Now through March 30, 2022, NASA is encouraging applications for its 34th Annual Planetary Science Summer School (PSSS). Offered by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, PSSS is a three-month-long early career development experience to help prepare the next generation of planetary science and engineering mission leaders. Participants learn the process of developing a science hypothesis-driven robotic space mission in a concurrent engineering environment while getting an in-depth, first-hand look at mission design, life cycle, costs, schedule, and the trade-offs inherent in each.

Science and engineering doctoral candidates, recent PhDs, postdocs, junior faculty, and certain master’s degree students, who are U.S. Citizens or legal permanent residents (and a very limited number of Foreign Nationals from non-designated counties), are eligible. There is no charge to attend, and applicants from diverse backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are important to us, and we strive to create a welcoming environment where participants’ contributions and unique perspectives are valued.

Session 1:
Preparatory Sessions May 9-July 29
Culminating Week with JPL’s Team X August 1-5

Session 2:
Preparatory Sessions May 23-August 12
Culminating Week with JPL’s Team X August 15-19

Roughly equivalent in workload to a rigorous three-hour graduate-level course, participants spend the majority of the first 12 weeks in preparatory webinars acting as a science mission team, prior to spending the final culminating week being mentored by JPL’s Advance Project Design Team, or “Team X,” to refine their planetary science mission concept design, then present it to a mock expert review board. Typically, the culminating week is held at JPL; however, for 2022, it is again likely to be virtual due to ongoing Covid-19 pandemic conditions.

To apply and learn more about the NASA Science Mission Design Schools, visit http://go.nasa.gov/missiondesignschools.