Concept:

1
NASA Lunar Science Institute

• Concept
• Modeled after NASA Astrobiology Institute
• Fund 4-5 nodes at 1-2 M/year
• Initial 3 years of funding, with renewals up to 5
  years
• Purpose
• Interdisciplinary research in basic lunar science
• May include astronomical, solar, and Earth
  science investigations that could be performed
  from the Moon
• Offer a quick response capability for lunar
  science support to NASAs Exploration Initiative
• Increase number of lunar science researchers

2
NASA Lunar Science Institute

• HIGP renowned for lunar science and exploration
  studies
• Most active group of lunar researchers at a
  university--?750k/year
• Interdisciplinary
• Active on all NASA/NRC advisory committees
• Active in studies of robotic and human lunar
  exploration
• Implication Well get a piece of the action

3
Interested Faculty/Staff at UH

• Petrology/geochemistry/experimental
  petrology/geochronology
• Jeff Taylor, Klaus Keil, Ed Scott, Julia Hammer,
  John Mahoney, Peter Englert
• Remote sensing/geology
• Paul Lucey, B. Ray Hawke, Jeff Gillis-Davis, Pete
  Mouginis-Mark, Joe Boyce, Chris Peterson, Linda
  Martel
• Geophysics
• Mike Fuller, Fred Duennebier
• Polar ice deposits
• Ralf Kaiser (Chemistry)

4
Interested Faculty at UH

• Modeling of surface processes
• Sarah Fagents
• Lunar resources and space settlement
• Taylor, Hawke, Lucey, Gillis-Davis
• Instrument development
• Paul Lucey, Shiv Sharma, Anupam Misra
• Mission planning
• Taylor, Lucey, and most others
• Hawaii Space Flight Lab (includes CoE)
• NASA Ames Research Center
• Surrey Sat

5
Strategic Alliances

• Southwest Research Institute, Boulder
• Geophysics (Roger Phillips)
• Modeling of lunar origin and bombardment history
  (Bill Bottke, Robin Canup, Clark Chapman, others)
• Other investigators (not contacted)
• Tony Irving (U. Washington)
• Paul Warren (UCLA)
• Mark Wieczorek (France)
• Steve Baloga (Proxemy), Lori Glaze (GSFC)

6
Research Areas
7
Origin of the Moon
Crustal Composition Interior composition Experimen
tal petrology Geochemical modeling
8
Evolution of the Crust
Crustal composition Geology Highlands and
maria Experimental petrology Geochemical
modeling Physical volcanology
9
Late Heavy Bombardment
Petrology of impact melts Geochronology Basin
geology
10
Research Areas for UH-NLSINRC Themes and Concepts
Can and will do
Could do
Might do
Cannot or will not do
Overarching Themes Geology Remote Sensing Sample Studies Experiments Modeling
Early Earth-Moon system          
Terrestrial planet diff. evolution          
Solar System impact record       N/A   
Lunar environment          
Implications for life          
Concepts          
Bombardment History        N/A  
Structure and composition of interior  N/A        
Diversity of crustal rocks       N/A   
Lunar poles      N/A    
Lunar volcanism          
Impact process          
Regolith processes          
Atmosphere and dust          
11
Education/Public Outreach

• Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows
• Training likely to be a central element of NLSI
• We already do this
• Emphasis on learning through research
• Collaborations with other NSLI nodes and
  universities
• Graduate student/postdoc ratio not decided
• One postdoc could be recruited for instrument
  development

12
Education/Public Outreach

• Undergraduate students
• Fund fellowships, using Space Grant
  infrastructure
• Summer jobs doing research (could also be
  fellowships)
• K-12 education
• Extent to which this will be required is not
  known yet
• Could make use of Space Grant infrastructure and
  contacts
• Emphasis on teacher training, possibly including
  summer jobs

13
Management Plan

• Management crucial in an integrated
  interdisciplinary research program
• NAI proposal dedicated 8 pages to management
• Need a project coordinator (Linda Martel) to herd
  cats, organize meetings, assemble progress
  reports, keep track of milestones, etc.
• Needs to explain how group will work together to
  achieve goals (interdisciplinary research,
  training, etc.)

14
University Commitments

• Matching funds will probably not be required, but
  encouraged
• Faculty state salaries is one way of showing our
  enthusiasm
• A new hard-money faculty position would show a
  strong commitment by university
• State support for Project Coordinator
• Space for students and postdocs (10-15 people)
• Computers for students and postdocs