Next Generation Space Telescope Weekly News 10 Jan 2002
Hi Folks,
I hope this missive finds everyone well, and Happy New Year to all.
It’s been a while since I have been able to sit still at the computer
long enough to compose a message to you, so I wanted to reassure you
that I am alive and well, and excited about moving NGST forward
another year.
The new year has started off with a flurry of activities. We just
received a proposal from the Institute for their work on NGST from
now through launch plus a year. The procurement action for the Prime
downselect continues, and the AO for instruments is in full play. We
had a rigorous set of project reviews just before the holiday break –
the GSFC Office of Mission Assurance’s Mission Definition Review
(MDR) for 2 days, followed by an (independent, HQs-sponsored) Initial
Confirmation Assessment (ICA). These two reviews began the formal
transition from Phase A to B. I think the team did very well,
especially considering all the other activities going on, although
suffice it to say the reviews were intense, and we’ve got some
actions to work off before we are done, not to mention a briefing to
the Associate Administrator. And now we all have to break in a new
Administrator, Mr. Sean O’Keefe.
John Mather asked me to mention once again that the NGST NIRCAM and
science team Announcement of Opportunity was
released Nov. 30, 2001. Headquarters aims to solicit a camera and
numerous Science
Working Group and Mid IR Science Team members. Please look at this AO at
http://research.hq.nasa.gov/code_s/nra/current/AO-01-OSS-05/index.html
and submit your proposal by the deadline of March 5.
The following is an excerpt from the AO, listing the categories of
proposals being requested:
* develop and use scientific instrumentation capable of
achieving the imaging goals of NGST in the near infrared (NIR:
defined as 0.6-5+µm) wavelength regime (hereafter called NIRCam
Principal Investigator [NIRCam PI] investigations); or
* participate in the development, integration, and test of the
facility mid-infrared (MIR: defined as 5-28 +µm) instrument (MIRI) in
addition to using data from the instrument (MIRI Science Lead
investigations and MIRI Science Team Member investigations); or
* conduct interdisciplinary investigations using data taken by
the reference observatory and reference instrument set, as well as
actively participate in NGST facility and telescope development
(Facility Scientist investigations and Telescope Scientist
investigations); or
* conduct interdisciplinary investigations using data taken by
the reference observatory and reference instrument set and
participate in the science oversight of the NGST development
(Interdisciplinary Scientist [IDS] investigations).
Well, that’s it for this time. My New Year’s resolution is to try to
be a little more communicative with you, to the extent that I can,
given all the procurement sensitive stuff going on.
yours,
bernie
Bernard D. Seery
Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) Project Manager
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Mail Code 443, Bldg. 22/308
Greenbelt, MD 20771
Tel/FAX. 301-286-5712/6-5558
Cell: 301-3518120
Pager: http://www.msg.myvzw.com/messaging.jsp
EMAIL: bseery@hst.nasa.gov
www: http://ngst.gsfc.nasa.gov
For appointments, call Gail Dellagatta at 301-286-8260
