HIGHLIGHTED EVENTS

The following events are open to all interested members of the community.

LRO Diviner LPSC Data Users Forum

Sunday, March 18, 1:30 to 3:00 p.m., Panther Creek Room

The LRO Diviner Science Team will host a public Diviner Data Users Forum on Sunday. The purpose of the forum will be to acquaint the community with Diviner's latest high-level mapped data products. These products include global maps of brightness temperature, solar reflectance, composition, rock abundance, and thermophysical properties. The forum will also provide an opportunity for potential users to ask questions and provide feedback to the team. This is a public meeting and all are invited. Please see http://diviner.ucla.edu for more information.

MRO/CRISM Data Users’ Workshop —
Sunday, March 18, 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., Waterway Ballroom 2/3
All those wishing to attend are requested to REGISTER ONLINE for this event.

43rd LPSC Registration and Reception —
Sunday, March 18, 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., Waterway Ballroom 4/5
The welcome reception will be held on Sunday, March 18, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. in Waterway Ballrooms 4 and 5. Registration will open at 4:00 p.m.

NASA Headquarters Research and Analysis (R&A) Town Hall Meeting —
Monday, March 19, 12:00 to 1:15 p.m., Montgomery Ballroom
The Science Mission Directorate of NASA Headquarters will host an informal luncheon.

Plenary Session Featuring Masursky Lecture —
Monday, March 19, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., Waterway Ballroom 4/5
This year’s lecture, “Mars Climate History: A Geological Perspective,” will be presented by Dr. James Head of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. The winners of the 2011 Dwornik Awards and the 2012 LPI Career Development Awards will also be recognized.

This event will be broadcast via Livestream.

NASA Headquarters Briefing —
Monday, March 19, 5:30 p.m., Waterway Ballroom 4/5
The speakers will be Dr. John Grunsfeld, Associate Administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, and Dr. James Green, Director of the Planetary Sciences Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.

This event will be broadcast via Livestream.

Science Mission Directorate Update - John M. Grunsfeld presentation
Planetary Science Division Update - Jim Green presentation

Student/Scientist Reception —
Monday, March 19, immediately following the NASA Headquarters Briefing, Town Center Exhibit Hall
A student/scientist reception will be held to honor the Masursky Lecturer, 2011 Dwornik award winners, and all students presenting at this year’s LPSC.

JUICE: Potential ESA Mission to the Jupiter System —
Monday, March 19, 12:00 to 1:15 p.m., Shenandoah Room

Community Forum —
Tuesday, March 20, 12:00 to 1:15 p.m., Waterway Ballroom 4/5
The President’s FY2013 budget request contained significant cuts for NASA’s Planetary Science Division. The proposed cuts present a major challenge for the vitality of our missions and science activities, and for implementation of the Planetary Science Decadal Survey. We will hold a community forum led by representatives of the Societies that represent the interests of the planetary science community. The forum's goals are to solicit community input and to identify community actions to reverse the trend of decreasing budgets for planetary science. Please join us to help ensure our voice is heard. Panelists include Dr. Dan Britt, Chair of the Division of Planetary Sciences of the AAS; Dr. Laurie Leshin, President of the Planetary Sciences Section of the AGU; Dr. Ed Scott, President of the Meteoritical Society; Dr. Simon Kattenhorn, Chair of the Planetary Geology Division of GSA; Dr. Steve Squyres, representing the Planetary Decadal Survey; and Mr. Andy Chaikin, moderator.

This event will be broadcast via Livestream.

Lunar Mapping and Modeling —
Tuesday, March 20, 12:00 to 1:15 p.m., Spring Room
An in-depth demonstration of the Lunar Mapping and Modeling Project’s publicly-accessible mapping tools will be held on Tuesday. LMMP provides access to data through an easy-to-use NASA portal that can display collections of lunar data including image mosaics, digital elevation models, and local hazard assessment maps. The system consists of three visualization options: the Portal, which provides search, browsing, data layering, and analysis options; Lunar Mapper, a light web-based Geographic Information System (GIS) client; and ILIADS, a downloadable desktop GIS client with more advanced capabilities.

Lunar Swirls Meeting —
Tuesday, March 20, 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., Panther Creek Room
An informal meeting to discuss the time, venue, and goals of the next lunar swirls workshop.

VEXAG Town Hall Meeting —
Wednesday, March 21, 12:00 to 1:15 p.m., Waterway Ballroom 4

LEAG Town Hall Meeting —
Wednesday, March 21, 12:15 to 1:15 p.m., Waterway Ballroom 6

NETS Tutorial: Building the Bridge Between Science Missions and Nuclear Power Sources —
Wednesday, March 21, 12:15 to 1:15 p.m., Panther Creek
Introduction to Nuclear Systems and Nuclear Technology: This tutorial is designed to better prepare attendees who are unfamiliar with nuclear systems to attend the NETS technical sessions. This goal will be accomplished by first providing an overview of nuclear terminology and discussing the capabilities and attributes of radioisotope power systems and fission power systems currently available and being designed to provide both power and propulsion for space missions. The tutorial will also provide a general overview describing the unique aspects of space nuclear missions with regard to the general manufacture, assembly, testing, and delivery of a nuclear unit to the launch site and the associated safety assessments.

Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space: Opening Plenary —
Wednesday, March 21, 5:30 p.m., Waterway Ballroom 4/5
Speakers will be Dr. Ralph McNutt Jr., Dr. Michael Meyer, and Dr. Steve Squyres.

This event will be broadcast via Livestream.

Joint NETS/LPSC Reception —
Wednesday, March 21, immediately following the NETS Opening Plenary, Town Center Exhibit Hall

Fourth Annual Women in Planetary Science Symposium —
Wednesday, March 21, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Montgomery Ballroom
This event is open to all (not just women!). Those who plan to attend are requested to register in advance so the organizers can ensure that adequate facilities and refreshments are available. To register, or for more information, visit http://icpi.nasaprs.com/womeninscience.

ANSMET Briefing and Slideshow —
Wednesday, March 21, 7:45 to 8:45 p.m., Waterway Ballroom 4
The ANSMET team will host a show-and-tell to talk about highlights of the 2011–2012 expedition. Members of the team will share their experiences and show slides of their adventures.

Next Generation Lunar Scientists and Engineers Meeting and Discussion —
Thursday, March 22, 12:15 to 1:15 p.m., Montgomery Ballroom
The Next Generation Lunar Scientists and Engineers is a group designed to provide a forum where the next generation of lunar scientists and engineers can get together, interact, and develop connections that will foster future collaborations. Anyone is welcome to join, contribute, and help us get back to the Moon!

Closing Celebration —
Friday, March 23, 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., Acqua Lounge
Stay and have a drink with your friends and colleagues compliments of LPSC to celebrate another successful conference (limit one complimentary drink per attendee).