FPDS BASE DESCRIPTION MULTIPLE YEAR AWARD&INCREMENTAL FUNDING FOR YEARS ONE TO FIVE. THIS PROPOSAL IS ENTITLED VOLATILES REGOLITH AND THERMAL INVESTIGATIONS CONSORTIUM FOR EXPLORATION AND SCIENCE (VORTICES). THIS IS AWARDED IN RESPONSE TO COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT NOTICE (CAN) NO. NNH13ZDA006C SOLAR SYSTEM EXPLORATION RESEARCH VIRTUAL INSTITUTE (SSERVI) CYCLE TWO. THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR IS DR. BENJAMIN J. BUSSEY WITH JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY (JHU BALT). PROJECT SUMMARY: THE SURFACE&NEAR-SURFACE OF PLANETARY OBJECT IS HOST TO A WIDE VARIETY OF PROCESSES. IT IS THE PART OF THE BODY THAT INTERACTS WITH IMPACTS SOLAR&GALACTIC ENERGY TO CREATE OR DESTROY VOLATILES IT IS THE PART THAT WE SEE WITH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS &THE PART THAT WILL BE SAMPLED&TESTED BY ROBOTS&ASTRONAUTS. THE VORTICES TEAM HAS IDENTIFIED A SET OF INTERLOCKING THEMES CONSIDERING THE ENTIRE REGOLITH-VOLATILE SYSTEM OF THE MOON&SMALL BODIES IN THE CONTEXT OF SCIENCE&EXPLORATION. THESE THEMES ARE: 1) VOLATILES IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM: SOURCES PROCESSES AND SINKS: UNDERSTAND HOW AND WHERE VOLATILES (E.G. OH&H2O) FORM HOW THEY INTERACT PHYSICALLY AND/OR CHEMICALLY WITH REGOLITH HOW THEY ARE TRANSPORTED ACROSS&WITHIN THE REGOLITH &THEIR ULTIMATE FATE BE IT SEQUESTRATION IN A COLD TRAP OR LOSS FROM THE BODY 2) REGOLITH: ORIGIN&EVOLUTION ON AIRLESS BODIES: UNDERSTAND HOW REGOLITHS ARE FORMED&EVOLVE &HOW THOSE FORMATION&EVOLUTION PROCESSES VARY ACROSS THE INNER SOLAR SYSTEM 3) RESOURCES: IDENTIFICATION&EXPLOITATION: UNDERSTAND HOW VOLATILE&SOLAR ILLUMINATION RESOURCES ARE DISTRIBUTED&HOW THEY ENABLE ROBOTIC&HUMAN EXPLORATION AND 4) FILLING STRATEGIC KNOWLEDGE GAPS: UNDERSTAND&ADDRESS THOSE UNKNOWNS IN KNOWLEDGE&TECHNIQUE NEEDED TO ENABLE HUMAN EXPLORATION OF THE MOON ASTEROIDS&THE MARTIAN MOONS. THE THEMES SHOULD NOT BE SEEN AS FENCED-OFF RESEARCH EFFORTS BUT SHOULD BE PICTURED AS COMPONENT PARTS OF THE INTEGRATED EFFORT THAT IS VORTICES.