[meteorite-list] Lunar And Planetary Conference Highlights Solar System Evolution

[Ron Baalke]

Feb. 25, 2011

Trent Perrotto 
Headquarters, Washington                               
202-358-0321 
trent.j.perrotto at nasa.gov 

William Jeffs                                    
Johnson Space Center, Houston 
281-483-5111 
william.p.jeffs at nasa.gov 

Julie Tygielski 
Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston 
281-486-2122 
tygielski at lpi.usra.edu 

MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-038

LUNAR AND PLANETARY CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS SOLAR SYSTEM EVOLUTION

HOUSTON -- NASA researchers and other scientists will present findings 
that provide new insights into the evolution of the solar system 
during the 42nd annual Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. 

The conference will run March 7-11 at the Woodlands Waterway Marriott 
Hotel and Convention Center, 1601 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands, 
Texas. 

Key events include the unveiling of future planetary science strategy; 
early science results from a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency 
mission, called Hayabusa, that returned the first particle samples 
from an asteroid; presentations about the recent comet Hartley 2 
flyby; and the upcoming MESSENGER mission, the first spacecraft to 
orbit Mercury. 

The conference also will include a briefing about the Planetary 
Decadal Survey at 5:30 p.m. CST on March 7. The survey is a strategy 
released by the National Research Council in Washington to prioritize 
missions, research areas and observations ten or more years into the 
future. The briefing's featured speaker will be Steve Squyres of 
Cornell University. He is the survey's chair and principal 
investigator for NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers. 

News media representatives interested in registering or obtaining more 
information should visit: 

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2011/ 

The conference is hosted by the Lunar and Planetary Institute in 
Houston. The institute is managed by the Universities Space Research 
Association, a national, nonprofit consortium of universities 
chartered in 1969 by the National Academy of Sciences at NASA's 
request. 

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit: 

http://www.nasa.gov 
	
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