ROSAT AO8 announcement

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

Date: Tue, 18 Mar 1997 8:05:33 -0500 (EST)
Subject: ROSAT STATUS REPORT #150: ROSAT AO8 announcement


			ROSAT AO8
			=========

NASA expects to release the announcement soliciting observations for the 
eighth round of ROSAT guest observations by April 1, 1997.  Targets 
accepted during this round will be observed during the year commencing 
around November 10, 1997.  Proposals will be due on June 16, 1997.

There will be no funding directly associated with AO8.  As recommended by 
the 1996 NASA Senior Review, funding to support ROSAT investigations, as 
well as those using other mature missions (such as ASCA) is to be sought via 
the NASA Astrophysics Data Program (ADP).  Funding for ROSAT AO8 
observations will not be available through the current ADP solicitation
(proposals due May 29, 1997), but through the next one, which should be 
released around the end of this year.

Proposers should be aware of the distinct possibility that this will 
be the final call for ROSAT observing proposals.  Financial constraints on the 
space programs of the three participating countries (Germany, US, UK) may 
render impossible the continuation of the ROSAT mission beyond 1998.  
Accordingly, the proposal review panel will be instructed to select 
proposals that ensure the completion of existing programs and the 
observation of all vital targets in preference over those seeking to 
initiate new large programs.

As has been the case in the past, proposal text is limited to four pages, 
no more than three of which can be text.  Proposal forms must be generated 
by the Remote Proposal Submission (RPS) software, and submitted both 
electronically and on paper.  Electronic submission of proposal text is not 
supported.

All information and tools necessary for responding to this announcement 
can be obtained via the ROSAT Guest Observer Facility WWW site.  
(http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/rosat/rosgof.html)  This 
includes access to RPS and other observation planning software (pimms, 
coco, viewing) and the appendices to the announement.