The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science MissionDirectorate is releasing a Draft Announcement of Opportunity (AO) for community reviewand comment for the next mission in the New Frontiers program (NNH09ZDA003J). Thescience objectives covered by the Draft New Frontiers AO include South Pole -- AitkenBasin Sample Return, Venus in Situ Explorer, Comet Surface Sample Return, NetworkScience, Trojan/Centaur Reconnaissance, Asteroid Rover/Sample Return, Io Observer, andGanymede Observer. The schedule upon which the New Frontiers AO will be released will notbe determined until after NASA makes a decision on the launch date for Mars ScienceLaboratory.Participation is open to all categories of organizations (U.S.), including educationalinstitutions, industry, not-for-profit organizations, Federally Funded Research andDevelopment Centers (FFRDCs), NASA Centers, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), AppliedPhysics Laboratory (APL), and other Government agencies. Upon the release date, the fulltext of the Draft New Frontiers AO and all appendices will be available electronicallyvia the World Wide Web site http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ . A Community Workshop will be held December 5, 2008, at the Greenbelt Maryland MarriottHotel to provide an overview of the Draft New Frontiers AO and to address any questions. Information about the Community Workshop will be made available on the New FrontiersAcquisition Additional Information Page at http://newfrontiers.larc.nasa.gov/ .The issuance of this Draft New Frontiers AO does not obligate NASA to issue the NewFrontiers AO and solicit proposals. Any costs incurred by prospective investigators inpreparing submissions in response to this Draft New Frontiers AO are incurred completelyat the submitter's own risk.Send comments to Dr. Thomas Morgan; New Frontiers Program Scientist; Planetary ScienceDivision; Mail Suite 3X63; Science Mission Directorate; National Aeronautics and SpaceAdministration; Washington, DC 20546-0001; TEL: (202) 358-0828; E-mail:
[email protected]. Comments are preferred in writing and may be sent by E-mail;the character string "NF-3 Draft AO" (without quotes) should be included in the subjectline of all transmissions. The identity of those submitting comments will be held inconfidence. Answers to frequently asked questions about this Draft New Frontiers AO willbe made available on the New Frontiers Acquisition Additional Information Page athttp://newfrontiers.larc.nasa.gov/ .