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It’s great to have John’s expertise and leadership in managing the future of Geospace facilities. 


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MEETING: [TiS2016] 5th International Conference on Tethers in Space
Call for Papers - Abstracts due Nov. 2, 2015
May 24-26, 2016, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

From: Sven Bilén (SBilen at engr.psu.edu) and Brian Gilchrist 

On behalf of the organizing committee, we are pleased to announce that the 5th International Conference on Tethers in Space will take place May 24-26, 2016 at the University of Michigan (located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA).  

Space tethers are an evolving, important, and enabling space technology with multiple applications near Earth, in interplanetary space, and at other planets.  Tethers in Space 2016 will bring together the world’s experts in the field for three days of technical sessions, presentations, and one-on-one networking.  This is the first Announcement and Call for Papers.
 
Space tethers are long cables or tapes which can be used for propulsion; momentum exchange, stabilization, and altitude control; and maintaining the relative positions of the components of a large dispersed satellite/spacecraft systems.  Electrodynamic tethers can “push” against a planetary magnetic field to achieve propulsion without the expenditure of propellant.  Long non-conducting tethers can exchange momentum between two masses in orbit to place one body into a higher orbit or a transfer orbit for lunar and interplanetary missions.  Tethers can also be used to support space science by providing a mechanism for precision formation flying, fixed-baseline multi-point science observations, and for reaching regions of the upper atmosphere that were previously inaccessible.  A long-term vision for the evolution of space tethers is to enable permanent infrastructure such as rotovators or space elevators on Earth, the Moon, and/or other planets.  Current studies are also looking into the interaction between tether configurations and the solar wind to provide deep space propulsion.
 
Papers that describe current or promising research in tether technology, components, systems, mission applications, and space exploration architectures using tethers are solicited.  Specifically, papers related to the following tether-related topics are of interest:
 
• Electrodynamic Tether Propulsion
• Momentum Exchange Tether Propulsion
• Formation Flying and Enabled Missions
• Tethered Multiprobes: Mission Concepts & Design Considerations
• Tether Power Generation and Energy Harvesting
• Space Tethers for Space Environments Research
• Subsystem Technologies to Enable Space Tether Missions
• Space Tether Modeling Techniques
• Electric Sails for Interplanetary Exploration and Science
• Space Elevators
• Other Advanced Concepts Enabled or Enhanced by Tethers
• Lessons-Learned from Past Missions
 
The Call for Papers is attached as a pdf and is also available at the conference’s website: http://tethersinspace2016.com
Please submit all abstracts via the paper-management link provided on conference website (tethersinspace2016.com).  Abstracts should be 300–500 words in length and should contain the title of the paper, the lead author’s name, email, and other contact information.  Please also provide a brief biographical sketch of no more than 200 words in addition to the abstract. The abstracts will be accepted from September 1 to November 2, 2015. 
 
Authors with papers accepted for presentation will be notified no later than January 11, 2016.  The conference has adopted a “no paper – no podium, no podium – no paper” rule.  Paper formatting guidelines will be made available via the conference website.  All accepted papers must be submitted no later than May 9, 2016.  The conference papers will be published in an electronic proceedings that will be available shortly after the conference is complete and archived.

More details about the conference and venue also may be found at conference’s website, which will be continually updated as more information, speakers, and sponsors become available. 

Questions or expressions of interest for sponsorship, tutorials, and product demos, should contact the organizers: tethersinspace2016 at umich.edu
Brian Gilchrist and Sven Bilén
Co-Chairs, TiS2016 Organizing Committee


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JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Polar Upper Atmosphere
Physics, University of Southampton, UK

From: Daniel Whiter (d.whiter at soton.ac.uk)

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral fellow to study the
variability of neutral temperature in the high-latitude upper
atmosphere, based in the Space Environment Physics group at the
University of Southampton, UK. The successful candidate will investigate
how auroral particle precipitation affects the neutral temperature of
the mesopause, E-region ionosphere, and F-region ionosphere. The work
will primarily use a high resolution auroral/airglow spectrograph and a
state-of-the-art 3 channel auroral imager, both operated by the
University of Southampton (in collaboration with University College
London and KTH, Stockholm) and stationed on Svalbard.

The position is funded by a Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
grant, and the salary is 30,434 GBP per annum. The position is available
immediately, and the latest possible start date is 1st January 2016.
This is a fixed-term position for 3 years but future extension may be
possible.

For full details and the online application form please see
https://jobs.soton.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?ref=610515WF


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Change in Status of Richard (Dick) Altrock

From: Dick Altrock (altrock at nso.edu)

Effective 3 Aug 15, I have retired from the Air Force Research
Laboratory and secured a position with the National Solar Observatory
as an Emeritus Astronomer.  None of my contact information has changed, only my affiliation, which is now National Solar Observatory.


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