I n s i d e May 19, 2006 Volume 36 Number 10 News Briefs ............... 2 Griffin Visits Lab ............ 3 Special Events Calendar ...... 2 Passings, Letters ........... 4 Spitzer Sees Comet Breakup... 2 Retirees, Classifieds ......... 4 Jet Propulsion Laborator y A JPL state-of-the-art imaging spectrometer that will provide the first high-resolution spectral map of the JPL to entire lunar surface successfully completed its critical design review this week. The Moon Mineralogy Mapper, also known as “M3,” is one of two in- materials across the surface at high spatial resolution. This data map the struments that NASA is contributing to India’s first mission to the moon, will provide a much-needed long-term baseline for future exploration scheduled to launch in late 2007 or early 2008. By mapping the mineral activities. composition of the lunar surface, the mission will both provide clues to The mission’s observations will address several important scientific moon the early development of the solar system and guide future astronauts to issues, including early evolution of the solar system; fundamental stores of precious resources. processes acting on planets that shape their character; assessment of on India Chandrayaan-1 is India’s first deep-space mission as well as its first potential impact hazards to Earth; and assessment of space resources. lunar mission. “The entire M3 team feels honored to be able to partici- From its vantage point in orbit around the moon, the spacecraft will mission pate,” said Project Manager Tom Glavich of JPL. measure the sunlight reflected by all of the rocks and soil over which The instrument is well on its way to being delivered to the Chandray- it passes. It will be sensitive to wavelengths from 430 to 3,000 nano- aan-1 spacecraft integration in Bangalore, India, next March, Glavich meters, which covers visible light and the near-infrared region (includ- The Moon Mineralogy Mapper team, said. ing short-wave infrared). This range is dominated by solar reflection, A two-year mission, the mapper will characterize and map the lunar rather than by heat radiated by the ground lunar surface. fron left. Front row: Carlé Pieters surface composition in the context of its geologic evolution by evaluating The mapper was selected in 2005 as a NASA Discovery Program (holding globe) and Bonnie Buratti; primary crustal components and their distribution across the highlands; instrument of opportunity. The principal investigator is Carlé Pieters second row: Rachel Klima, characterizing the diversity and extent of different types of basaltic vol- of Brown University. Stefanie Tompkins, Larry Taylor, canism; identifying and assessing deposits containing volatiles, including Chandrayaan-1 is a truly international mission, with payloads from Jessica Sunshine, Joe Boardman, water; mapping fresh craters to assess abundance of small impacts in Europe as well as the United States. Besides the Moon Mineralogy Roger Clark, Jim Head; third row: the recent past; and identifying and evaluating concentrations of un- Mapper, Chandrayaan-1 will include a second NASA instrument, a Noah Petro, Matt Staid, Tom Glavich, usual/unexpected minerals. miniature synthetic aperture radar developed by the Applied Physics The instrument will accomplish its goals by acquiring spectroscopic Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University that will look for ice deposits Alok Chatterjee, Mary White, Robert measurements of the lunar materials in the visible and near-infrared in the moon’s polar regions. Green; fourth row: Steven McClard, regions of the electromagnetic Data from the two instruments will contribute to NASA’s increased Cass Runyon, Glenn Sellar, spectrum, while simultaneously understanding of the lunar environment as it implements the Vision for Jack Mustard. mapping the Space Exploration, which calls for robotic and human exploration of distribution the moon’s surface. of these On May 9, NASA Administrator Mike Griffin and his counterpart, In- dian Space Research Organization Chairman G. Madhavan Nair, signed two Memoranda of Understanding in Bangalore, India, for cooperation on India’s Chandrayaan-1 mission. “It is my hope and belief that as we extend the reach of human civilization throughout the solar system, the United States and India will be partners on many more technically challenging and scientifically rewarding projects,” Griffin said. Glavich said the next milestone for the map- per team is to send the mission’s engineering model electronics to India for spacecraft integra- tion in July. For more information on the mission, visit http://moonmineralogymapper.jpl.nasa.gov. Cassini reveals stunning Saturn vista The Cassini spacecraft provided this stunning vista showing small, battered Epimetheus and smog-enshrouded Titan, with Saturn’s A and F rings stretching across the scene. The image was taken in visible light with Cassini’s narrow-angle camera on April 28, The prominent dark region visible in the A ring is the Encke Gap, in which the moon Pan and several narrow ringlets reside. Moon-driven features that mark the A ring are easily seen to the left and right of the Encke Gap. The Encke Gap is 325 kilometers (200 miles) wide. Pan is 26 kilometers (16 miles) across. In an optical illusion, the narrow F ring, outside the A ring, appears to fade across the disk of Titan. A couple of bright clumps can be seen in the F ring. Epimetheus is 116 kilometers (72 miles) across and giant Titan is 5,150 kilometers (3,200 miles) across. The image, which captures the illuminated side of the rings, was taken at a distance of approximately 667,000 kilometers (415,000 miles) from Epimetheus and 1.8 million kilometers (1.1 million miles) from Titan. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission, visit http:// saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.cfm. McCleese named chief scientist and their applications to high-preci- 2 DR. DANIEL MCCLEESE has been sion orbit determination, geocenter U n named the Laboratory’s new chief variation measurements and crustal Special Events Calendar i v scientist, effective June 19. deformation. e A 30-year JPL employee, Mc- Willis, also a principal investigator r Ongoing Support Groups your desktop. For more information, s Cleese brings extensive experience on a solid Earth and natural hazard e call the reference desk, ext. 4-4200. in the strategic planning of NASA NASA Research Announcement, will Alcoholics Anonymous—Meets end his five-year tenure at JPL in Sep- Wednesdays at 11:30 a.m. robotic missions, line and program JPL Toastmasters Club—Meeting at management, as well as consider- tember when he returns to France. Caregivers Support Group—Meets the 5 p.m. in conference room 167. Call able experience in the development first Thursday of the month at noon in Dirk Runge, ext. 3-0465, or visit www. and execution of scientific instru- Tibet storms provide pathway News Building 167-111 (the Wellness Place). jplcaltechtoastmasters.com. ments. Researchers from JPL, the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Uni- Currently, McCleese serves as the Codependents Anonymous—Meets at versity of Edinburgh, Scotland, have principal investigator for the Mars noon every Wednesday. Thursday, May 25 found that thunderstorms over Tibet Briefs Climate Sounder, an instrument on Caltech Architectural Tour—Hosted provide a main pathway for water the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Lambda (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and by the Caltech Women’s Club, from He has also served as the Mars vapor and chemicals to travel from the Transgender Networking Group)— 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Free and open Exploration Program chief scientist lower atmosphere, where human activ- Meets the first Friday and third Thurs- to the public. Meet at the Athenaeum since 1996. Previously, he managed ity directly affects atmospheric com- day of the month at noon in Building front hall, 551 S. Hill Ave. For reser- the Earth and Space Sciences Divi- position, into the stratosphere, where 111-117. For more information, call vations, call Susan Lee, (626) 395- Randy Herrera, ext. 3-0664. sion and the Planetary Atmospheres the protective ozone layer resides. 6327. Section, and chaired the Mars The researchers performed their analysis using data from the JPL- Parents Group for Children With Spe- Clogging Class—Meets at noon in Expeditions Strategy Group, a NASA cial Needs—Meets the second Thurs- managed Microwave Limb Sounder Building 300-217. For more informa- advisory panel. day of the month at noon in Building instrument on NASA’s Aura space- tion, call Shary DeVore at ext. 4-1024. McCleese was a Fulbright Scholar 167-111 (the Wellness Place). craft, combined with data from NASA’s at Oxford University in England, JPL Golf Club—Meeting at noon in Aqua and Tropical Rainfall Measuring where he received his doctorate in For more information on any of the Building 306-302. Atmospheric Physics. Missions. support groups, call the Employee As- McCleese replaces Dr. Tom Prince, The team found that even though sistance Program at ext. 4-3680. Dr. Daniel McCleese who will resume his research and more thunderstorms occurred over Wednesday, May 31 India, the storms over Tibet trans- teaching activities as a joint campus/ JPL Chorus—Meets at noon in Build- Sunday, May 21 JPL appointment in June. ported nearly three times more water ing 233-303. For more information, vapor into the lower stratosphere than Chamber Music—Baritone James call Shary DeVore at ext. 4-1024. JPL team wins NASA Center Best the more frequent thunderstorms that Weaver and accompanist Joanne Kong The JPL-led Coupled Layer Archi- occur over India. will perform a free concert at 3:30 JPL Library Orientation—Stop by tecture for Robotic Autonomy (CLARA- “This study shows that thunder- p.m. in Caltech’s Dabney Lounge. For Building 111-104 at 11:30 a.m. for ty) Team has been awarded the 2006 storms over Tibet are mainly respon- more information, call (626) 395-4652 an overview of the Library’s products One NASA JPL Center Best Award for sible for the large amount of water or visit www.events.caltech.edu.