1st Information Circular
33rd MEPAG Meeting
February 22-23, 2017
Monrovia, CA
Letter of Invitation
Members of the Mars community,
I cordially invite you to attend the 2017 face-to-face meeting of the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG), scheduled for February 22-23, 2017, at the Double-Tree Hotel in Monrovia, CA.
Developments in Mars exploration since the October 6, 2016 virtual MEPAG meeting continue to expand our understanding of the ancient and modern relationships between the crust and atmosphere on a habitable world. Ongoing in situ exploration of Gale Crater by the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover Curiosity and of Endeavour Crater by the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Opportunity has been paired with orbital monitoring and analyses of the surface and atmosphere by Mars Odyssey, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), and the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution mission (MAVEN). International efforts continue with orbital operations by the Mars Express (MEX) orbiter, the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), and with the latest arrival, the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO). Despite the disappointing loss of the ExoMars EDL Demonstration Module (Schiaparelli), enough data were acquired during its EDL to aid the design of future missions. Advanced planning for the upcoming Mars2020 and InSight missions continues alongside development of longer-term strategies for science-driven robotic sample return and human exploration.
This meeting will report on the overall status of Mars exploration. A special topic for discussion will be the final report from the Mars International Collaboration Science Analysis Group (MIC-SAG) summarizing their recommendations on how to coordinate U.S. and international science and payload participation in the next orbiter mission to Mars in a manner that ensures completion of mission science objectives.
Although the full agenda is still under development, key discussion topics will include:
• Status of Mars exploration by NASA, other space agencies, and potential commercial partners
• Interaction with the Human program (HEOMD)
• NASA and ESA landing site selection activities
• Status of ongoing Mars missions
• Status of upcoming missions (e.g., Mars2020, InSIGHT, UAE)
• Future MEPAG activities
The meeting is open to all members of the Mars science and exploration communities and we welcome our international colleagues. We will also broadcast the meeting online for those who cannot attend in person.
We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in Monrovia!
Sincerely,
Jeff Johnson
MEPAG Chair
Directions for participating remotely will be provided in a later announcement.
Basic Logistics
• Date: Wednesday, February 22nd – 8:30 AM until 5:30 PM.
Wednesday, February 23rd – 8:00 AM until 2:00 PM (TBC).
• Location: DoubleTree Hotel Monrovia-Pasadena
924 West Huntington Drive
Monrovia, California, 91016
Phone: 1-626-357-1900
• Hotel Reservation Information: A reserved block of rooms is being negotiated, more information
will be sent out once that is finalized.
• Meeting RSVP: So that we can plan the meeting logistics (e.g., seating, morning and afternoon
refreshments, name badges, handouts, etc.), we request that all participants planning to attend inperson to RSVP by February 6th, 2017 to Carla de la Paz ([email protected]). Please note that an RSVP is not required to attend the meeting, but is strongly encouraged as it will assist us in our planning.
If you need additional information, please contact Lindsay Hays, MEPAG meeting coordinator ([email protected], phone 818-354-6180). If you have updates to the master MEPAG e-mail list (correction of faulty email addresses, addition of Mars science colleagues who have been inadvertently omitted, or deleted) please contact [email protected].