Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 15:15:08 -0500
Subject: DPS Mailing #04-25: In Memoriam: Thomas M. Donahue...
 
Greetings, DPS Colleagues,
 
 +------------------CONTENTS:------------------------------+
 1) IN MEMORIAM: THOMAS M. DONAHUE (1921-2004)
 2) DPS MEETING ONLINE REGISTRATION DEADLINE
 3) BANQUET TICKETS FOR SALE ONLINE ONLY
 +----------------------------------------------------------+
 
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IN MEMORIAM: THOMAS M. DONAHUE (1921-2004)
 
THOMAS M. DONAHUE, PIONEERING PLANETARY SCIENTIST AND FORMER 
CHAIR OF THE SPACE STUDIES BOARD, DIES AT 83.
 
Thomas M. Donahue, one of the nation's leading space and planetary 
scientists and a pioneer of space exploration, died Saturday 
October 16, 2004, from complications following heart surgery. 
He was 83. Dr. Donahue, the Edward H. White II Distinguished 
University Professor of Planetary Science at the University of 
Michigan, shaped space exploration through his scientific 
achievements and policy positions. His work started with the 
first use of sounding rockets following the Second World War 
and his influence continued to the space probes currently 
exploring the solar system.
 
Elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1983 and to the 
International Academy of Astronautics in 1986, Dr. Donahue was 
a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union and the American 
Association for the Advancement of Science, and received an 
honorary degree of Sc.D. from Rockhurst College in 1981. 
The same year he was awarded the Arctowski Medal by the 
National Academy of Sciences and the John Adam Fleming Medal by 
the American Geophysical Union. He received the NASA
Distinguished Public Service Medal, two NASA Public Service Awards,
the Space Science Award of the American Institute of Aeronautics
and Astronautics, and the National Space Club Science Award.
 
Dr. Donahue's participation in space exploration was influential 
over many decades and on diverse projects. He was an experimenter 
or interdisciplinary scientist on the orbiting Geophysical 
Observatory Missions, Apollo-17, Apollo-Soyuz, Voyager, Pioneer 
Venus Multiprobe and Orbiter (for which he served as the Science 
Steering Group chair), Galileo, Comet Rendezvous Asteroid Flyby, 
and Cassini. Based on observations by the Pioneer Venus entry 
probe, he concluded that Venus once had an ocean before a runaway 
greenhouse effect led it to its current state. Analyzing similar 
data from Martian meteorites, he again argued for a substantial 
Martian ocean, anticipating the current series of missions to 
Mars. In these and many other cases he laid the foundation for 
our current understanding of planetary atmospheres.
 
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Esther McPherson Donahue 
of Ann Arbor, Michigan; their three sons -- Brian of Boston MA, 
Kevin of Berkeley CA and Neil of Pittsburgh PA; six grandchildren; 
and a brother, Robert Donahue, and sister, Mary Marshall, 
both of Missouri.
 
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DPS MEETING ONLINE REGISTRATION DEADLINE
 
The last day to register for the DPS meeting online is October 29. 
After that date, participants should register on site. 
Online registration is available through the meeting 
website, http://dps04.org/
 
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BANQUET TICKETS FOR SALE ONLINE ONLY
 
Please note that DPS Churchill Downs Banquet tickets are only 
available via the online pre-registration process, which ends 
Oct. 29. There will be no refunds after this date and no 
Banquet tickets for sale at the meeting because of caterer 
and venue deadlines. After the Oct. 29 deadline, please feel 
free to use the meeting's online forum if you find you have 
extra tickets or want tickets.

 
Linda French Emmons, DPS Secretary
send submissions to [email protected]