Three PSI scientists were honored by NASA for their work on a mission that will study the availability of ice on Mars, which could help select the target for future human exploration.
Than Putzig, Isaac Smith and Matt Siegler won NASA Agency Honor Group Awards for their work on the International Mars Ice Mapper Measurement Definition Team.
The International-Mars Ice Mapper (I-MIM) mission is a Mars orbiter developed by NASA in collaboration with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and the Italian Space Agency (ASI). The orbiter will measure the extent and volume of water ice in non-polar regions of Mars. The results are intended to support future Mars missions, especially with respect to the search for habitable environments and accessible In situ resource utilization resources.
The project was cited for “exceptional multidisciplinary science assessments for the International Mars Ice Mapper mission concept that strongly advance NASA Moon-to-Mars objectives.”
“I very much appreciate the recognition for the effort we all put into better defining the purpose and nature of the I-MIM mission concept. I also appreciate the effort by NASA and the international partners to ensure that the team contained a diverse representation of people at all career levels and with a variety of backgrounds and scientific and engineering interests,” Putzig said.
