Program Description

This program has been superseded by the Exploration Science Summer Intern Program.

NASA and its partners in academia, industry, and the international community are examining options for a new era of robotic and potentially human exploration of the lunar surface.  That effort began when the agency asked the National Research Council (NRC) to develop a set of science priorities for this lunar exploration initiative. Those recommendations are summarized in The Scientific Context for Exploration of the Moon. 

To help integrate those science priorities with NASA's exploration program, the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) has been hosting a special summer intern program to evaluate possible landing sites for robotic and human exploration missions. Teams of students have been working with LPI science staff and other collaborators to evaluate the best landing sites to address each of the NRC science priorities.  Over a five year period (2008–2012) the teams worked on that task and generated A Global Lunar Landing Site Study to Provide the Scientific Context for Exploration of the Moon.

This summer, students will generate a detailed assessment of one or two high-priority landing sites identified in that report.  This study will utilize the latest lunar data (e.g., M³, LOLA, LROC), explore potential traverse routes and stations, and identify hurdles that mission architects will need to address. 

This program is open to graduate students in geology, planetary science, and related programs. It is also open to undergraduates with at least 50 semester hours of credit in those fields so that they, too, can participate in lunar exploration activities. The 10-week program runs from May 28, 2013 through August 2, 2013. Selected interns will receive a $5,000 stipend to cover the costs associated with being in Houston for the duration of the program. Additionally, U.S. citizens will receive up to $1,000 in travel expense reimbursement and foreign nationals will receive up to $1,500 in travel expense reimbursement.

The Lunar and Planetary Institute is adjacent to NASA's Johnson Space Center. The Johnson Space Center is home to the human exploration program and the integrated robotic and human systems that are being designed to push exploration beyond low-Earth orbit.

The Lunar Exploration Summer Intern Program is supported by funding from the Lunar and Planetary Institute and the NASA Lunar Science Institute at NASA Ames Research Center.

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

College graduate students in geology, planetary science, and related programs are eligible. Preference will be given to graduate students, but we will also consider applications from excellent undergraduate students with at least 50 semester hours of credit.  Relevant fields for undergraduate students are geology, astronomy, chemistry, and physics. Selection is based on (1) scholarship, curriculum, and experience and (2) career objectives and scientific interest. All online application information must be received at LPI no later than March 1, 2013. Notification of selection will be made by mid-March. Successful applicants should be prepared to make a decision regarding an offer within 3 days of notification.

Applicants will be considered for appointment without regard to race, creed, color, sex, national origin, age, handicap status, or other nonmerit factors. Due to security issues, citizens of U.S. State Department Designated Countries (See link under "ECP Notices" at http://oiir.hq.nasa.gov/nasaecp/) are not eligible.

Application Requirements

You will need to apply using the online application form. Paper applications will not be accepted. Once you begin the application you must complete all of the questions on the form, including essay-style questions. Transcripts and letters of recommendation may be submitted independently, but must be received by March 1, 2013, for your application to be considered.

• Complete the application form. Upon submission you will receive a confirmation e-mail with your application number and a link to an online submission form for letters of reference.
  
  
• Have three of your professors or other professional colleagues submit online letters of recommendation, one of which must verify your student status. They will need your application number and the correct spelling of your last name. We suggest that you forward the link from the confirmation e-mail directly to the individuals you are asking to provide a reference.
  
  
• Have your college registrar mail an official transcript to:

LPI Lunar Intern Program
Application #:
3600 Bay Area Boulevard
Houston, TX  77058-1113

Applications are only accepted using the electronic application form found on this website.

Questions may be directed to
E-mail:[email protected]

Timeline

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is the program open to non-U.S. citizens?
  Yes, the program is open to international graduate students and undergraduates as well as students from the United States.
• Can participants start the ten-week internship after the program start date?
  Because this is a team activity, it will be best if all students begin May 28. We will, however, consider requests for a later start date.
• When will applicants be notified of their selection?
  We will start notifying applicants March 18, 2013. All notifications should be made by March 29, 2013.
• Who is eligible for the program?
  LPI accepts applications from graduate students in geology, planetary science, and related programs.
• Are undergraduate students eligible to participate in the program?
  Yes. Preference is given to graduate students but we will consider applications from excellent undergraduate students in geology, astronomy, chemistry, and physics with at least 50 semester hours of credit.
  
• Where will the internship be located?
  Interns will be located at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, Texas.

Contact

Publications and Products

Products

Lunar Impact Crater Database (2011)
Losiak et al, LPI Lunar Exploration Intern Program (2009). Revised by Ohman, LPI (2011).

3D Flyover of King Crater on the Lunar Farside (2008)
Thaisen et al., LPI Lunar Exploration Intern Program

Publications

T. Kohout, K. O’Sullivan, A. Losiak, K.G. Thaisen, S. Weider, and D.A. Kring (2009) Scientific opportunities for human exploration in the Moon’s Schrödinger Basin,  Lunar and Planetary Science XL, Abstract 1572.

A. Losiak, D.E. Wilhelms, C.J. Byrne, K. Thaisen, S.Z. Weider, T. Kohout, K.O’Sullivan, and D.A. Kring  (2009) A new lunar impact crater database,  Lunar and Planetary Science XL, Abstract 1532.

D. L. Eldridge, J. Korteniemi, T. Lough, K. I. Singer, L. Werblin, and D. A. Kring (2010) Sampling the Youngest and Oldest Mare Basalts: Important Lunar Regions, Lunar and Planetary Science XLI, Abstract 1486.

M. E. Ennis, A. L. Fagan, J. N. Pogue, S. Porter, J. F. Snape, and D. A. Kring (2010) Lunar Farside Volcanism: Potential Sampling Localities within South PoleAitken Basin, Lunar and Planetary Science XLI, Abstract 2512.

A. L. Fagan, M. E. Ennis, J. N. Pogue, S. Porter, J. F. Snape, C. R. Neal, and D. A. Kring (2010)Science-Rich Mission Sites within South Pole-Aitken Basin, Part I: Antoniadi Crater, Lunar and Planetary Science XLI, Abstract 2467.

A. L. Fagan, C. R. Neal, and A. Simonetti (2010) Apollo 14 Olivine Vitrophyres: Geochemical Evidence for Heterogeneous Target Materials, Lunar and Planetary Science XLI, Abstract 2226.

J. Korteniemi, D. L. Eldridge, T. Lough, L. Werblin, K. I. Singer and D. A. Kring (2010) Assessment of Lunar Volcanic Morphological Diversity: Distribution of Floor-Fractured Craters, Lunar and Planetary Science XLI, Abstract 1335.

J. Korteniemi, D. L. Eldridge, K. I. Singer, T. Lough, L. Werblin and D. A. Kring (2010) Volcanic Landing Sites on the Moon: The Compact and Diverse Harbinger Region, Lunar and Planetary Science XLI, Abstract 1339.

T. Lough, J. Korteniemi, D. L. Eldridge, K. Singer, L. Werblin, and D. A. Kring (2010) Mission Options to Explore the Flux and Evolution of Lunar Volcanism Through Space and Time, Lunar and Planetary Science XLI, Abstract 2537.

K. I. Singer, D. L. Eldridge, J. Korteniemi, T. Lough, L. Werblin, and D. A. Kring (2010) Using ArcGIS to Identify Landing Sites with Diverse Mare Basalt Compositions, Lunar and Planetary Science XLI, Abstract 2520.

J. F. Snape, A. L. Fagan, M. E. Ennis, J. N. Pogue, S. Porter, C. R. Neal, and D. A. Kring (2010)Science-Rich Mission Sites within South Pole-Aitken Basin, Part 2: Von Kármán Crater, Lunar and Planetary Science XLI, Abstract 1857.

K. M. O’Sullivan, T. Kohout, K. G. Thaisen, and D. A. Kring (2011) Calibrating several key lunar stratigraphic units representing 4 billion years of lunar history within Schrödinger Basin. In Recent Advances in Lunar Stratigraphy, D.A. Williams and W. Ambrose (eds.), pp. 117–128, Geological Society of America Special Paper 477, Boulder, CO.

A. L. Souchon, J. Flahaut, P. Sharma, C. E. Jilly, J.-F. Blanchette-Guertin, and D. A. Kring (2011)Suggested landing sites to study key planetary processes on the Moon:  The case of Schrödinger Basin, Lunar and Planetary Science XLII, Abstract #1791.

J. Flahaut, J.-F. Blanchette-Guertin, C. Jilly, P. Sharma, A. L. Souchon, and D. A. Kring (2011)Testing the lunar magma ocean hypothesis:  Science-rich mission sites, Lunar and Planetary Science XLII, Abstract #1844.

C. E. Jilly, J.-F. Blanchette-Guertin, J. Flahaut, P. Sharma, A. L. Souchon, and D. A. Kring (2011)Lunar landing sites to explore the extent of KREEP and its significance to key planetary processes, Lunar and Planetary Science XLII, Abstract #1270.

J.-F. Blanchette-Guertin, J. Flahaut, C. E. Jilly, P. Sharma, A. L. Souchon, and D. A. Kring (2011)Mission strategies for determining the vertical extent and structure of the lunar megaregolith,Lunar and Planetary Science XLII, Abstract #1405.

P. Sharma, J.-F. Blanchette-Guertin, C. E. Jilly, J. Flahaut, A. L. Souchon, and D. A. Kring (2011)Identifying lunar landing sites for sampling lower crust and mantle material, Lunar and Planetary Science XLII, Abstract #1579.

R. W. K. Potter , P. Donohue, Z. E. Gallegos, N. P. Hammond, and D. A. Kring (2011) Multi-ring basins: Where and how to best determine their structure, Lunar and Planetary Science XLII, Abstract #1445.

Z. Gallegos, P. Donohue, N. Hammond, R. W. K. Potter, and D. A. Kring (2011) Maunder Crater: A case study of a landing site designed to full-fill multiple NRC (2007) science objectives, Lunar and Planetary Science XLII, Abstract #1958.

J. Flahaut, J.-F. Blanchette-Guertin, C. E. Jilly, P. Sharma, A. L. Souchon, W. van Westrenen, and D. A. Kring (2012) Identification and characterization of science-rich landing sites for lunar lander missions using integrated remote sensing observations. Advances in Space Research 50, pp. 1647–1665.
The Flahaut et al. (2012) paper was awarded the Outstanding Paper Award for Young Scientists by the international Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), 2014.

D. A. Kring and D. D. Durda (eds.) (2012) A Global Lunar Landing Site Study to Provide the Scientific Context for Exploration of the Moon, LPI Contribution No. 1694, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX, 688 p.

W. D. Poole, B. Tian, R.A. French, J. Garber, J. J. Barnes, P. H. Smith, D. A. Kring (2013) Anchoring a geophysical network around the A33 moonquake nest to explore the interior structure and thermal evolution of the Moon. Lunar and Planetary Science XLIV, Abstract #1513.

B. Y. Tian, W. D. Poole, J. M. Garber, R. A. French, P. H. Smith, J. J. Barnes and D. A. Kring (2013) Landing sites optimized for geophysical studies of the structure and thermal state of the lunar interior. Lunar and Planetary Science XLIV, Abstract #1629.

D. Blair, M. Lemelin, C. Roberts, K. Runyon, D. Nowka, D. Paige, and D. Kring (2014) Amundsen Crater: A High‐Priority Lunar Landing Site for In Situ and Sample Return Studies of Polar Volatiles. Science and Challenges of Lunar Sample Return Workshop.

N. J. Potts, A. Gullikson, N. Curran, J. K. Dhaliwal, M. K. Leader, R. N. Rege, and D. A. Kring (2014) Robotic Traverse and Sample Return Strategies for a Lunar Farside Mission to Schrödinger Basin. Science and Challenges of Lunar Sample Return Workshop.

A. L. Gullikson, N. M. Curran, N. J. Potts, J. K. Dhaliwal, M. Leader, R. Rege, and D. A. Kring (2014) Traverse and station options for a robotic sample return to Schrödinger basin.  Lunar and Planetary Science XLV, Abstract #2082.

N. M. Curran, A. L. Gullikson, N. J. Potts, J. K. Dhaliwal, M. Leader, R. Rege, and D. A. Kring (2014) A robotic sample return mission to the northern portion of the Schrödinger basin peak ring.  Lunar and Planetary Science XLV, Abstract #1475.

N. J. Potts, A. Gullikson, N. M. Curran, G. Chang, J. K. Dhaliwal, M. K. Leader, R. N. Rege, and D. A. Kring (2014) Mapping solar irradiance within Schrödinger basin for future robotic sample return missions.  Lunar and Planetary Science XLV, Abstract #1835.

M. K. Leader, R. N. Rege, N. J. Potts, A. L. Gulikson, N. M. Curran, J. K. Dhaliwal, and D. A. Kring (2014) Velocity of a rover as a function of slope of lunar terrain.  Lunar and Planetary Science XLV, Abstract #2683.

M. Lemelin, D. M. Blair, C. E. Roberts, K. D. Runyon, D. Nowka, and D. A. Kring (2014) High-priority lunar landing sites for in situ and sample return studies of polar volatiles.  Planetary and Space Science 101, 149–161.

N. J. Potts, A. L. Gullikson, N. M. Curran, J. K. Dhaliwal, M. K. Leader, R. N. Rege, K. K. Klaus, and D. A. Kring (2015) Robotic traverse and sample return strategies for a lunar farside mission to the Schrödinger basin.  Advances in Space Research 55, 1241–1254.

Past Program Highlights

Throughout the summer, the teams will have opportunities to visit facilities and observe activities that are part of the lunar exploration program. They will also be exposed to several seminars that are designed to broaden a student’s exposure to lunar science and exploration issues. Although the specific opportunities available will change each year, the goal is to provide a similar set of activities for each summer team. Highlights for each year of the program are provided here:

Summer Highlights (2008) | Summer Highlights (2009) | Summer Highlights (2010)

Summer Highlights (2011) | Summer Highlights(2012) | Summer Highlights (2013)