The Planetary Society Newsletter March 2003

SETI@home’s Stellar Countdown

For the past four years, SETI@home has been
scanning the skies, collecting data in search of an
extraterrestrial signal, while millions of users around
the world have been processing this data on their
personal computers. Now SETI scientists are taking
a second look at the most promising signal candidates.

In March 2003, the SETI@home crew headed back to the
Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico. There,
during several intense observation sessions, they
tried again to answer the age-old question – Is
anybody out there? Learn more about their mission
and what they found at The Planetary Society’s
Stellar Countdown website
http://planetary.org/stellarcountdown/

Pluto Victory!

In February of 2003 President Bush signed a
spending bill that included funding for “New
Horizons,” NASA’s mission to Pluto. This is a major
victory for The Planetary Society who, for the past
2 1/2 years, has led a grassroots campaign in
support of the Pluto mission.

“We are extremely pleased with the inclusion of
the Pluto mission in the current NASA budget” said
Louis Friedman, Executive Director of The Planetary
Society. “It shows that public input can still have
a decisive effect on policy making, even when it is
faced with substantial opposition.”

Visit the Society’s “Pluto Campaign Page”
http://planetary.org/society/pluto.html

Showing Support for Space Exploration

Last week, The Planetary Society presented NASA
Administrator Sean O’Keefe with a “Declaration in
Support of Space Exploration” signed by
over 15,000 people worldwide.

Begun in the wake of the Columbia tragedy, the
Declaration stated “We, the undersigned members
and friends of The Planetary Society, stand ready
to help the United States recover from this tragedy.
We offer our support to NASA in its continuing
exploration. Our human and robotic explorers
must continue the great adventure so boldly begun.”

http://www.planetary.org/society/declaration.html

Red Rover Goes to Mars Contests

Announcing two new contests for kids and adults!

Enter the “Name the Astrobot” contest to suggest
names for two mini-robot explorers who will fly into
space onboard the Mars Exploration Rover spacecraft.
Anyone can enter. Hurry, the contest ends April 23!
https://planetary.org/astrobot/name.php

Or, enter the “Build a Better LEGO(r) Rover” contest
for our soon-to-be-established worldwide network
of Mars Stations. Anyone can enter. The contest
ends April 28.
http://redrovergoestomars.org/mars-station_rovers.html

The Student Astronaut Contest is now closed.
Hundreds of applications were received by National
Centers in 22 countries. Judging is underway and
the finalists will be announced when the first Mars
Exploration Rover launches on May 30, 2003.
http://redrovergoestomars.org/studast.html

Yuri’s Night

Yuri’s Night, a global grassroots celebration of
space, will take place in more than 25 countries on
Saturday, April 12. The event commemorates the launch
of the first person into space in 1961, Cosmonaut
Yuri Gagarin.
http://www.yurisnight.net/

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