THE PLANETARY SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER
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IN THIS ISSUE:
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WHAT WE DO - Messages from Earth: Phoenix DVD,
Apophis Mission Design Competition,
S.O.S. Campaign Update
EXPLORE - Hayabusa, Rovers, Dark Matter
PARTICIPATE - Global Volunteer Network
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WHAT WE DO
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* Messages from Earth: Phoenix DVD Update
Your name is now one step closer to Mars!
The silica glass mini-DVD with a quarter million names
on it -- including yours -- has been installed on
the Phoenix spacecraft and is ready to go to Mars!
The spacecraft has been flown to Cape Canaveral,
and now will begin final testing and preparation
for launch. Phoenix will land on Mars in the
northern near-polar regions in late May or early
June 2008 (exact date dependent upon launch date).
We'll keep you updated on the mission as it
progresses towards launch and, of course, let you
know when launch and landing dates are set.
Read more >>
http://planetary.org/programs/projects/messages/20070523.html
* Apophis Mission Design Competition:
Asteroid Tagging Contest Generates Worldwide Interest
Find it! Track it! Tag it!
More than 100 teams and individuals from 25 nations
are developing plans that could helps save Earth
from a killer asteroid. All have sent The Planetary
Society notices of their intent to enter the Apophis
Mission Design Competition, which invites participants
to compete for $50,000 in prize money by designing
a mission to rendezvous with and "tag" a
potentially dangerous near-Earth asteroid.
Read more >>
http://planetary.org/programs/projects/apophis_competition/20070523.html
* S.O.S. Update: Our Message is Being Heard
In April, we took our Save Our Science campaign
to the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations
Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and
Related Agencies. The subcommittee, which deals
with the NASA budget, invited me to testify
as an outside witness on NASA's funding.
Our message is being heard.
Read more >>
http://planetary.org/programs/projects/sos/20070525.html
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Do you want to...?
• Unravel the mysteries of space?
• Search for life on other worlds?
• Find new planets outside our solar system?
• Make missions of exploration happen?
Membership in The Planetary Society is your ticket
to space exploration.
Not a Member yet?
Join together with our International membership
and help shape the future of space exploration.
https://planetary.org/join/membership/index.html
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EXPLORE
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* Hayabusa MUSES C
See New Raw Data
In late April, the Hayabusa Project released to the
public images from the AMICA imaging system on the
Hayabusa spacecraft. With the help of Björn Jónsson's
IMG2PNG utility, Emily Lakdawalla has assembled
easily navigable pages for viewing the raw image files.
See more >>
http://planetary.org/explore/topics/hayabusa/rawdata.html
Some Recent Planetary Headlines
- Rover Finds New Evidence of Wet Martian Past
- Robotic Sub Makes Final Dive To Reach Bottom of
Earth's Deepest Sinkhole
- Invisible Ring of "Dark Matter" Detected 5 Billion
Light Years Away
- Spitzer Detects Supersonic Winds on Distant Planet
- New Horizons' Close Encounter Provides Rare Views
of the Jovian System
- Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Spirit Finds
Past Water at Home, Opportunity Takes in Tierra del Fuego
Read these headlines and more >>
http://planetary.org/news/index.html
or read our daily blog updates >>
http://planetary.org/blog
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PARTICIPATE
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* Global Volunteer Network
Volunteers are a vital part of who we are and what
we do. They coordinate and represent the Society at
public events, including celebrations tied to
missions or planetary activities, panel discussions,
star parties, hands-on demonstrations and lectures;
they assist staff with projects; they promote
membership; and they engage the public in Society
projects, including contests, advocacy campaigns
and educational activities, like our Messages
from Earth program, which recently included sending
wishes to the Moon on the Selene mission and sending
names to Mars on the Phoenix lander mission.
Many dedicated volunteers from around the
world have joined the network.
Want to get more involved?
Find out more >>
http://planetary.org/participate/volunteer/index.html
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SUPPORT SPACE EXPLORATION
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Develop innovative technologies, fund astronomers hunting
for hazardous asteroids and planets orbiting other stars,
support radio and optical searches for extraterrestrial
life, and ensure the future of space exploration by
continuing to influence decision makers around the world.
Donate online at:
https://planetary.org/join/donate.html
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