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Community Letter - Ron Greeley, Co-Chair, Jupiter System Science Definition team - 03.30.2009

Dear Colleague,

The Europa Jupiter System Mission (EJSM) was recently identified as the first priority mission for the Outer Planet Flagship Mission. EJSM involves the NASA Jupiter Europa Orbiter and ESA Jupiter Ganymede Orbiter. It might also involve other elements, such as a JAXA Magnetospheric Orbiter. In addition to the focus on Europa and Ganymede, substantial Jupiter and Jupiter system science will be conducted.

The science objectives and initial designs for the mission have been defined (see href="http://opfm.jpl.nasa.gov/library/ for relevant reports) and we are now in the next stage of development for this mission. The goals include strengthening the mission and science return, providing opportunities for planetary community involvement, and ensuring continued support by the relevant space agencies and governments. For example, workshops are planned for this year to assist potential instrument providers for addressing various radiation and planetary protection issues in preparation for Announcements of Opportunity. The first such workshop will be held July 15-17 at the Applied Physics Laboratory, Maryland. In addition, special Jupiter system sessions are being planned for up-coming science meetings, such as the European Planetary Science Conference this fall in Potsdam. More broadly, next year marks the 400th anniversary of Galileo's discovery of Jupiter's primary moons, and consideration might be given to special events to mark the occasion, as is being done in Europe. Your help and participation in these activities is encouraged and we welcome new ideas.

On behalf of the Joint Jupiter System Science Definition Team, please contact me (Greeley@asu.edu) if you have ideas for future activities and/or would like to get involved in some capacity.

Best wishes,

Ron Greeley
Co-Chair, Jupiter System Science Definition team

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