S T A R  &  P L A N E T

	   TERRESTRIAL PLANET FINDER NEWSLETTER

               Number 1,  January 2, 2003

CONTENTS

1.   Editorial
2.   TPF Science Working Group
3.   Research Opportunities
4.   Extra Session on TPF at AAS Meeting in Seattle


1.   EDITORIAL

Welcome!  This is the inaugural edition of the "Star & Planet" - the TPF
Newsletter.  Its purpose is to provide news of the Terrestrial Planet Finder
(TPF) Project for a technical audience - scientists and engineers interested in
the technical development of TPF - science objectives, instrument design, and
technology.

If you do *NOT* wish to receive future editions, please follow the directions
at the end of this message.

For readers interested in more general information on TPF, please visit the
"Planet Quest" web site, where you can join the "Planet Finder Club", for news
on the search for worlds outside our solar system:

http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/

This Newsletter is produced about every 3 months, or whenever there is news to
share.  It will be short!  It uses a plain-text style, to be readable by the
widest audience.  As well as news on TPF itself, we will post announcements for
conferences and workshops of interest to the TPF science community.  Wherever
possible, we will include URLs pointing to sources of more detailed information.


Steve Unwin, Editor
TPF Deputy Project Scientist
stephen.unwin@jpl.nasa.gov


2.   TPF SCIENCE WORKING GROUP

NASA recently named a group of 25 key scientists to make up the Science Working
Group (SWG) for TPF.  Competitively selected from a field of 75 candidates, the
group's role is to assist the project and NASA in coming up with two or three
specific designs for missions that could accomplish the TPF goals of finding and
characterizing Earth-like planets and looking for signs of life.

The announcement, a list of the SWG members, and the Group's charter, may be
found at:

http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/news/tpf_free.cfm
http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/Navigator/tpf_charter.html

Already, the Group has held two meetings in Pasadena, and has formed a number of
'affinity groups' to study different aspects of the mission.  One of the Group's
roles is provide a point of contact for the members of the wider science
community interested in learning about TPF, and especially for those interested
in contributing its development.  Feel free to contact members of the Science
Working Group if you have inputs!


3.   RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

NASA is currently funding a number of research topics which are broadly related
to TPF, through the Research Opportunities in Space Science (ROSS).  This NRA
(NASA Research Announcement) covers many research areas in astronomy.  Of
particular relevance to TPF is the "Origins of Solar Systems" program.  This
Newsletter will feature news on research opportunities relevant to TPF.

ROSS proposals may involve analytical and numerical modeling, laboratory
research, and observational studies in:  star formation and its relationship to
planetary system formation; formation, evolution and chemical composition of
protoplanetary disks; planet formation, evolution, and orbital migration; and
the detection and statistical properties of other planetary systems.  Of
particular interest to TPF are studies that help to answer the question: "What
is the frequency of Earth-like planets?".

More information on NASA research opportunities is available on the NASA Office
of Space Science (OSS) web site.  The 2003 update to the ROSS is expected
shortly.  Please direct all questions on ROSS-2003 to the contacts provided on
the OSS web site:

http://research.hq.nasa.gov/code_s/open.cfm


4.   EXTRA SESSION ON TPF AT AAS MEETING IN SEATTLE

           "Terrestrial Planet Finder: The Next Steps"
            Tuesday, 7 January 2003, 7:30-9:30pm, Room 602-604
            http://www.aas.org/meetings/aas201/program/

This session on TPF at the winter meeting of the American Astronomical Society
is intended to update the astronomy community on the recent studies of science
objectives, instrument design, describe current preparatory science studies, and
to invite community participation in these studies.   If you are at the AAS
Meeting, this is a good opportunity to meet TPF Project staff and members
of the Science Working Group.  There will be opportunities for discussion and
comment on all aspects of TPF.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steve Unwin, Editor                              stephen.unwin@jpl.nasa.gov

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