Lunar And Planetary Institute
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) is a scientific research institute dedicated to study of the
Solar System The Solar SystemCapitalization of the name varies. The International Astronomical Union, the authoritative body regarding astronomical nomenclature, specifies capitalizing the names of all individual astronomical objects but uses mixed "Solar S ...
, its formation, evolution, and current state. The Institute is part of the
Universities Space Research Association The Universities Space Research Association (USRA) was incorporated on March 12, 1969, in Washington, D.C. as a private, nonprofit corporation under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). Institutional membership in the asso ...
(USRA) and is supported by the
Science Mission Directorate The Science Mission Directorate (SMD) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) engages the United States’ science community, sponsors scientific research, and develops and deploys satellites and probes in collaboration with NA ...
of the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding th ...
(NASA). Located at 3600 Bay Area Boulevard in Houston, Texas, the LPI maintains an extensive collection of lunar and planetary data, carries out education and public outreach programs, and offers meeting coordination and publishing services. The LPI sponsors and organizes several workshops and conferences throughout the year, including the
Lunar and Planetary Science Conference The Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC), jointly sponsored by the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) and NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), brings together international specialists in petrology, geochemistry, geophysics, geology, and astr ...
(LPSC) held in March in the Houston area.


History

In his March 1968 speech at the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC) in Houston, Texas, President
Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...
announced the formation of the Lunar Science Institute (LSI).
"We will welcome here all who are interested in the sciences of space. We will strengthen the cooperation between NASA and our universities. And we will set new patterns of scientific cooperation which will have profound effects on man's knowledge of his universe." -- President Lyndon B. Johnson, March 1, 1968
"The institute will provide a base for outside scientists, encouraging them to visit the Manned Spacecraft Center and use its laboratories, lunar photographs, and (ultimately) its rock samples. LSI is viewed as a major potential stimulus to lunar science at MSC and elsewhere." This announcement was the culmination of meetings and events involving NASA, the
National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the Nati ...
, Universities Research Association and several major universities. Initially operated by the National Academy of Sciences, USRA took over the management of the Lunar Science Institute on December 11, 1969. William W. Rubey was appointed the first director of the Lunar Science Institute. Rubey led the institute through the transition to the new management operation under USRA. A program of visiting university-based scientists was established, the first symposium was organized, and the first lecture of the LSI seminar series was presented. The Lunar Science Institute was formally dedicated on January 4, 1970, at the former West Mansion on NASA Road 1 near the Manned Spacecraft Center. Thomas R. McGetchin was appointed director in 1977. Under his leadership, McGetchin expanded the focus of the Lunar Science Institute to include the study of the entire Solar System, and the name was changed to the Lunar and Planetary Institute. In 1991, under the leadership of David C. Black, the LPI moved into a new facility. This new building combined several USRA divisions and operations into one location. The building, dedicated in January 1992, provided more office, meeting, computer and library space and improved USRA-Houston operations.


Science


General focus

Research topics of the LPI include the formation and evolution of the Solar System, petrology and geochemistry of planetary materials and volatiles, planetary interiors,
volcanism Volcanism, vulcanism or volcanicity is the phenomenon of eruption of molten rock (magma) onto the surface of the Earth or a solid-surface planet or moon, where lava, pyroclastics, and volcanic gases erupt through a break in the surface called ...
, tectonism, and impact cratering. Research interests range from Mercury to
Pluto Pluto (minor-planet designation: 134340 Pluto) is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt, a ring of bodies beyond the orbit of Neptune. It is the ninth-largest and tenth-most-massive known object to directly orbit the Sun. It is the largest ...
and the
icy moon Icy commonly refers to conditions involving ice, a frozen state, usually referring to frozen water. Icy or Icey may also refer to: People * Icy Spicy Leoncie, an Icelandic-Indian musician Arts, entertainment, and media Music * ICY (band), a voca ...
s of the Solar System. The LPI currently maintains a staff of resident scientists as well as visiting scientists, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate fellows. Resident scientists provide planetary science expertise necessary for the LPI to achieve its goals and maintain their scientific proficiency through peer-reviewed activities. Th
Center for Lunar Science and Exploration
a collaborative effort of the Lunar and Planetary Institute and the
Johnson Space Center The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) is NASA's center for human spaceflight (originally named the Manned Spacecraft Center), where human spaceflight training, research, and flight control are conducted. It was renamed in honor of the late U ...
and an integral part of the Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) (formerly the
NASA Lunar Science Institute The Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), originally the NASA Lunar Science Institute, is an organization, established by NASA in 2008, that supplemented and extended existing NASA lunar science programs. Supported by the ...
), was established in 2009. The Center is designed to develop a core, multi-institutional lunar science program, provide scientific and technical expertise to NASA, support the development of a lunar science community, and develop lunar science education and outreach programs.


Analysis groups

The LPI provides support for a number of NASA's community analysis groups, including:
Curation and Analysis Planning Team for Extraterrestrial Materials
(CAPTEM) - responsible for the care and distribution of all extraterrestrial samples collected by NASA including the Apollo lunar samples, materials from sample return missions, and solid materials of the Solar System
Lunar Exploration Analysis Group
(LEAG) - responsible for analyzing scientific, technical, commercial, and operational issues associated with lunar exploration in response to requests by NASA
Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group
(MEPAG) - responsible for providing science input for planning and prioritizing future
Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, only being larger than Mercury (planet), Mercury. In the English language, Mars is named for the Mars (mythology), Roman god of war. Mars is a terr ...
exploration activities for the next several decades
Outer Planets Assessment Group
(OPAG) - responsible for identifying the scientific priorities and pathways for exploration in the
outer Solar System The Solar SystemCapitalization of the name varies. The International Astronomical Union, the authoritative body regarding astronomical nomenclature, specifies capitalizing the names of all individual astronomical objects but uses mixed "Solar S ...

Optimizing Science and Exploration Working Group
(OSEWG) - responsible for guiding exploration and science investigations during lunar sortie and outpost missions, with extensibility to future Mars missions
Small Bodies Assessment Group
(SBAG) - responsible for identifying scientific priorities and opportunities for the exploration of
asteroids An asteroid is a minor planet of the inner Solar System. Sizes and shapes of asteroids vary significantly, ranging from 1-meter rocks to a dwarf planet almost 1000 km in diameter; they are rocky, metallic or icy bodies with no atmosphere. ...
,
comets A comet is an icy, small Solar System body that, when passing close to the Sun, warms and begins to release gases, a process that is called outgassing. This produces a visible atmosphere or coma, and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena ar ...
, interplanetary dust, small satellites, and
trans-Neptunian objects A trans-Neptunian object (TNO), also written transneptunian object, is any minor planet in the Solar System that orbits the Sun at a greater average distance than Neptune, which has a semi-major axis of 30.1 astronomical units (au). Typicall ...
and for providing scientific input on the utility of asteroids and comets in support of human space activities
Venus Exploration Analysis Group
(VEXAG) - responsible for identifying scientific priorities and strategy for the exploration of
Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never fa ...

Mapping and Planetary Spatial Infrastructure Team
(MAPSIT) - ensuring that planetary data are usable for any purpose, now and in the future


Summer intern programs

The LPI hosts
Summer Intern Program
providing undergraduates an opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research in the planetary sciences. LPI Summer Interns work one-on-one with scientists at the LPI or at the Johnson Space Center to complete research projects of current interest. The Summer Intern Program allows participants to experience a real research environment, to learn from leading planetary scientists, and to preview careers in research. From 2008 through 2013, the LPI also hosted
Lunar Exploration Summer Intern Program
designed to evaluate possible landing sites for robotic and human exploration missions. Interns worked with LPI scientific staff and other collaborators. The program was open to graduate students in geology, planetary science, and related fields, and undergraduates with at least 50 semester hours of credit. In 2015, a ne
Exploration Science Summer Intern Program
was established, building on the success of the previous program, but with a broader scope that includes both the
Moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...
and near-Earth asteroids.


Meetings

The LPI organizes and sponsors a number of planetary science workshops and conferences throughout the year in both domestic and international locations, including the annual Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. This important five-day meeting held in the Houston area in March brings together international specialists in petrology, geochemistry, geophysics, geology, and astronomy to present scientific findings in planetary science. The LPSC dates back to the days of the Apollo program and the early meetings focusing on the study of the lunar samples. After over 50 years, this conference continues to thrive, drawing planetary scientists and researchers from around the world.


Publications

The LPI has collaborated on a number of publications in the prestigious Space Science Series of the
University of Arizona Press The University of Arizona Press, a publishing house founded in 1959 as a department of the University of Arizona, is a nonprofit publisher of scholarly and regional books. As a delegate of the University of Arizona to the larger world, the Press ...
, including ''Asteroids III'' (), ''Comets II'' (), ''Europa'' (), ''Meteorites and the Early Solar System II'' (), ''Origin of the Earth and Moon'' (), ''Protostars and Planets V'' (), ''The Solar System Beyond Neptune'' (), and ''Comparative Climatology of Terrestrial Planets'' (). The LPI also publishes a large number of planetary science workshop and meeting documents every year as well as a quarterly newsletter
''Lunar and Planetary Information Bulletin''
Since June 2014, eighteen lunar and planetary science books, most published by LPI such as ''
Traces of Catastrophe ''Traces of Catastrophe: A Handbook of Shock-Metamorphic Effects in Terrestrial Meteorite Impact Structures'' is a book written by Bevan M. French of the Smithsonian Institution. It is a comprehensive technical reference on the science of impact ...
'' and ''Lunar Stratigraphy and Sedimentology'', have been available online.


Education and public outreach

The LPI has a long tradition of
space science Space is the boundless three-dimensional extent in which objects and events have relative position and direction. In classical physics, physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions, although modern physicists usually consider ...
education and public outreach through a number of programs and resources. This effort serves a wide variety of audiences, including K-12 students and educators, undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students, and the public in formal and informal venues and on local, regional, and national levels. These programs and resources include the following:
''Explore!'' Fun with Science
- a program designed to bring space science into libraries and informal learning environments
SkyFest
- a series of free programs open to all ages that offers night sky viewing opportunities and hands-on activities about four times a year
Cosmic Explorations: A Speakers Series
- a series of free public lectures presented by international experts in space science (past lectures are made available online at the LPI website)


Library

Th
LPI library
contains more than 60,000 cataloged books, documents, maps, films and videos, and print and electronic journals and newsletters. The subject emphasis of the collection is planetary science and geology, with limited collection development extending into the secondary support field of computer science remote sensing. There is an ongoing effort to scan and make available to the scientific community and the general public a number of out-of-print planetary science books, NASA documents and images, and related works. (These publications are copyright-free or made available with permission.) This collection is a NASA
Regional Planetary Image Facility The Regional Planetary Image Facilities (RPIFs) are planetary image and data libraries located throughout the United States and abroad that are funded by the host institutions. They once had funding from NASA A network of these facilities was esta ...
(RPIF) and includes photographs, maps, and other data from planetary missions including Apollo,
Lunar Orbiter The Lunar Orbiter program was a series of five uncrewed lunar orbiter missions launched by the United States from 1966 through 1967. Intended to help select Apollo landing sites by mapping the Moon's surface, they provided the first photographs ...
, ''
Clementine A clementine (''Citrus × clementina'') is a tangor, a citrus fruit hybrid between a willowleaf mandarin orange ( ''C.'' × ''deliciosa'') and a sweet orange (''C. × sinensis''), named in honor of Clément Rodier, a French missionary who fir ...
'', ''
Mars Pathfinder ''Mars Pathfinder'' (''MESUR Pathfinder'') is an American robotic spacecraft that landed a base station with a roving probe on Mars in 1997. It consisted of a lander, renamed the Carl Sagan Memorial Station, and a lightweight, wheeled robot ...
'', ''
Voyager 1 ''Voyager 1'' is a space probe launched by NASA on September 5, 1977, as part of the Voyager program to study the outer Solar System and interstellar space beyond the Sun's heliosphere. Launched 16 days after its twin ''Voyager 2'', ''Voya ...
'', ''
Voyager 2 ''Voyager 2'' is a space probe launched by NASA on August 20, 1977, to study the outer planets and interstellar space beyond the Sun's heliosphere. As a part of the Voyager program, it was launched 16 days before its twin, '' Voyager 1'', o ...
'',
Magellan Ferdinand Magellan ( or ; pt, Fernão de Magalhães, ; es, link=no, Fernando de Magallanes, ; 4 February 1480 – 27 April 1521) was a Portuguese explorer. He is best known for having planned and led the 1519 Spanish expedition to the East ...
, '' Galileo'', and
Mars Global Surveyor ''Mars Global Surveyor'' (MGS) was an American robotic space probe developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and launched November 1996. MGS was a global mapping mission that examined the entire planet, from the ionosphere down through t ...
.


Directors of the LPI

*
William Walden Rubey William Walden Rubey (December 19, 1898 – April 12, 1974) was an American geologist. He was born in Moberly, Missouri. He attended the University of Missouri, and in 1920 he graduated with an A.B. degree. During the same year he married Susan El ...
(1968-1971) * Joseph W. Chamberlain (1971-1973) * David W. Strangway (1973) * James W. Head (1973-1974) * Robert O. Pepin (1974-1977) * Thomas R. McGetchin (1977-1979) * John R. Sevier (1979) * Roger J. Phillips (1979-1982) * Kevin C. Burke (1982-1988) * David C. Black (1988-2002) * Arch M. Reid (2002) * Stephen J. Mackwell (2002–2016) *
Louise Prockter Louise Prockter is a planetary scientist and former supervisor of the Planetary Exploration Group at the Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory. In 2016 the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) announced the appointment ...
(2016–2020) * Lisa Gaddis (2020–present)


References

{{Authority control Research institutes in Texas NASA groups, organizations, and centers Organizations based in Houston Lunar and Planetary Institute