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Call for Proposals: Observing and Instrument Development

OBSERVING

Short Science

Results announced!

In June 2008 the SOFIA project issued a call for participation in the very first scientific studies to be carried out by the observatory. Twenty-seven white papers were received. These were evaluated by a peer-review panel in the beginning of October. Based on their recommendations, the project has invited Dr. Paul Harvey (Univ. of Colorado, Boulder), Dr. Mark Morris (Univ. of California, Los Angeles) and Dr. David Neufeld (Johns Hopkins Univ.) to join the Short Science program. Drs. Harvey and Morris will collaborate with the FORCAST team, and Dr. Neufeld with the GREAT team. We congratulate them, and look forward to their participation in the SOFIA scientific program.

Basic Science

"Basic Science" is the second phase of early science operations. The program will be initiated after the Short Science observations are complete and additional aircraft and instrument tests have been performed. Approximately 100 hours of observing time will be available. The draft Call for Proposals has now been released. The document, along with other details about the Basic Science program, may be found here.

Observatory Characterization and Demonstration Science (OCDS)

The OCDS program will be initiated after the completion of the Basic Science observations. The call for proposals will go out in early 2010. It is expected that OCDS observations will be carried out between December 2010 and February 2011. The OCDS program will be much like the Basic Science program, but with more instruments available for use.

Cycle 0 and beyond

Observations obtained through the Guest Observer programs are expected to make up the major portion of the SOFIA database. As SOFIA ramps up towards full operational capability, the project will be issuing open calls for proposals approximately every 12 months. The first such call, for the Cycle 0 Guest Observer program, is expected in January 2011. By that time, the astronomical community would have seen many results from SOFIA. The proposals will go through the peer-review process, and observations are expected to start late 2011.

INSTRUMENT DEVELOPMENT

First Generation Instruments

A call for proposals for science instrument development was issued by USRA in April, 1997. Nineteen proposals were received and reviewed by a peer-review panel in September, 1997. Six instruments recommended for development are in the final line-up of first generation instruments. In addition to these six, the first generation instruments include two built in Germany, with local funding, and one funded as part of the USRA observatory development program.

Second Generation US Instruments

A call for proposals for the next generation of US science instruments is scheduled for release in 2010. The proposal call and selection will be administered by NASA Headquarters. A workshop for prospective instrument designers and teams will be organized by the SOFIA Science Center sometime in the fall of 2009.

Page Last Updated: January 29, 2009