2^nd^ Information Circular

18^th^ MEPAG Meeting

February 20-21, 2008

[Letter of Invitation]{.underline}

Members of the Mars community,

I cordially invite you to attend the next meeting of the Mars
Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG), scheduled for February
20-21, 2008 at the DoubleTree Hotel, Monrovia, CA.

This meeting is important, occurring at a critical juncture in the Mars
Exploration Program. The Science Mission Directorate Associate
Administrator, Alan Stern, would like to see the launch of Mars Sample
Return in or before the 2020 Mars opportunity. This and other potential
missions in the next decade will be major topics at the meeting.

Key agenda topics will include:

-   An opportunity for Q&A with Dr. Alan Stern, who is planning on
    attending the first day of the meeting.

-   Discussion of the president's budget (to be released early
    February), Mars program status and future planning, including
    potential international collaborations.

-   Outbriefs from recent MEPAG SAGs & SDTs.

> Note that white papers from many of these groups will be published on
> the MEPAG web site (<http://mepag.jpl.nasa.gov/reports/index.html>)
> before the meeting. I encourage you to read these papers before the
> meeting so you can fully participate in the discussions.

-   Planning for additional MEPAG work for options for the 2016-2018
    opportunities, including Mars Sample Return.

As has been our policy, the meeting is open to all members of the Mars
science community, including international colleagues. I hope you can
attend.

> Sincerely,
>
> Dr. Jack Mustard
>
> MEPAG Chair

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 [Basic Logistics]{.underline}

-   [Dates]{.underline}: February 20-21, 2008. Start at 8 AM on
    Wednesday, February 20, end at 5 PM on Thursday, February 21.

-   [Location]{.underline}: The DoubleTree Hotel Monrovia, 924 W.
    Huntington Drive, Monrovia, California, United States 91016. The
    hotel is located directly off the Huntington Drive exit of the 210
    freeway, about 15 minutes east of JPL. Directions are available on
    the DoubleTree Hotel website
    [**http://doubletree1.hilton.com/**](http://doubletree1.hilton.com/en_US/dt/hotel/LAXMVDT-Doubletree-Hotel-Monrovia-Pasadena-Area-California/index.do;jsessionid=9502BA5897F8D2AC33BA100BA69A9D86.etc42?brand_id=DT&brand_directory=/en/dt/&xch=103522587,LK5VWSFGITNXECSGBJF3EWQ).

-   [Hotel Reservation Information]{.underline}: The DoubleTree Hotel
    Monrovia (626-357-1900) is making 75 rooms available to us (rate of
    \$118/night). Rooms have high-speed Internet service. To secure a
    reservation, please contact the hotel directly and specify that you
    want the JPL rate and you will be attending the MEPAG meeting. The
    deadline when the hotel will release any unreserved rooms from our
    block for general sale is **[February 5, 2008]{.underline}**;
    however it is best to make your reservation early.

-   [Additional Hotels:]{.underline} Other hotels in the area are listed
    below. Note we have not made any special arrangement with these
    hotels.

-   [Meeting RSVP:]{.underline} So that we can plan the meeting
    logistics (e.g., seating, coffee/tea, name badges), we request that
    all participants RSVP by **January 30, 2008** to Debbie Calderón
    (<Debbie.Calderon@jpl.nasa.gov>). Please note that an RSVP is not
    required to attend the meeting.

If you need additional information, please contact Charles Budney, MEPAG
meeting coordinator,

charles.j.budney@jpl.nasa.gov, phone = 818-354-3981, FAX = 818-393-3800.
If you have updates to the

master MEPAG e-mail list (either correction of faulty e-mail addresses,
addition of Mars science

colleagues who have been inadvertently omitted), or deletions, please
contact Debbie Calderón at

<Debbie.Calderon@jpl.nasa.gov>.

[Additional area hotels:]{.underline}

700 Huntington Hotel

700 W. Huntington Dr., Monrovia, CA 91016

Phone: 626-357-5211

Extended Stay America Arcadia

401 E. Santa Clara St., Arcadia, CA 91006

Phone: 626-446-6422

Embassy Suites

211 E. Huntington Dr., Arcadia, CA 91006

Phone: 626-445-8525

Hampton Inn

311 E. Huntington Dr., Arcadia, CA 91006

Phone: 626-574-5600

Hilton Garden Inn

199 N. Second Ave., Arcadia, CA 91006

Phone: 626-574-6900

Homestead Studio Suites Monrovia

930 S. Fifth Ave., Monrovia, CA 91016

Phone: 626-256-6999

Residence Inn

321 E. Huntington Dr., Arcadia, CA 91006

Phone: 626-446-6500