U.S. participation in INTEGRAL AO-4

[Michael Arida <arida@milkyway.gsfc.nasa.gov>]

This message pertains to prospective US proposers to the ESA 
INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL) AO-4 Guest 
Observer Program.  

Proposal preparation and submission details are available from the ESA
INTEGRAL web site: http://integral.esac.esa.int/.  The attached letter
is a statement regarding NASA's plans for support of successful US
based proposers to AO-4. No proposal to NASA is required until after
the AO-4 selections are announced by ESA in June 2006.

---

March 13, 2006

Dear Colleague,

NASA is pleased to call to the attention of members of the U.S. scientific 
community the release by the European Space Agency (ESA)  of the 
INTEGRAL Announcement of Opportunity for Observing Proposals 
(AO-4), soliciting Guest Observation proposals for ESA's INTErnational 
Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL). The Announcement 
solicits proposals for observations to be performed during the 12 month 
period from August 16, 2006 to August 16, 2007. Due to the nature of the 
NASA-ESA bilateral agreement, this solicitation applies only to scientists 
affiliated with U.S. institutions; others are urged to contact ESA directly. 
U.S. scientists may propose either as Principal Investigators or as 
Co-Investigators on foreign P.I. proposals.  The AO may be accessed 
directly from ESA, accessible via the following address:

http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/integral/inthp_prop_tools.html

NASA has instituted an INTEGRAL Guest Observer Facility (GOF) 
at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) as a support center for 
INTEGRAL activities in the U.S. Information of interest to U.S. 
observers, as well as general project information, can be found at 
the following address: 

http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/integral/integralgof.html

A detailed description of the mission, including instrument capabilities, 
and additional information pertaining to the proposal preparation and 
submission procedures, is also available via links to the INTEGRAL 
home page at that address. (Questions concerning U.S. participation in the 
INTEGRAL AO-4 program should be addressed to: 
Chris.R.Shrader@gsfc.nasa.gov.)  ESA will be responsible for conducting 
a peer review of all submitted proposals, including those from U.S. 
investigators, and determining the associated time allocation. Current 
plans call for ESA to notify proposers and NASA of the results of the 
peer review during June, 2006.

NASA intends to make funding available for a Guest Observer (GO) 
program to support the analysis, interpretation, and publication of data 
obtained by U.S. proposers who are granted observing time on 
INTEGRAL through the ESA AO. The level of funding available for any 
approved program will depend on the total funding available, the size and 
complexity of the investigation, and on the ultimate number of U.S. 
investigations approved by ESA. We anticipate that approximately $1M 
will be available for support of US Guest Observers under this AO, 
however a definitive budget figure is contingent upon the endorsement of 
continuation of the program by the NASA MO&DA Senior Review and 
subsequent approval by NASA HQ. Details regarding the timing and 
mechanism of NASA's solicitation for data analysis funding requests will 
be announced at a later date; please do not submit a budget with your 
observing proposal.

For additional technical or programmatic information regarding U.S. 
participation in the INTEGRAL mission, please contact:


Technical Information:	Dr. Chris Shrader
                        NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
                        Code 661
                        Greenbelt, MD  20771
                        Tel:  (301) 286-8434
                        Fax:  (301) 286-1684
			Chris.R.Shrader@gsfc.nasa.gov


Programmatic Information:
			Dr. F. Rick Harnden, Jr.
			NASA INTEGRAL Program Scientist
			Universe Division
			Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
			(202) 358-3809
			rharnden@hq.nasa.gov
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