NASA Digest, Vol 55, Issue 14

	December 18, 2017  RELEASE 17-093 Nominations Process Opens for National Space Council Users' Advisory Group Public nominations now are being accepted from U.S. citizens and organizations for potential membership on an advisory group that will represent the perspectives, interests and expertise of industry and other non-federal entities to the National Space Council. NASA recently established the Users' Advisory Group (UAG) to advise and inform the National Space Council on a broad range of aerospace topics, including the impacts of U.S. and international laws and regulations, national security space priorities relating to the civil and commercial space sectors, scientific and human space exploration priorities, and ways to bolster support for U.S. space priorities and leadership in space. The UAG is a Federal advisory committee established pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act. NASA is sponsoring the UAG on behalf of the National Space Council. Between 15 and 30 members will be selected to serve in the capacity of either a Representative or a Special Government Employee (SGE). Representatives will come from non-federal organizations, such as private industry, and represent the perspectives and interests of their communities. SGEs will be selected for their individual knowledge and expertise in their relevant field to provide objective advice. To obtain the procedure for submitting public nominations, and for more information about the National Space Council Users' Advisory Group, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/content/national-space-council-users-advisory-group The deadline for NASA to receive all public nominations is Jan. 10, 2018. For any questions, please contact the UAG Designated Federal Officer/Executive Secretary, Jeff Waksman, at jeff.l.waksman@nasa.gov or 202-358-3758.
	Press Contacts Jen Rae Wang Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 jenrae.wang@nasa.gov

	December 18, 2017  MEDIA ADVISORY M17-151 NASA to Name Finalists for Future Solar System Mission NASA will announce finalist concepts for a future robotic mission to explore the solar system during a media teleconference at 2 p.m. EST Wednesday, Dec. 20. The mission, targeted to launch in the mid-2020s, would be the fourth in NASA's New Frontiers portfolio – a series of cost-capped missions led by a principal investigator. Current New Frontiers missions are New Horizons to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt, Juno at Jupiter, and the OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission, now heading to the asteroid Bennu for arrival in 2018. Participating in the telecon will be: Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington Jim Green, director of the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington Curt Niebur, New Frontiers program scientist at at NASA Headquarters Principal investigators of the selected missions The mission concepts were chosen from 12 proposals submitted in May to address top solar system exploration goals, as identified by the planetary science community. Investigations were limited to six mission themes: Comet Surface Sample Return Lunar South Pole-Aitken Basin Sample Return Ocean Worlds (Titan and/or Enceladus) Saturn Probe Trojan Tour and Rendezvous Venus In Situ Explorer The teleconference will be streamed live on NASA's website. To participate in the call, media must email their name and affiliation to Dwayne Brown at dwayne.c.brown@nasa.gov by noon Dec. 20. Briefing materials will be posted at 2 p.m. at: https://www.nasa.gov/mediaresources For more information about NASA's New Frontiers program:  https://planetarymissions.nasa.gov
	Press Contacts Dwayne Brown / Laurie Cantillo Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1726 / 202-358-1077 dwayne.c.brown@nasa.gov / laura.l.cantillo@nasa.gov Molly Porter Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. 256-544-2771 molly.a.porter@nasa.gov