Forwarding the following message from The Planetary Society:

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Date: OCTOBER 9, 2001

To: PLANETARY SOCIETY MEMBERS

From: LOUIS D. FRIEDMAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Subject: FINAL ACTION ON PLUTO MISSION - WRITE CONGRESS NOW

The business of the United States goes on, even in these days of international crisis. Within the next few days the Senate - House Conference Committee dealing with the budget appropriation for NASA will meet and decide the fate of a Pluto mission. Planetary Society members are familiar with the arguments and the history of our long campaign to save this mission; articles and information appear on our web site. We urge you, one last time, to write the co-chairs of the Conference Committee and tell them of your support. Please do so now.

You can take action immediately by going to http://planetary.org/html/UPDATES/Pluto/Committees.htm and following the instructions you'll find there.

Even more effective would be to send your own letter, fax or to make a telephone call. A message in your own words is best, but you may send one like the below. Please contact Senator Barbara Mikulski (US Senate, Washington DC 20510, phone 202-224-4654, fax 202-224-8858), and Representative James Walsh (US House of Representatives, Washington DC 20515, phone 202-225-3701, fax 202-225-4042) as soon as you can.

For background on our Pluto campaign, please visit. http://planetary.org/html/UPDATES/Pluto/plutoaction.html

THANK YOU!

SAMPLE LETTER

Dear Senator Mikulski and Representative Walsh :

Members of Congress will soon get together to work out differences between the House and Senate bills to fund NASA over the next year. One of the major issues to be resolved is the mission to Pluto - the last unexplored planet in our solar system.

The mission must be funded now or we will have to wait more than 200 years before such a good opportunity arises again. Pluto reached its closest point to Earth in 1989. As it recedes, its atmosphere is growing colder and will eventually freeze. The exotic planet is also tilting away from the Sun, draping one hemisphere in shadow for decades to come.

Time is also of the essence because the mission to Pluto relies on a gravity assist from Jupiter. A spacecraft must be launched by 2004 to take advantage of the energy boost, which slingshots the craft to its destination.

Key planetary scientists consider the Pluto mission of the "highest priority." The Senate bill endorses the project. Now it is up to the Senate - House Conference Committee to choose this mission, or lose it.

These are difficult times, with crucial issues of much greater priority facing the world. But, as President Bush has said, the business of the nation must go on. One of our most important pieces of business is to continue to create a bright and hopeful future. That is one of the benefits of space exploration. I urge you to demonstrate confidence in the future by supporting the exploration of Pluto - a mission that will be celebrated for centuries.

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Charlene M. Anderson

Associate Director

The Planetary Society

charlene.anderson@planetary.org

http://planetary.org

office: 626-793-5100

fax: 626-793-5528

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Alex R. Blackwell
University of Hawaii