EPSC08/01: 1st Media Announcement for the European Planetary Science Congress 2008

EUROPLANET PRESS NOTICE – 1st Media Announcement for the European Planetary Science Congress 2008
Date: 6th June 2008 Ref. PN:08/01

EUROPEAN PLANETARY SCIENCE CONGRESS 2008
21-26 September 2008
Westfälische Wilhelms Universität, Schloßplatz, Münster, Germany

1ST MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT

Approximately 500 planetary and space scientists will gather for the third European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) at the Westfälische Wilhelms Universität, Schloßplatz, Münster, Germany from Sunday 21 September to Friday 26 September 2008.

EPSC 2008 is organised by Europlanet, the European Planetology Network in association with the European Geosciences Union. The programme covers latest results from ongoing planetary science missions, presentations of new planetary missions under study and exploration techniques. Sessions include Lunar exploration, nano-sat and nano-probe concepts for future planetary exploration, Mars polar deposits and first results from Phoenix, new science from Mercury, the origin of life and life under extreme conditions, astrobiology of subsurface ocean and Titan lakes. Presentations on the ESA Cosmic Vision candidate missions, Tandem, Laplace and Marco Polo, will be among the highlights of the meeting.

This year’s programme also features a special session on contributions from amateur astronomy to planetary research.

Media representatives are cordially invited to attend. Press room facilities will be available for the duration of the conference – from 9 am on Monday 22 September through to 3 pm on Friday 26 September. The venue has a wireless network. Media registration is free. Any bona fide media delegates can pre-register online or by e-mailing Anita Heward at anitaheward@btinternet.com . (Advance registration is not essential but encouraged).

Further information will be circulated a few weeks before the meeting, including press notices on presentations that may be of special interest (subject to embargo).

Details of the congress can be found at the official website:
http://meetings.copernicus.org/epsc2008/

A full schedule of EPSC 2008 scientific sessions and events will be found on the website in due course.

FURTHER INFORMATION

EUROPLANET
EuroPlaNet co-ordinates activities in Planetary Sciences in order to achieve a long-term integration of this discipline in Europe.
The objectives are to:
1) increase the productivity of planetary projects with European investment, with emphasis on major planetary exploration missions;
2) initiate a long-term integration of the European planetary science community;
3) improve European scientific competitiveness, develop and spread expertise in this research area,
4) improve public understanding of planetary environments.

Europlanet Project website: http://europlanet.cesr.fr/

Europlanet Outreach website: http://www.europlanet-eu.org