GSFC XMM-Newton GOF Status Report #067: NASA AO-3 Dear Colleague Letter

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

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 Announcement of Opportunity (AO), "XMM-Newton Call for 
Observing Proposals", soliciting Guest Observing proposals for the 
third cycle (AO-3) observing program for ESA's X-ray Multi-Mirror 
Mission (XMM-Newton).  The subject Announcement solicits proposals 
for observations to be performed during a 15-month period commencing 
in late 2003.  Due to the nature of the NASA-ESA bilateral agreement, 
proposals from scientists affiliated with U.S. institutions only are 
solicited by this Letter; others are urged to contact ESA directly.  
U.S. scientists may propose either as Principal Investigators or as 
Co-Investigators on proposals with non-U.S. P.I.'s (foreign P.I. 
proposals). The AO may be accessed directly from ESA at the following 
address:

http://xmm.vilspa.esa.es/

NASA has instituted an XMM-Newton Guest Observer Facility (GOF) at 
the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) as a support center for 
XMM-Newton 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://xmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/

A detailed description of the mission, including instrument 
capabilities and additional information pertaining to the proposal 
preparation and submission procedures, are also available via links 
from the XMM-Newton home page at that address.  (General questions 
concerning XMM-Newton and participation by U.S. investigators should be 
addressed to xmmhelp@athena.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 in late Summer/early Fall 2003.

As on Cycles 1 and 2, NASA has allocated funding for a Guest Observer 
(GO) program to support the analysis, interpretation, and publication 
of data obtained by U.S. proposers who are granted Open Time observing 
on XMM-Newton 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, whether the proposed budget 
is for a P.I. or lead Co.-I. (for foreign PI proposals), and on the 
ultimate number of U.S. investigations approved by ESA.  Note that 
highest priority is assigned to U.S. P.I. proposals; funding for Co-I. 
participation in foreign-P.I. proposals is allocated at a significantly 
lower level.  We anticipate that approximately $6.0 M will be available 
for support of U.S. Guest Observers under AO-3.  Details regarding the 
timing and mechanism of NASA's solicitation for data analysis funding 
requests will be announced after the results of the ESA peer review 
have been released; please do not submit a budget with your observing 
proposal.

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


Technical Information:          Dr. Steve Snowden
                                Goddard Space Flight Center
                                Code 662
                                Greenbelt, MD  20771
                                Tel:  (301) 286-8100
                                Fax:  (301) 286-1684
                                snowden@riva.gsfc.nasa.gov
                                
                                
Programmatic Information:       Dr. Louis Kaluzienski
                                NASA Headquarters
                                Code SZ
                                Washington, DC  20546
                                Tel:  (202) 358-0365 
                                Fax:  (202) 358-3096 
                                Louis.J.Kaluzienski@nasa.gov 
                                
                                
                                
Sincerely,                      

Dr. Paul Hertz
Senior Scientist for Space Science Research
Astronomy and Physics Division, NASA


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