Dear GLIMS RCs, There are informal reports that NASA is likely to institute a new policy of charging some fee (uncertain per-scene dollar amount) for ASTER images. We are uncertain when this new policy will take effect, but it may be in a matter of a very few weeks. We, therefore, urge you to place a high priority on identifying ASTER scenes of interest and placing orders for them while they are still free. You can browse for images and place orders for them, of course, through the EDC Data Gateway. While we don't wish to do your searches and ordering for you, if you have any difficulties doing so please let us know as soon as possible. Please inform your stewards and other associates who may be affected by this impending policy shift. We will inform you as soon as any significant new details become clear to us. On a separate matter, it may be helpful for me to assemble a list of alternate contacts (names and email addresses) where I can deliver important information or requests to your RC in the event you are temporarily out of contact. Anybody interested in having an alternate address added to the GLIMS RC mailing list, please forward that contact to me. A good alternate would be a GLIMS associate who commonly is in her/his office while you are away. This is just a call for alternate contacts for RC Chiefs, not for Stewards and others. Cheers, Jeffrey S. Kargel U.S. Geological Survey 2255 N. Gemini Dr. Flagstaff, AZ 86001 Telephone (+1) (928) 556-7034 Fax (+1) (928) 556-7014 Email: jkargel@usgs.gov Home email: jkargel@flaglink.com Home phone: (+1)(520) 527-4196