next year, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) will usher in a new era of solar system science. The survey is expected to discover and monitor ~5 million solar System objects over the next decade. We are organizing two AAS Publishing Focus Issues. One Focus Issue in the Astronomical Journal (AJ) aims to be a collection of papers presenting software designed to facilitate solar system science with the LSST. The Second Focus Issue in the Planetary Science Journal (PSJ) is a collection of papers on the latest predictions for the small body discoveries with the LSST. Anyone with papers on these topics is welcome to submit to the Focus Issues. Papers can be submitted to any of the AAS Journals (except for AAS Research Notes). Further details about submission and the scope of the Focus Issues can be found at: http://lsst-sssc.github.io/focusissues.html
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ASSOCIATE EDITOR OPENING ICARUS
The role of Associate Editor, along with the Editor-in-Chief and other members of the Editorial Board of the Journal and Elsevier, is to manage the peer review process for manuscripts submitted to the journal using the online journal system. The Associate Editor is empowered to make decisions autonomously on manuscripts but is also welcome (and expected) to seek the opinion of the wider editorial team.
The Associate Editor role entails:
Responsibility for the scientific content of the Journal within a specific area relating to the Journal, taking into account the Aims and Scope, the Publisher’s editorial policies as updated from time to time (including without limitation those on ethics in publishing at the Publisher’s website) and the editorial policy of the Journal.
The evaluation and selection of articles for publication in the Journal that are consistent with the high standards of the journal. This includes coordinating an objective and unbiased peer-review process for submitted Articles, obtaining a minimum of (2) reviews for each article, and will reject, or return for revision to the authors Articles that do not meet the required standards of the Journal.
Ensuring an appropriate and sufficient level of submissions of Articles for publication to meet the publication goals of the Journal. If necessary, the Editor will solicit Articles to help meet such publication goals.
Conduct activities in accordance with generally accepted industry standards for integrity and objectivity in all matters respecting the selection, editing, acceptance and reviewing of Articles
Alongside the review process the Associate Editors are asked to periodically participate in discussions with Elsevier about the journal’s development and potential new initiatives. The team of Editors will hold meetings approximately twice a year via video call, as well as in-person meetings in conjunction with certain events or training sessions, as required.
The applicants:
Must have a PhD in a field of study relevant to the scope of this journal
Must have demonstrated broad expertise in the area of comets and other small bodies.
Be knowledgeable in research publishing, managing a journal publication, the peer review process and in growing a journal
Demonstrate skills as a good collaborator with ability to lead a team effectively
Elsevier is committed to inclusion and diversity in our work and want the Journal to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. We are therefore committed to ensuring that the Editorial Board is representative, and encourage all individuals interested to apply for a position with the board.
Interested candidates are asked to provide a complete CV, including publication record, as well as a one-page summary of their relevant experience and area of expertise for this Associate Editor position by December 20, 2024. Please include up to three references.
Applications and relevant supporting documents must be sent to Christina Gifford, Publisher, [email protected].
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32nd MEETING OF NASA SMALL BODIES ASSESSMENT GROUP (SBAG) EARLY-CAREER OPPORTUNITIES DEADLINE EXTENDED
The 32nd Meeting of the NASA Small Bodies Assessment Group (SBAG) is scheduled for January 7–9, 2025, at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. The meeting will be held in person with opportunities for virtual participation.
Early-Career Opportunities
Invited Early-Career Speakers: Select approximately two early-career researchers who will each give a presentation (approximately 15 minutes, including Q&A).
Lightning Talks: We will provide time on the agenda for additional early-career researchers and engineers attending the meeting to introduce themselves and their research to the community.
Meeting Mentor: Interested early-career members of the small body’s community will be paired with an SBAG meeting mentor to help broaden the networks of early-career researchers and engineers.
Travel and Participation Support: We will offer travel and participation stipends to support students and early-career researchers attending the meeting.
Visit the SBAG website for more information about each opportunity and submission details.
Submission deadline extension: December 4, 2024
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WORKSHOP ON EDIA FOR LEADERS IN PLANETARY SCIENCE #EDIALPS
February 11-13, 2025, 4 hours daily, 11am-1pm and 2pm-4pm EST
We invite planetary scientists to join us for our workshop on engaging with EDIA concepts and strategies. We define leadership broadly. Previous workshops included attendees at a variety of career stages and with a variety of EDIA experience levels. This workshop (~25 people or less, to encourage interaction) provides the basic tools needed to enact positive change in personal and professional spheres regarding inclusion, diversity, accessibility, and equity. Entirely on-line, no registration fee. Visit website (below) to fill out indication of interest.
“Well organized and well-facilitated, great breadth and depth of topics, and good novel interactive components as well. The content was expertly curated and extremely well presented …” Participant, Nov. 2022
Facilitators: Drs. Julie Rathbun (she/her/hers) and JA Grier (ee/em/eir)
After almost three years of scientific operations, JWST has observed many Solar System objects thanks to numerous GTO, DD-ERS, and GO programs proposed in Cycles 1-3. These observations, using all of Webb’s instruments both in imaging and spectroscopic modes, have revolutionized our knowledge of a large number of Solar System objects, in particular cold and faint objects such as TNOs, transitional objects and satellites of giant planets.
The aim of this workshop is to bring together the international community involved in the proposal, implementation, and analysis of Webb’s solar system programs. During the workshop, the results of various investigations will be presented, along with their implications for the solar system in general. We will also address how JWST can be used even more effectively to study the solar system, by providing training in data reduction and proposal writing. Laboratory astrophysics requirements will also be discussed, to make better use of the observations already obtained.
If you intend to attend, please register online ASAP, by the end of November if possible (there is limited space).
Please submit an abstract that aligns within the various sessions in the program or inform the organizers if your topic is not relevant to one of those listed. The workshop is meant to be interactive, and the program will be adjusted as needed and based on interest.
We hope to see you in January!
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NEW HORIZONS SCIENCE SPOTLIGHT WEBINAR
Join us on 19 December 2024, 2:30-3pm EST (11:30-12 PST,12:30-1pm MST,1:30-2pm CST)
New Horizons continues its operation, now at 58.8au from the Sun. Since 2015 it has made ground-breaking discoveries of the Pluto-Charon system, flown past the small contact KBO binary Arrokoth and collected phase and light curve data for some three dozen additional KBOs and the ice giants. It has also been sampling dust density throughout the solar system and studying the cosmic optical background. To raise awareness of New Horizon’s scientific impact we are beginning a new spotlight seminar series (30 min, fourth week each month) which we invite you to attend online, or watch recorded at your convenience.
Our speaker will be Wesley Fraser of Herzberg Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics and he will be speaking on:
“Candidate Distant Trans-Neptunian Objects Detected by the New Horizons Subaru TNO Survey”
For questions, contact New Horizons CoI Susan Benecchi, [email protected]
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OCEAN WORLDS WORKING GROUP SEEKING NEW SCIENCE GROUP CO-LEAD
The Ocean Worlds Working Group is seeking a new co-lead for the Science Goals subgroup. The Science Goals subgroup is tasked with developing both immediate and long-term science goals for ocean worlds exploration, and working with the Technology subgroup to develop an ocean worlds technology roadmap. Over the next 12 months, both subgroups will produce input (including but not limited to reports, white papers, and publications) that will feed into a broader Ocean Worlds Strategy Document. This is a volunteer position, and all are encouraged to apply regardless of institution or career stage. Applications are due by December 15th, 2024.
We are pleased to announce the 6th Binary Asteroids Meeting will be hosted by the Nice Observatory next year. The workshop will be focused on binary and multiple systems among the NEO, Hungaria, main-belt, Trojan, Centaur, and TNO populations. We hope to gather experts on all topics related to binaries, including their detection, characterization, formation, and dynamical evolution.
When: September 15-17, 2025
Where: Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, Nice, France
Further details and registration information will follow. Please fill out the following form if you are interested in receiving future updates and registration information: https://forms.gle/dCVgFa2t6WXVLMuM8
Regards,
The local organizing committee: Harrison Agrusa, Benoit Carry, Luana Liberato, Raphael Marschall, Patrick Michel, Kate Minker, Paolo Tanga
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NEOWISE FINAL DATA RELEASE AVAILABLE NOVEMBER 14, 2024
The Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) and IPAC at the California Institute of Technology announce the NEOWISE Final Data Release.
The Final Data Release includes data acquired during the eleventh year of the NEOWISE Reactivation mission (Mainzer et al. 2014, ApJ, 792, 30), 13 December 2023 to 1 August 2024. These data are combined with data from the first ten years of NEOWISE mission into a single archive that contains ~26.9 million sets of 3.4 and 4.6 micron images and a database of ~199 billion source detections extracted from those images.
NEOWISE scanned the sky over twenty-one complete times during its 10.6 years of survey operations, with approximately six months between survey passes. Twelve or more independent exposures are made on each point of the sky during each survey epoch making the NEOWISE archive a time-domain resource for extracting multiple, independent thermal flux and position measurements of solar system small bodies and background galactic and extragalactic sources.
A guide to the NEOWISE data release, data access instructions, and supporting documentation are available at http://wise2.ipac.caltech.edu/docs/release/neowise/. Access to the NEOWISE data products is available via the on-line and API services of the NASA/IPAC Infrared Science Archive (IRSA) at https://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu.
NEOWISE is a joint project of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology and the University of California, Los Angeles, funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Planetary Science Division.
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CALL FOR NOMINATIONS TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (MEMBER AND CHAIR) OF THE EXOPLANET PROGRAM ANALYSIS GROUP (EXOPAG)
Dear Colleagues:
The Astrophysics Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate is pleased to issue this open call for nominations to serve on the Executive Committee (EC) of NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program Analysis Group (ExoPAG), both as an EC member and/or as Chair. In the coming months, NASA anticipates making several new appointments to the ExoPAG EC, replacing four current members of the committee who have reached the end of their terms. NASA also anticipates making a new appointment to serve as Chair of the ExoPAG EC. New appointments will start in the Spring of 2025 and will be for a period of three years.
NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program (ExEP, http://exoplanets.nasa.gov) is the NASA program office that serves as the focal point for exoplanet science and technology, and devises strategies to help NASA achieve its goals in the area of exoplanet science. The ExoPAG is an open, interdisciplinary forum that provides a way for the scientific community to give input to ExEP, and for conducting analyses in support of ExEP science objectives and their implications for planning and prioritization of Program activities. The ExoPAG is led by a Chair who also serves on NASA’s Astrophysics Advisory Committee (APAC). The Chair works with a volunteer Executive Committee, whose membership is chosen to reflect the broad range of scientific disciplines and interests represented in the exoplanet field (e.g. spanning Astrophysics, Planetary Science, Heliophysics, and Earth Science). Together, the ExoPAG Chair and Executive Committee are responsible for capturing and organizing community input, overseeing ExoPAG analyses, reporting ExoPAG findings and inputs to the Astrophysics Division Director, and keeping the scientific community apprised of ongoing activities and opportunities within ExEP. Detailed information about the structure and function of the ExoPAG, including the current and past membership of the EC, can be found at http://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exopag.
Nominations for the ExoPAG EC and/or EC Chair should be submitted via email to the address: [email protected] . Nominations must include both a cover letter and a one-page CV summarizing the nominee’s relevant background. The cover letter should provide a description of the nominee’s area of expertise, qualifications for service, commitment to NASA’s core value of inclusion, and anticipated contributions to the ExoPAG Executive Committee. Cover letters should indicate whether the applicant is interested in serving on the EC or in chairing the EC (or both). Nominations will only be accepted for scientists who are employed at a U.S. institution for the period of the service. There are no citizenship restrictions. Nominations from individuals at academic institutions—university, college, or non-NASA research laboratory—are strongly encouraged. Self-nominations are welcome and treated equally as external nominations. The deadline for nominations is January 31, 2025, with announcement of selections anticipated in Spring of 2025. Selections will be announced by the ExoPAG mailing list (http://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exep/exopag/announcementList).
We look forward to working with all of our stakeholders to develop a robust and compelling Exoplanet Exploration Program.
Sincerely,
Dr. John Wisniewski, NASA Headquarters Deputy Exoplanet Exploration Program Scientist, ExoPAG Executive Secretary
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2025 LPI SUMMER INTERN PROGRAM IN PLANETARY SCIENCES
The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) is accepting applications for the 2025 LPI Summer Intern Program! This 10-week, highly competitive program offers undergraduates a unique opportunity to work with scientists at LPI and NASA’s Johnson Space Center on cutting-edge research in planetary science.
Program Dates: June 2–August 8, 2025
Eligibility: Open to undergraduates with at least 50 semester hours of credit. Students majoring in physical or natural sciences, engineering, computer science, or mathematics are preferred, but all eligible students will be considered.
Application Deadline: December 12, 2024
Help spread the word and share this exciting student opportunity!
The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) and the Meteoritical Society are working together to make improvements to the usability and utility of the Meteoritical Bulletin Database (MBDB). To better serve you and your needs, please take 5 minutes to fill out this survey before December 8, 2024. The answers you provide will help direct our efforts to improve the MBDB. The survey is anonymous.
PIERAZZO INTERNATIONAL STUDENT TRAVEL AWARD APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN
Each year, subject to receiving qualified applications, PSI bestows two awards:
The first award supports a U.S.-based Ph.D. student to attend a planetary science-related conference or workshop located outside the U.S.
The second award facilitates a non-U.S.-based Ph.D. student to attend a planetary science-related conference within the U.S. Eligible events include planetary-focused sessions at general meetings like AGU, GSA, EGU, and IAG. The event should be open to general participation by the planetary community.
Each award offers a certificate and up to $2,000 in travel support, to be presented by a PSI representative at a scientific conference or meeting. We believe these awards can foster international collaboration and broaden the horizons of aspiring planetary scientists.
Applications close 9 PM MST, December 2, 2024 for meetings occurring in calendar 2025. Late applications will not be accepted. Award winners will be announced on or before December 15.
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OPAG (HYBRID) SPRING MEETING: FEBRUARY 25-27, 2025 IN TUCSON, AZ
Please save the date for the Spring meeting of the Outer Planets Assessment Group (OPAG), which will be held on February 25-27, 2025 in Tucson, AZ. This will be a hybrid meeting. Agenda and further details forthcoming on the OPAG website:
The American Astronomical Society and the American Physical Society (APS) are co-hosting this online workshop for educators in astronomy and physics.
Thursday, 5 December, 2:00 – 4:00 pm ET: “Inclusive Classroom Teaching Techniques,” facilitated by thePhysics and Astronomy Faculty Teaching Institute (FTI), which is a professional development program for physics and astronomy faculty focused on effective and inclusive teaching practices. In this highly interactive two-hour session, FTI leaders Ed Prather and Rachel Scherr will give you experience with teaching methods that are energizing, equitable, and fun.
Full details for several new positions can be found on the DPS job board.
A summary of recent job announcements and postdoc opportunities are listed below.
University of North Florida Instructor Position
University of North Florida is conducting a search for an instructor to join the physics department, particularly encouraging the applicants who have familiarity with earth science and/or planetary astronomy. The position is non-tenure track, but it is expected that the successful applicant would be in the department for many years to come. More details here – https://unf.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/unfjobs/job/Jacksonville-FL/Instructor-of-Physics_JR101082
SETI Institute’s 2025 Frank Drake Postdoctoral Fellowship
The SETI Institute is pleased to announce the call for applications to the Frank Drake Postdoctoral Fellowship focusing on “Innovation in the Search for Life in the Universe.”
[NASA] ROSES-24 AMENDMENT 63: F.5 FINESST – SMD’S GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH FINAL TEXT AND DUE DATE RELEASED
Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST F.5) solicits proposals for graduate student-designed and performed research projects relevant to NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. The graduate student shall be the primary author, with input or supervision from the proposal’s Principal Investigator (PI) or mentor, as appropriate. FINESST awards are research grants for up to three years at up to $50K per year.
ROSES-2024 Amendment 63 releases final text and due dates for F.5 FINESST, which had been listed as “TBD”. An optional preproposal conference will occur on December 6, 2024, at 3 pm Eastern Time, see Section 12.11 for connect information. Notices of Intent are not requested, and proposals are due February 5, 2025. Submissions must be formatted for Dual Anonymous Peer Review, see Section 4.2.
Questions concerning F.5 FINESST may be directed to [email protected].
Research Associate in Mega-Constellation Space Physics
The rise of satellite mega-constellations in low Earth orbit is unlocking the possibility of ubiquitous global monitoring of our planet. This Research Associate in Mega-Constellation Space Physics will explore the potential of harnessing mega-constellations for monitoring the solar wind – magnetosphere – ionosphere interaction to advance space weather science and operations.
By becoming a key member of the exciting UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship project “Harnessing mega-constellations to probe space weather globally” in the Department of Physics at Imperial College London (UK), you will undertake original research exploring how satellite mega-constellation could dramatically improve upon current capabilities. You will develop global spatiotemporal fitting and data assimilation methods for mega-constellation magnetic field observations to unveil the dynamic magnetosphere – ionosphere current systems present. These methods will be tested using Imperial’s global magnetospheric simulations to understand the capabilities of current and future satellite constellations for space weather operations and science. Ultimately the methods will be applied to data collected from Eutelsat OneWeb’s Gen1 mega-constellation of over 630 satellites to advance our current scientific and operational capabilities in space weather. Through this work you will not only set new directions for space missions and satellite operators, but also improve our understanding of the dynamics of the solar wind – magnetosphere – ionosphere interaction in general.
If you are thinking of applying, you are encouraged to contact the project PI Dr Martin Archer ([email protected]).
McCray Postdoctoral Fellowship for Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences
The Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences (APS) at the University of Colorado Boulder is seeking applications for the inaugural Richard McCray Postdoctoral Fellowship for Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences. The award is open to scholars in all fields represented by faculty in our department including astrophysics, planetary sciences, solar and space physics, and astronomy education research.
The initial appointment will be made for two years, with the possibility of extending to a third year. The fellowship provides an initial stipend of $85,000/yr. Fellows will also receive reimbursement for up to $5,000 in moving expenses and a research fund of $12,000/yr to be used in support of research and professional development activities. Fellows are expected to pursue research in collaboration with APS faculty, researchers, and/or students, and may also participate in departmental teaching, service, and public outreach activities. Candidates should identify a faculty member in the APS department who has agreed to be their sponsor prior to submitting their application. The APS department recognizes that the effectiveness and creativity of a group is strengthened by contributions from a broad range of perspectives. As such, we particularly welcome candidates from groups that have been historically underrepresented in astrophysics and planetary science and/or have demonstrated leadership toward building an equitable and inclusive scholarly environment.
Application materials must be submitted electronically at www.colorado.edu/jobs, to posting #59873.
Johns Hopkins’ Department of Earth and Planetary Science is currently recruiting its next Blaustein Postdoctoral Fellow. This is a 1+1 year position which comes with research freedom, a salary of $65,000/year plus healthcare and other benefits, and a generous research allowance.
The EPS department is located in the Wyman Park Forest on Johns Hopkins’ expansive campus in northern Baltimore, approximately 30 miles from the US Capitol in Washington DC. As an institution, Johns Hopkins has led all other universities in research spending every year for the last 44 years (FY22: $3.4bn) and employs more than 10,000 people in science, engineering, and allied/support roles across multiple campuses and the Applied Physics Laboratory.
McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowship
Washington University in St. Louis invites applicants to conduct independent research as a postdoctoral fellow of the McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences (MCSS) in the broad field of space sciences. We welcome applicants with interests in Astromaterials, Cosmochemistry, or Meteoritics; Experimental, Theoretical, or Observational Astrophysics; Planetary Science; Particle and Nuclear Physics, Cosmology and Gravitation; and Earth as a Planet. In their application materials, the candidate should describe their research interests and list potential
collaborators from among the faculty fellows of the MCSS.
Employment in this fellowship is planned to begin in July 2025 for an anticipated initial one-year term, with the possibility of renewal for a second year.
Candidates must have a PhD or be a May 2025 degree candidate specializing in one of the fields listed above and have a record of excellent scholarship. Ideal candidates will have demonstrated
expertise in relevant observational, lab-based, theoretical, and computational methodologies.
Applications and reference letters are due December 20, 2024, and should be submitted (along with reference letters) through Interfolio:
It is my honor and my pleasure to take the office of the DPS committee Chair for the next year. We are all, those you have elected to leadership positions for the committee, grateful for the trust you have placed in us to represent the interests and concerns of our group in planetary sciences, ensuring the advancement of our scientific research.
The incoming committee members or with new responsibilities are:
congratulations to:
– Scott Murchie (our new Vice-Chair)
– Carol Raymond (our new Past Chair)
– Matija Cuk (Environmental Affairs Subcommittee Chair)
– A’Laura Hines (Student representative)
– Hannah Jang-Condell (member)
– Tim Livengood (Nominating Subcommittee Chair)
– Conor Nixon (member)
I wanted to give my heartfelt thanks to the committee members who are leaving us at this time and whose service to the community has been instrumental:
– Catherine Neish (DPS Past Chair)
– Morgan Cable (Nominating Subcommittee Chair)
– Serina Diniega (member)
– Lori Feaga (Prize Subcommittee)
– Brian Jackson who will remain as our Education and Public Outreach Chair !
– Jack Lissauer (Environmental Affairs Subcommittee Chair)
– Samuel Myers (student representative)
– Carrie Nugent (Prize Subcommittee)
– Geronimo Villanueva (Prize Subcommittee)
We also want to thank and congratulate the organisers of this year’s DPS Meeting in Boise, Idaho. I’m convinced that all the attendees had a wonderful meeting in Boise, filled with excellent science and great opportunities for networking. A special note also for our younger members who, I’m sure, find at the DPS meetings a chance to talk to mentors and share results and ideas, which, constitutes one of the most important aspects of our conferences. I would like to personally thank everybody who worked on its organisation and in particular Brian Jackson, Kat Volk and Parvathy Prem. I would also like to pay tribute to the work of the DPS committee members who have assisted with this meeting and at the same time tackled other matters we dealt with in our Division this past year, especially Carol Raymond, Past Chair of the Committee, and other officers, as well as the AAS staff.
In order to improve our future meetings please look out for a survey that the AAS will circulate shortly and share with us your opinion on the past meeting and ideas for future ones. Please take a moment to fill the survey so we can better anticipate requests from the community and act on them. Note that the 2025 is going to be an EPSC-DPS joint meeting in Helsinki, Finland (7-12 September 2025): https://www.europlanet-society.org/epsc/
I look forward in the future to working with the incoming Vice-Chair Scott Murchie, the DPS Committee members and all the subcommittees, to capitalise on the planetary science successes, to ensure a healthy future and to champion our community’s science in the US and internationally. In this we will need all the inputs, ideas and concerns that you can share with us, so don’t hesitate to call upon committee members in order to make us more aware and efficient in the face of current and future challenges.
