USRA Selects Awardees for LCROSS Observation Campaign
Working with both NASA's Ames Research Center and Marshall Space Flight Center, USRA issued a call for proposals for observation activities in September 2008. All compliant proposals received were subjected to a rigorous review based on specific criteria and the four successful proposals are listed below.
- 'Accessing LCROSS Ejecta: Water Vapor and Particle Size and Composition from Keck, Gemini, and the IRFT Telescopes,' Southwest Research Institute, Dr. Eliot Young (Principle Investigator).
- 'LCROSS Lunar Plume Observations with the Apache Point Observatory,' New Mexico State University, Dr. Nancy Chanover (Principle Investigator).
- 'Multi-spectral Imaging of the LCROSS Impact,' Southwest Research Institute, Dr. Marc Buie (Principle Investigator).
- 'Searching for Polar Water Ice During the LCROSS Impact Using the MMT Observatory,' University of Arizona, Dr. Faith Vilas (Principle Investigator).
'Everyone involved in the selection process was very pleased at the high quality of the submissions that we received,' observed Dr. Frank Curran, Director of USRA's Huntsville Operations and USRA's coordinator for the selection process. 'We are proud to be a part of the process that will enable these very important observations and look forward to working with the Principal Investigators and our NASA counterparts to ensure a success in the observation campaign.'
The Universities Space Research Association, established in 1969 by the National Academy of Sciences, is a private, nonprofit consortium of 102 universities offering advanced degrees in space- and aeronautics-related disciplines. USRA's mission is to conduct leading-edge research, develop innovative technologies, promote education and policy across the breadth of space science, and operate premier science and technology facilities by involving universities, private industry and government.