21 Mar 2012

Given the long time that has elapsed since the original appointment of the Principal Investigator teams on the Cassini-Huygens mission in 1990, it was felt desirable, to foster the continuing science output from the mission in its new Solstice phase. To this end, a new possibility for broader participation to the mission from the wide scientific community was defined, i.e. the "Participating Scientists", with a first Research Announcement released in April 2011.

The proposal submission for this current, second, Research Announcement for Cassini-Huygens Participating Scientists is centralized at NASA and the evaluation and selection will be done jointly by NASA, ESA, and ASI.

Proposers interested in becoming a Participating Scientist should propose a science investigation that addresses one or more of the Cassini science objectives listed in the Research Announcement. These investigations can either be instrument-specific or multidisciplinary.

European proposals are encouraged and should include a letter of commitment covering the financial support for both the investigation and the Participating Scientist duties. Proposals from non-US institutions do not require to be preceded by a matching "step-1 proposal".

Details regarding the Cassini-Huygens mission as well as the Participating Scientist role and the allowed scientific investigations can be found in the Research Announcement, available at the URL below (which is also linked from the right-hand menu).

The Research Announcement closes on 4 May 2012. The Proposals for Participating Scientist to the Cassini-Huygens mission should be prepared in accordance with the information provided at:

http://tinyurl.com/7hycfrd
(C.10 Cassini Data Analysis and Participating Scientists [.pdf])

and should be submitted electronically through the above website with a copy to the relevant funding institution.

ESA contact:

Nicolas Altobelli
ESA Cassini-Huygens Project Scientist
Solar System Science Operation Division
Directorate of Science and Robotic Exploration
ESA-ESAC
email: nicolas.altobellisciops.esa.int

Luigi Colangeli
Head of ESA's Solar System Missions Division
Directorate of Science and Robotic Exploration
ESA-ESTEC
email: luigi.colangeliesa.int

NASA contact:

Henry Throop
Planetary Science Division
Science Mission Directorate
NASA Headquarters
Washington, DC 20546-0001
email: HQ-CDAPmail.nasa.gov