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Volume 20, Number 23
June 7, 2026
Editor: Alex Morgan
Co-Editors: Mark V. Sykes, Matthew R Perry
Email: pen_editor@psi.edu
X: @pen2tweets
Bluesky: @planetarynews.bsky.social
o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o
1. Resources for the Planetary Science Community to Respond to OMB's
Proposed Grant-making Rule Changes
2. Research Associate Position Available at the University of Kent, UK
3. Postdoctoral Position in Computational Materials Science for
Planetary Cores
4. [ACM 2026] Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA) Community
Workshop
5. [GSA 2026] Geological Society of America Connects Annual Meeting:
Abstract Submission is Open
6. [GSA 2026] Session T188: Geomorphology and Surface Processes Across
the Solar System
7. Planetary Crater Consortium: Registration and Abstracts are Open
8. [DPS-58] Abstract Submission and Registration are Open
9. [DPS-58] Splinter Meetings are Solicited
10. [DPS-58] Low-Cost Meeting Observer Option
11. [DPS-58] Travel Grant Applications
12. [DPS-58] Dependent Care Applications
13. [DPS-58] Conference Lodging
14. [DPS-58] Information for Exhibitors and Sponsors
15. [AGU 2026] The Surface and Subsurface of Mars as Seen from Orbit
16. [NASA] PDS: Aperiodic PDS Data Releases in 2026.05
17. [NASA] PDS: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Data Release 77
18. Planetary Meeting Calendar Additions
19. Planetary Science Journal - New Papers
20. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets - New Papers
o---------------------------------------------------------------------o
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RESOURCES FOR THE PLANETARY SCIENCE COMMUNITY TO RESPOND TO OMB'S
PROPOSED GRANT-MAKING RULE CHANGES
The Office of Management and Budget has proposed sweeping changes to
federal grant-making rules that would impose new bureaucratic
requirements on scientific research, restrict the dissemination of
scientific results, and open the door to partisan control over grant
awards. The proposed rule changes would all but end the use of
scientific merit in the selection of grants and programs across the
government.
The Planetary Society has created the following resources to help the
planetary science community respond to these proposed rule changes
during the open comment period:
(1) A tracked-changes dashboard comparing the current and proposed
regulatory text, section by section:
https://dashboards.planetary.org/rules-change/
(2) Our advocacy action, the quickest way for someone to submit a
comment, with guidance on making it personal and effective:
https://planetary.org/ombgrantrules
(3) An overview article detailing the impacts these regulatory changes
would have on NASA Science:
https://planetary.org/articles/when-science-answers-to-politics
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RESEARCH ASSOCIATE POSITION AVAILABLE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENT, UK
We are looking for a Research Associate to join the ERC-funded PROSPER
project, exploring the risks posed by space debris and helping develop
technologies that support sustainable access to space. The successful
candidate will work within an interdisciplinary team across physics,
chemistry, engineering and computing, and will build and develop dust
detectors and, using the Kent two stage light gas gun, test their
performance and iterate the design. Additional information can be
found at:
https://jobs.kent.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?id=9856&forced=2
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POSTDOCTORAL POSITION IN COMPUTATIONAL MATERIALS SCIENCE FOR PLANETARY
CORES
Ghent University (Belgium) invites applications for a postdoctoral
position in computational materials science, focused on ab initio
phase diagram prediction for solid and liquid matter at high
temperatures and high pressures.
The aim is to establish a new research line on materials and mixtures
relevant to planetary cores. The work will connect first-principles
materials modelling with questions from planetary science, in
collaboration with external planetary scientists.
This is an exploratory project: there is no predefined workflow or
detailed recipe. The selected candidate will help identify suitable
computational strategies, design and test workflows, and build a
robust research approach. Possible ingredients include
density-functional theory, molecular dynamics, free-energy methods,
structure prediction and machine-learning interatomic potentials.
We are looking for a creative, independent and collaborative
researcher with strong experience in ab initio materials modelling.
Due date: June 21, 2026. Full details and application instructions are
available here:
https://tinyurl.com/hb392b9z
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[ACM 2026] EMIRATES MISSION TO THE ASTEROID BELT (EMA) COMMUNITY
WORKSHOP
July 6, 2026
The EMA Project Science Group will hold a community workshop at the
Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors (ACM) conference in Poznan, Poland, on
Monday the 6 of July during the lunch hour: 13:00 - 14:30. Through
this open session, the EMA team will present opportunities available
to the science community to support the mission's science. They will
provide a brief overview of the mission objectives, tour design, and
payload. The team will also present current knowledge of the mission's
seven target asteroids which include (623) Chimaera, (13294) Rockox,
and (269) Justitia and current gaps in the understanding of these
asteroids. Finally, the team will discuss ground-based and space-based
observations of the asteroids and the needed models to support mission
objectives. The session will also include a questions and answers
portion at the end.
Further information:
https://acm2026.eu/
Contact: Hoor Al Mazmi (h.almazmi@space.gov.ae), Paul Hayne
(paul.hayne@colorado.edu)
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PLANETARY CRATER CONSORTIUM: REGISTRATION AND ABSTRACTS ARE OPEN
It's time to save the date for the upcoming Planetary Crater
Consortium (PCC) Meeting this July:
1) The dates for our 2026 meeting are July 15-17. It will be held at
the USGS-Flagstaff in Flagstaff, AZ, USA; we will still support
remote attendance and speakers. If you would like to consider hosting
the PCC at your organization in future years, please come to the
meeting with a proposal and we will vote on it.
2) Abstract submission and registration for this year's meeting are
officially open! As with last year, Registration and Abstract
submission for this year's meeting will be handled by Google Form:
Abstracts:
https://forms.gle/APaNS8G7ycJxNrQdA
Registration:
https://forms.gle/RpGWUMaK6qdkKWKK6
3) The deadline for abstract submission is June 17, 2026. Also keep
your calendars open for a potential July 18 field trip in the
Flagstaff area.
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[GSA 2026] GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA CONNECTS ANNUAL MEETING:
ABSTRACT SUBMISSION IS OPEN
Abstract submission is open for the Geological Society of America
Connects Annual Meeting, October 11-14 in Denver!
https://connects.geosociety.org/
Planetary related sessions include:
- Big Science from Small Worlds
- Boxwork and Fracture Halos: Changes in mineralogy and erosion
resistance around fracture features on Earth, Mars, and across the
Solar System
- Friends of Hoth, Rogue Moons: Icy Ocean Worlds
- The G.K. Gilbert Award Session
- Geomorphology and Landscape Evolution of Mars
- Geomorphology and Surface Processes Across the Solar System
- Hydrothermal Processes Across the Solar System
- Impact Cratering: From the Earth into the Solar System
- Mineralogy in the Solar System
- Myths and Misrepresentations surrounding Cosmic Impact claims in
Paleoclimatology, Paleontology, Paleoecology, Geoarchaeology, and
Quaternary Research
- Planetary Exploration and Education: How We Learn About Our Solar
System and Beyond
- Planetary sample science: Unlocking the history of lunar, Martian,
and asteroidal materials
- Shake and Bake: Volcanism and Tectonism across the Solar System
- The Astro-Geoheritage of the Solar System: Past Explorations and
Future Considerations
- Venus and Earth: Separated at Birth
Abstract deadline: August 6
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[GSA 2026] SESSION T188: GEOMORPHOLOGY AND SURFACE PROCESSES ACROSS
THE SOLAR SYSTEM
If you plan on attending the 2026 Geological Society of America
Connects Meeting in Denver, Colorado (October 11-14, 2025), we
encourage you to consider submitting an abstract to session T188:
Geomorphology and Surface Processes Across the Solar System.
This session welcomes abstracts on any aspect of planetary
geomorphology and surface processes, including but not restricted to:
Earth analogues, laboratory experiments, numerical models, planetary
comparison, mapping, in situ data, or remote sensing studies.
The session brings together researchers studying Earth and other
planetary bodies to compare how geomorphic processes operate across
different environmental conditions. By fostering dialogue between
terrestrial and planetary scientists, it promotes cross-system insight
into the fundamental mechanisms that shape landscapes throughout the
Solar System.
We are also excited to have two excellent invited speakers: An Li
(University of Washington) and Harrison Martin (Caltech).
The abstract portal is open and can be accessed here:
https://gsameetings.secure-platform.com/connects26
The deadline for submitting abstracts is August 6, 2025.
Thanks, and we hope to see you in Denver!
Session Conveners: Alex Morgan (PSI), Marisa Palucis (Dartmouth),
Abdallah Zaki (UT Austin)
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[DPS-58] ABSTRACT SUBMISSION AND REGISTRATION ARE OPEN
https://submissions.mirasmart.com/DPS58/Splash.aspx
https://aas.org/meetings/dps58/registration
Registration and abstract submission are open for DPS-58 at the
Spokane Convention Center, 25-30 October 2026. DPS will be a hybrid
meeting with live-streamed in-person and recorded virtual talks and
in-person posters. Three classes of registration include: full
in-person, full virtual, and virtual meeting observer for a very low
cost. Abstract submission will indicate a science theme plus a class
of bodies pertinent to the abstract, from which the Science Organizing
Committee will formulate the program. There is also an option to
submit to one of five special sessions:
- 5 Years of Perseverance Exploration at Jezero
- Juno at 10 years
- 20 years of MRO observing Mars
- 30 years of asteroid rendezvous missions
- Interstellar comets
Regular abstract deadline: Thursday, 11 June 2026 9:00pm ET
Early registration deadline: Monday, 15 June 2026 9:00pm ET
Late abstract deadline: 2 July, 2026 12:00pm ET
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[DPS-58] SPLINTER MEETINGS ARE SOLICITED
DPS welcomes community groups to hold splinter sessions at DPS's 58th
annual meeting at the Spokane Convention Center October 25-30, 2026,
including AG groups, mission or instrument teams, or other
planetary-themed groups. The venue features 4-6 rooms that seat
between 30-100 and are available anytime, plus 4 large halls seating
>250 which are available Saturday-Sunday October 24-25, or for 60-90
minute lunch meetings Monday-Thursday October 26-29. Rooms will be
outfitted for hybrid participation with AV hardware; users must supply
laptops. Zoom reservations may be arranged by users, or supplied at no
cost by AAS. In-person participants are expected to register for
attendance at DPS; virtual participants may attend at no cost. Apply
for a splinter meeting here:
https://submissions.mirasmart.com/DPS58/Splash.aspx
Application deadline is Thursday June 11; selected applicants will be
notified in late June. Catering is available at cost with forms sent
with selection notifications.
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[DPS-58] LOW-COST MEETING OBSERVER OPTION
Are you interested in planetary science, and ready to attend
professional talks on topics of interest, but costs of a professional
conference are not affordable? DPS is pleased to announce a virtual
attendance option that can fit a tightly constrained budget, as a
virtual meeting observer. This option is meant for a wide variety of
planetary science amateurs and professionals:
- Amateurs who want a deeper dive than what is in the popular press
- Leaders of high-school science clubs who will share with a group
- Students and faculty at community colleges and tribal colleges
- Retired professionals who lack emeritus status in a professional
society
- Active professionals who don't have funding to attend *all* the
conferences they would like
The virtual attendance option, available for $50, allows full watching
and listening to oral presentations and access to recorded sessions.
For more information visit the DPS-58 registration page:
https://aas.org/meetings/dps58/registration
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[DPS-58] TRAVEL GRANT APPLICATIONS
The Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) offers travel grants to
support attendance at DPS-58 to be held 25-30 October 2026 in Spokane,
Washington, U.S.A. At least 30 grants may be awarded at $500-$1500
each.
Hartmann Student Travel Grants support student presentations at the
annual DPS meeting. (Postdoctoral scholars may also be eligible, but
students are prioritized.) Award of a travel grant assumes submission
of a DPS abstract, to be described in the application.
Underrepresented Minority (URM) Communities in Planetary Science
Travel Grants support attendance by students and professionals who are
members of groups that have had inadequate access to the planetary
science community.
Applicants for DPS travel grants do not need to be U.S. citizens or
permanent residents. Eligible candidates are welcome to apply for both
grants, but if selected would receive only one. Apply here:
https://dps.aas.org/news/dps-travel-grants-application/
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[DPS-58] DEPENDENT CARE APPLICATIONS
The Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) offers Susan Niebur
Dependent Care grants to support attendance at DPS-58 to be held 25-30
October 2026 in Spokane, Washington, U.S.A. These grants provide
financial assistance to qualifying members to facilitate their meeting
attendance by offsetting costs for child care, elder care, spousal
care, etc., at the meeting location or at home during the DPS
conference. Apply for a dependent care grant here:
https://dps.aas.org/development/dps-dependent-care-grant-application/
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[DPS-58] CONFERENCE LODGING
Please consider arranging your hotel for DPS-58 at official conference
lodging. There is a block of rooms at government rates, and lodging is
connected to the conference venue-the Spokane Convention Center-via a
covered a walkway. The hotel features an onsite restaurant and other
options are located nearby. Utilizing this lodging will cut both cost
to attend the conference and carbon footprint to attend the conference
by eliminating the need for car rental.
https://aas.org/meetings/dps58/accommodations
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[DPS-58] INFORMATION FOR EXHIBITORS AND SPONSORS
The Local Organizing Committee for DPS-58 is soliciting exhibitors and
sponsors for the meeting. Exhibitor spaces are located in a heavily
trafficked are between the poster sessions and common area in a large,
shared ballroom. If you are interested, please contact Conor Sherry
(conor.sherry@aas.org) at the American Astronomical Society.
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[AGU 2026] THE SURFACE AND SUBSURFACE OF MARS AS SEEN FROM ORBIT
Several orbiting spacecraft are celebrating their many years
continuously acquiring data of the surface and subsurface of Mars.
Odyssey has been in orbit 25 years, MRO and Mars Express for over 20
years, and TGO for 10 years. These orbiters, along with many others
throughout time, have acquired a rich interdisciplinary dataset from
which to learn about current and past processes on Mars, with the aim
of unraveling its geologic, climatic, and evolutionary history in
comparison to Earth and other planets. This session invites
submissions on all aspects of martian surface and subsurface
processes, their interactions with the environment, and their changes
in time, with emphasis on interdisciplinary science.
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[NASA] PDS: APERIODIC PDS DATA RELEASES IN 2026.05
In May 2026, PDS ingested and made available the following data,
none of which were regularly released with an ongoing mission:
- 2026.05.29 Voyager 2 Jupiter Planetary Radio Astronomy Data
- 2026.05.27 MEX SPICE Release 16
- 2026.05.20 Multi-Parameter LIBS Reference Database of Geological
Materials
- 2026.05.14 Pioneer 11 Cosmic Ray Telescope Calibrated
- 2026.05.14 Pioneer 10 Mission Bundle
- 2026.05.14 Color/geometry cubes of asteroid 951 Gaspra based on
Galileo SSI images
- 2026.05.13 New Horizons Mission Documents v3.0
- 2026.05.01 Galileo Jupiter Plasma Wave Science Electron Density
Derived Data
To access those data
https://pds.nasa.gov/datasearch/subscription-service/SS-20260531.shtml
To access all data archived in PDS:
https://pds.nasa.gov
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[NASA] PDS: MARS RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER DATA RELEASE 77
The NASA Planetary Data System announces Release 77 of data from the
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). This release contains raw,
calibrated, and derived data products nominally covering the time
period August 9 through November 8, 2025. Some instrument teams are
delivering more recent data. The data are archived at various PDS
nodes.
- CRISM, SHARAD, and Radio Science data at the Geosciences Node
- HiRISE, CTX, and MARCI data at the Cartography and Imaging Sciences
Node
- MCS data at the Atmospheres Node
- SPICE data at the NAIF Node
The data may be accessed at
https://pds-geosciences.wustl.edu/missions/mro/
Or for a view centered on this release
https://pds.nasa.gov/datasearch/subscription-service/SS-20260601.shtml
To access the latest PDS Data Releases, please visit the following
link:
https://pds.nasa.gov/datasearch/subscription-service/SS-Release.shtml
All available PDS data may be found at:
https://pds.nasa.gov/datasearch/data-search/
For further information, see the PDS Home Page:
https://pds.nasa.gov/
MRO data releases occur every three months. The next release is
scheduled for September 1, 2026.
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PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS
Note: Many face-to-face meetings going forward will have online
components. Check their websites for details.
Posted at https://planetarynews.org/meetings.html
July 15-17, 2026
Planetary Crater Consortium (PCC) Meeting
https://forms.gle/APaNS8G7ycJxNrQdA
Flagstaff, AZ
September 29-October 2, 2026
MATISSE Science Days
https://vlti-ec.konkoly.hu/matisse2026/
Budapest, Hungary
19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19
PLANETARY SCIENCE JOURNAL - NEW PAPERS
Direct Links to Open Access Papers
Editor, Brian Jackson
https://psj.aas.org
Erratum: "Atomic Iron and Nickel in the Coma of C/1996 B2 (Hyakutake):
Production Rates, Emission Mechanisms, and Possible Parents"(2021,
PSJ, 2, 228)
S. J. Bromley et al. 2026 PSJ 7:131
https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae706d
Modeling Carbon Outgassing from Chondritic Planetesimals
Bo Peng and Diana Valencia 2026 PSJ 7:132
https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae6c21
Dust On, Dust Off: HST Observations of the Newly Dormant Jupiter Co-
orbital Comet P/2023 V6 (PANSTARRS)
John W. Noonan and Theodore Kareta 2026 PSJ 7:133
https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae6c1d
Spitzer Observations of the Koronis Asteroid Family: Probing Size-
dependent Surface Evolution
Annika Gustafsson et al. 2026 PSJ 7:134
https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae578b
Constructing the Earth's Formation History Using Deep Mantle Noble Gas
Reservoirs
Vincent Savignac and Eve J. Lee 2026 PSJ 7:135
https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae64f7
Methods for Analysing Low Signal-to-noise-ratio Emission Observations:
The Cassini Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph Pipeline and Application
to Titan Airglow Observations
Nathan Le Guennic et al. 2026 PSJ 7:136
https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae6c24
JWST and Gemini Observations of the Active Centaur 450P/LONEOS:
Nucleus and Coma Characterizations
Charles A. Schambeau et al. 2026 PSJ 7:137
https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae685c
Impact-generated Porosity Gradients Controlled Fluid Flow and Aqueous
Alteration on the CM Parent Body
Romy D. Hanna et al. 2026 PSJ 7:138
https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae63c9
Improving Lunar Topography with Deep Learning Schrodinger Bridges
Matthew Repasky et al. 2026 PSJ 7:139
https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae6244
Smaller Than Earth Habitability Model (STEHM): The Lower Size Limit
for Atmosphere Retention in the Habitable Zone
Michelle L. Hill et al. 2026 PSJ 7:140
https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae6804
Potential Cryovolcanic Regions on Ganymede: A Priority Target for
JUICE
Anezina Solomonidou et al. 2026 PSJ 7:141
https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae69cd
Bulk Thermal Conductivity of Granular Aggregates: Decoupling
Coordination Number and Porosity
Bhuvan Agrawal et al. 2026 PSJ 7:142
https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae6fa9
Uranus Orbiter and Probe: Mission Challenges and Concept Updates Since
the Origins, Worlds, and Life Decadal Survey
Amy A. Simon et al. 2026 PSJ 7:143
https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae680c
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JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH: PLANETS - NEW PAPERS
Direct Links to Open Access (OA) Papers
Editors-in-Chief, Amanda Hendrix & Debra Buczkowski
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/21699100
Time and Tide From Utopia to Kraken: Stirring Results in
Extraterrestrial Oceanography
Ralph D. Lorenz
https://doi.org/10.1029/2026JE009849
Thermal Escape of Atomic Hydrogen on Mars: A Comprehensive View With
a General Circulation Model
Alexander S. Medvedev & Ngan H. D. Trinh
https://doi.org/10.1029/2026JE009747
Martian Proton Albedo as Signature of Near-Surface Water
Jan Leo Lowe et al.
https://doi.org/10.1029/2026JE009697
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