NASA to Announce New Planetary Science Mission Today

Aug. 20, 2012

Dwayne Brown
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726
dwayne.c.brown@nasa.gov

MEDIA ADVISORY: M12-154

NASA TO ANNOUNCE NEW PLANETARY SCIENCE MISSION TODAY

WASHINGTON -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 5 p.m. EDT
today to discuss the selection of a new Discovery-class mission that
will further NASA's exploration of the solar system. The selection
will be the 12th in NASA's series of Discovery-class missions.

The panelists for the briefing are:
-- John Grunsfeld, astronaut and associate administrator, NASA's
Science Mission Directorate, Washington
-- James Green, director, NASA's Planetary Science Division,
Washington

Created in 1992, the Discovery Program sponsors frequent, cost-capped
solar system exploration missions with highly focused scientific
goals. In May 2011, NASA selected three mission concepts from 28
proposals for funding to conduct preliminary design studies and
analyses.

Recent Discovery missions include MESSENGER, Dawn, Stardust, Deep
Impact and Genesis. NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in
Huntsville, Ala., manages the program for the agency's Science
Mission Directorate.

Media wanting to participate in the teleconference must email their
name and media affiliation to stephen.e.cole@nasa.gov or call
202-358-0918. The teleconference also will be streamed live online
at:

http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

For more information about the Discovery Program, visit:

http://discovery.nasa.gov


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