Date: Tue, 2 May 2006 13:58:40 -0500
Subject: DPS Mailing #06-08: News from the Chair: NASA Priorities...
Greetings, DPS members,
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1) NASA priorities
2) Upcoming DPS Committee Visit to Washington, DC
3) FRS Election results
4) NASA Planetary Science Summer School
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NEWS FROM THE CHAIR: NASA PRIORITIES
The long-awaited new NASA advisory system is finally being set up.
The new SSES is now called PSS (Planetary Science Subcommittee).
Because the paperwork has not yet been completed the PSS membership
is not official. We can say, however, that the PSS Chair is
Sean Solomon and there are representatives from advisory
groups for exploration of the outer planets (OPAG), Venus (VEXAG),
and the moon. There is also a Planetary Protection Subcommittee,
chaired by Gene Levy. PSS provides advice to the NASA Advisory Council
(NAC) via a science committee chaired by Dr. Charles F. Kennel,
with Dr. Wesley T. Huntress, Jr., Dr. Eugene H. Levy,
Dr. Mark S. Robinson, Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson. The NAC then
passes official advice to NASA. This multilayered system is
very different from the previous system where SSES provided advice
directly to the Solar System Division Director. A list of the
members of the NAC is available at http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/oer/nac/.
There will be a public meeting of the NAC on May 4. NASA Administrator
Mike Griffin has made it clear that the current plan of 15% cuts in
Research and Analysis (R&A) funds will be implemented unless there is
a clear and consistent message from the science community about
other priorities. The DPS Committee is submitting a statement to
the NAC, urging that adequate and stable R&A funding is our highest
priority, both to capitalize on the large public investment in
past and ongoing missions and,to provide the scientific
understanding essential to future missions. A balanced program
of small, medium, and flagship missions should be developed and
sustained, taking into account input from the scientific community
from the Decadal Survey and advisory groups to the NAC. The DPS
Committee is also working with Congress, as well as with the AAS
and other professional organizations, to restore the funds that
are being cut from the R&A programs.
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UPCOMING DPS COMMITTEE VISIT TO WASHINGTON, DC
On May 17& 18, the DPS Committee and FRS will visit Washington DC
for a two-day meeting. Our primary focus will be on the NASA budget.
We will:
- meet with key members of the House and Senate, and science
committee staffers
- visit NASA HQ to meet with policy makers in SMD
(Science Mission Directorate) and ESMD (Exploration Systems
Mission Directorate), as well as R&D program officers who manage
research programs within SMD.
- meet with members of OMB to get an overview of the current budget situation
- meet with Kevin Marvel, incoming AAS executive officer, and
representatives from the AGU
The DPS Committee will also develop a plan to expand the role of
the Education and Public Outreach Subcommittee (EPOS), under the
leadership of newly-elected EPOS chair, Jennifer Grier (CfA).
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FRS ELECTION RESULTS
Based on nominations from the DPS community, the DPS Committee
elected two new members for three-year terms to the Federal
Relations Subcommittee:
Jim Bell (Cornell U.)
Melissa McGrath (NASA/MSFC)
They join continuing members Alan Stern (FRS Chair, SWRI) and
Dan Britt (U. Central Florida), and ex-officio member
Wes Huntress (CIW). Beginning with the 2006 DPS meeting
in Pasadena, the incoming DPS Vice-Chair will serve for a
one-year term on the FRS.
The FRS serves as the eyes and ears of the DPS Committee by keeping
track of the federal budget and appropriations process, helping
to organize meetings with Congressional staffers and important
science committees, and informing the DPS membership of current
events and contact information via the FRS website
(http://www.boulder.swri.edu/frs/).
DPS members are welcome to contact the FRS directly with
questions or recommendations.
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NASA PLANETARY SCIENCE SUMMER SCHOOL
Applications are due May 15, 2006, for NASA's 18th Annual Planetary
Science Summer School, which will hold two sessions this summer,
July 24-28 and July 31 - August 4, at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
Pasadena, California. Science and engineering post-doctoral and
graduate students with a strong interest in careers in planetary
exploration are encouraged to apply. Preference is given to
U.S. citizens. Partial financial support is available to a
limited number of individuals to help defray the expense of
travel and lodging only. Applications are to be submitted
electronically by May 15, 2006 at http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/pscischool/ .
For further information, visit http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/pscischool/
or contact Ms. Anita M. Sohus, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, M/S 111-B29,
4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109; phone 818-354-6613;
e-mail Anita.M.Sohus @ jpl.nasa.gov.