[Spice_announce] Announcement of SPICE Training Class

Tue Feb 14 16:33:37 PST 2006

             Domestic SPICE Training Class for 2006

The Navigation and Ancillary Information Facility (NAIF) at
JPL announces a "SPICE" Training class will be held at the
Holiday Inn in Arcadia, California (next to Pasadena) on
April 4 - 7, 2006.  SPICE is an ancillary information system
that provides scientists and engineers access to spacecraft
orbit, attitude and similar information needed to determine
observation geometry used in planning and analyzing space
science observations, and to conduct mission engineering
planning and analysis.  Check  http://naif.jpl.nasa.gov/ for
further information about SPICE.

The class will consist of two parts: tutorials presentation,
and, hands-on programming. "Students" may attend either or
both sessions as they see fit.

Tutorials:  first two days
-------------------------------
The tutorials session will consist of presentation of SPICE
tutorials by NAIF staff, covering all aspects of using SPICE
data files ("kernels") and allied SPICE Toolkit software. 
Mechanisms for producing some kinds of SPICE files will be
very lightly covered. Questions and discussion will be
entertained during these presentations.

The class will begin with introductory material, assuming no
prior knowledge about SPICE on the part of the students. 
However, the presentations will quickly move into
considerable detail, including some viewgraph-based program
development examples showing how to construct an application
program that uses SPICE Toolkit software to compute
parameters typically used by the space science community. 
Having some familiarity with basic concepts of solar system
geometry and with computer programming will be of benefit to
the student.

The tutorials to be presented are quite similar to those
presented in previous years, but a few new ones and some
enhancements and corrections have been included.

Students will be given a bound copy of the tutorials, useful
for making some notes. The tutorials can also be downloaded
in M.S. Office or PDF format for viewing on one's laptop.
(Internet connections will not be available.)

Managers needing a modest overview of SPICE might attend just
the morning session of the first day.

Directions for downloading the tutorials will be provided
later to registrants.

Hands-on Programming: second two days
---------------------------------------------------------
The hands-on programming session will be conducted using
problems selected by the student from a set of lessons
prepared by the NAIF Team.  Each lesson will include the
problem statement, some tips to get going, and the (or a)
solution.  The problems and corresponding solutions will be
offered in C, FORTRAN and Interactive Data Language (IDL). 
Problems involving remote sensing, in-situ measurements and
geometric event-finding will be offered in addition to
exercises involving various basic SPICE operations. NAIF
staff will circulate among the students to provide tips as
requested.

Each student or student group must bring a laptop computer
having an OS and compiler supported by NAIF. Check
ftp://naif.jpl.nasa.gov/pub/naif/toolkit for the NAIF-
supported environments and to download the NAIF Toolkit for
any of them. Students should use the current version of the
Toolkit: Version N0060. Before coming to the class students
will be responsible for having installed the SPICE Toolkit,
an appropriate compiler or IDL package, and a suitable
program development environment or editor.  Students must
also have downloaded the programming lessons and the SPICE
kernel files to be used in the lessons. (Internet connections
will not be available.)

The class will assume the student is familiar with one of C,
FORTRAN or IDL programming, and with basic math and geometry
concepts.  It is sometimes helpful if two or three colleagues
share a computer and work each problem together.

Directions for obtaining and installing the packages
containing the lessons and associated data will be provided
later to registrants.

Registration
----------------
The class is open to all JPL and contractor personnel, and is
also offered to JPL/NASA colleagues-domestic and foreign-who
are now participating, or may participate in the future, in
any space exploration endeavor where SPICE capabilities could
be useful.  There are no ITAR restrictions on the material to
be presented.

Pre-registration by March 3 is required in order to ensure
availability of sufficient class space and handouts. 
Attendance may be limited to fit available space. There is no
charge for attending this class. NAIF is not able to cover
any travel, lodging or per diem expenses.

Draft schedule:
   Tue  April 4    9:00 -  5:00   Start tutorials
   Wed  April 5    8:30 -  5:00   Finish tutorials
   Thu  April 6    8:30 -  5:00   Start hands-on programming
   Fri  April 7    8:30 -  3:00   Finish hands-on programming

Please indicate your interest in this class by filling out
and returning the form below no later than March 3.  Further
announcements will be sent only to those who have responded
by this time.  Please use a separate form for each potential
applicant.

Firm commitments about attending will be required by March
15. Confirmations will be provided by March 17.  JPL/NAIF
reserves the right to cancel the class by March 17 for any
reason, and reserves the right to cut off registrations if
needed to keep the class to a manageable size.

Hotel Information
----------------------
Out of town students must make their own hotel reservations.
Many hotels, including the class hotel, offer a "JPL rate" if
you ask for this when making your reservation.

Information about the class hotel may be found at:
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/hd/LAXMR?_franchisee=LAXMR&currentBr
andId=HI;jsessionid=OL5CF1QWO3SAFJICRY0SHPVFAKHFOIY4

Please forward this announcement to any of your colleagues
who might be interested in this class.

For further information contact Charles Acton: 
charles.acton at jpl.nasa.gov.

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                    SPICE Training Class
                     Registration Form
             Return no later than March 3, 2006
           Return to:  charles.acton at jpl.nasa.gov
       (Please use a separate form for each registrant)

Name:

E-mail:

Institution:

Project affiliation(s) (if any):

   [   ]  I will definitely attend the SPICE Tutorial Class on
April 4 - 5, 2006.
   [   ]  I will definitely attend the SPICE Programming Class
on April 6 - 7, 2006, and will have my own laptop or will
share one with a colleague.

   [   ]  I may attend the SPICE Tutorial Class on April 4 -
5, 2006Š
   [   ]  I may attend the SPICE Programming Class on April 6
- 7, 2006Š

   Š and I will decide and let you know by March 15. Please
keep me informed. I understand acceptance is limited to space
available.
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