Planetary Decadal Study News 5 Jul 2001

PLANETARY DECADAL STUDY NEWS – INNER PLANETS OPEN FORUMS

As part of the Solar System Exploration Decadal Survey being carried out
by the NAS/NRC, the INNER PLANETS Panel will be holding two Open Forums
for community input. General information about the Survey, its charge,
structure, and timeline is posted on the websites indicated below.

Members of the science community are strongly encouraged to provide
input into this important Survey by the Open Forums and/or submission of
material via the websites. The Inner Planets Panel is particularly
interested in hearing discussion from the community on the following
topics:

a) The most important science questions concerning exploration of the
Inner Planets and why these issues are compelling. For science
discussion, the inner planets necessarily include planetary bodies
inside the orbit of Jupiter, including Earth.

b) The means (missions, programs, approach, etc.) to address these
questions in the next decade [2003-2013]. The Inner Planets Panel will
make broad recommendations, but will prioritize only concepts relating
to Mercury, Venus, and the Moon. [Prioritization of Mars exploration is
handled by a separate panel.]

c) Technology issues that must be resolved before these science
questions can be addressed.

The two Open Forums scheduled for the Inner Planets are:

1. Washington DC, July 13, 2001

Place: National Museum of Natural History,

Smithsonian Institution, 10th and Constitution Aves. NW
Time: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Details: Enter at 10th and Constitution entrance (side
away from the Mall), where a table will be set up to
greet visitors and escort them to the meeting
room. Please try to arrive by 12:45.

2. Chicago, Oct 3, 2001

Place: TBD Contiguous with the Mercury Conference

Time: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (estimate)

Details: Check the websites below for information as it
is updated.

The format of the Open Forums will be brief (5 min) summary
presentations by any interested community member (viewgraph to be
available) followed by general discussion and open-mike. If you have a
concept you wish to discuss, please submit a title by email (see below)
to assure a slot in either of the two programs. Presenters should also
prepare a brief “white paper” with their comments and submit it via
either of the websites indicated below. We recognize the shortness of
time before the first Inner Planets Forum, but urge members of the
community to participate even if presentations are not fully polished.

Submit Inner Planet Open Forum titles by email to
pieters@mare.geo.brown.edu
DHSmith@nas.edu

Websites for Survey input and “white paper” discussion of concepts
http://www.aas.org/~dps/decadal
http://www.nationalacademies.org/ssb/ssefrontpage.html

PLANETARY DECADAL STUDY NEWS – PRIORITIES FORUM ACTIVATED

A real-time forum on defining solar system exploration priorities for
2003-2013 has been activated. This addresses the ultimate question
which will be considered by the NRC SSE Survey Committees. Go to
http://www.aas.org/~dps/decadal.

New community panels (and organizers) include:

Dust Astronomy (E. Gruen)

Exploring Main Belt Asteroids (M. Sykes)

Near-Earth Asteroid Sample Return (D. Sears)

The following panels are now full:

Mars (J. Moore)

The Next Giant Leap: Human Exploration and Utilization of NEOs (T. Jones)

Panels are continuing to form. Many subject areas remain uncovered.

Mark V. Sykes, DPS Chair, dpschair@aas.org