The following message was received today. Note especially the reference to short-term
earthquake targeted forecasting by 2020.

Pre-Announcement of a Request for Proposals
Regarding the Global Earthquake Satellite System (GESS)

The GESS Study, managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, aims to develop a
long-term plan for NASA's role in earthquake science, focusing on measuring
surface deformation, as part of the overall NASA strategic plan for Solid
Earth Science research. Objectives of the study include development of a
program plan defining the synoptic global observations, information
technology, and modeling environment that will lead to understanding of
faults and fault systems and achieve short-term, targeted earthquake
forecasting by 2020.

As part of the development of a long-term road map for earthquake science,
the GESS proposal request solicits, through this announcement, targeted
studies that define or further refine requirements for the observational
and modeling systems necessary to resolve the major scientific questions
raised by the objectives.

The focus of this study is on requirements definition for spaceborne
observational systems whose objectives may include, but are not limited to,
measurement of surface deformation and strain accumulation,
characterization of subsurface composition and stability, measurement of
strain-induced physical changes in the crust, and rapid resolution of
earthquake damage.

Due to the limited funds available, it is expected that these studies will
leverage ongoing or recent investigations and that the GESS funds will
support development of the specific system requirements necessary to
achieve major advances in earthquake science.

The official RFP will be available at
http://acquisition.jpl.nasa.gov/rfp/gess/ on Friday, 4 May 2001.