Subject: [DPS Members] DPS Mailing #08-03: AAS statement on priorities, HST proposals... Issue 08-03, March 3rd 2008 +-----------------------------CONTENTS--------------------------------+ 1) Priority Setting in the Planetary Science Community 2) Consider proposing for HST Time for Solar System Science 3) NASA Lunar Science Institute Open for Business 4) Upcoming Meetings +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ 1---------1---------1---------1---------1---------1---------1---------1 PRIORITY SETTING IN THE PLANETARY SCIENCE COMMUNITY The DPS Committee voted unanimously in favor of the resolution below, demonstrating unanimous agreement among the AAS and each of its five Divisions, supporting community-based priority setting for federal funding of research. Through this resolution, the Division for Planetary Sciences and all other Divisions of the American Astronomical Society, re-affirm the Decadal Survey process as the premier means for setting priorities. Richard P. Binzel, DPS Chair --------- AAS Statement On Community-based Priority Setting (Adopted 24 January 2008) The American Astronomical Society and each of its five divisions strongly endorse community-based priority setting as a fundamental component in the effective federal funding of research. Broad community input is required in making difficult decisions that will be respected by policy makers and stake-holders. The decadal surveys are the premier examples of how to set priorities with community input. Other National Academy studies, standing advisory committees, senior reviews, and town hall meetings are important components. Mid-decade adjustments should also be open to appropriate community input. Pleadings outside this process for specific Congressional language to benefit projects or alter priorities are counterproductive and harm science as a whole. The American Astronomical Society opposes all attempts to circumvent the established and successful community-based priority-setting processes currently in place. 2---------2---------2---------2---------2---------2---------2---------2 CONSIDER PROPOSING FOR HST TIME FOR SOLAR SYSTEM SCIENCE See http://www.stsci.edu/hst/proposing The deadline (7 March) for HST proposals for cycle 17 is fast approaching. This message is to strongly encourage all planetary observers to consider submitting proposals, for the following reasons: * The installation of the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) and Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS), and the anticipated repair of STIS and ACS, in the upcoming servicing mission, provides many new and revived opportunities for solar system science with HST. * The fraction of HST time devoted to planetary science (3-7 % in last 3 cycles) has decreased steadily since the early years of HST. This is due to a decreasing number of proposals, since the fraction of time for solar system is determined by the total time requested. The more proposals we submit, the more time will be allocated to solar system. (i.e. civic duty). * Money comes with these programs, typically around $30-80 K for a small program. (i.e. self interest) * NASA's Solar System division is paying for part of the HST repair mission (i.e. entitlement) Go to http://www.bu.edu/csp/PASS/HST.html to see the numbers from past cycles and more reasons why it is to your benefit to propose. John Clarke, Boston University 3---------3---------3---------3---------3---------3---------3---------3 NASA LUNAR SCIENCE INSTITUTE OPEN FOR BUSINESS NASA's new Lunar Science Institute (NLSI) is officially open for business. Supported by the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD), NLSI is managed by NASA Ames Research Center and is modeled on the NASA Astrobiology Institute. Competitively selected team investigations will focus on one or more aspects of lunar science -- investigations of the Moon (including lunar samples), from the Moon, and/or on the Moon. Check out our website at http://lunarscience.arc.nasa.gov. David Morrison NLSI Interim Director 4---------4---------4---------4---------4---------4---------4---------4 UPCOMING MEETINGS 1) Saturn After Cassini-Huygens, London, July 28 - August 1, 2008 See http://www.saturnaftercassini.org The Saturn Book Symposium entitled "Saturn After Cassini-Huygens" will be held at Imperial College London, UK, 28 July - 1 August 2008. The meeting is sponsored by the Cassini-Huygens Project and includes support from ESA, NASA, Imperial College, STFC. The primary purpose of the meeting is to exchange ideas that will culminate in the publication of a Springer-Verlag book on the Saturn system. The meeting is open to interested members of the planetary science community. The abstract submission deadline is May 30, and early registration has begun with a deadline of June 27. If you have questions, please contact Michele Dougherty (Organizer) at [email protected] or Yvonne Tatchley (Administrator) at [email protected] +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ Send submissions to: John Spencer, DPS Secretary ([email protected]) --------------------------------------- John Spencer [email protected] Southwest Research Institute 303 546 9674 (V) 1050 Walnut St. Suite 300 303 546 9687 (F) Boulder CO 80302 www.boulder.swri.edu/~spencer