ASCA Final Operations Plan
- The current projection of the ASCA orbit predicts re-entry in late 2000. The uncertainty is driven by the unpredictable strength of the solar maximum.
- ASTRO-E will be launched in late January or early February 2000. Due to the difficulty of operating ASCA and ASTRO-E with limited resources, it will be preferred to make long look observations with ASCA of typically 7 to 14 days duration. In addition to the long look observations there will still be the possibility to make TOO observations, and also simultaneous cross-calibration observations with other satellites such as ASTRO-E, Chandra and XMM.
- The current AO-7 round will end with the launch of ASTRO-E in late January 2000, early Feb 2000. This will allow all the priority A and B targets to be observed, and also many priority C.
- Due to the uncertainty in the end of life of ASCA and the long observation mode after ASTRO-E launch it is judged to be not worthwhile to have a full AO for the last year of operations.
- In September 1999 there will be a call issued to the community for suggested observations to be made during the remaining period of the ASCA observations after the ASTRO-E launch. This call for long look observations will have an October 12, 1999 deadline.
- The initial prioritization of observations will be made by the US and Japanese communities. The lists will be brought to an ASTRO-E Japanese-US merging committee meeting in November 1999. The final selection will be based on the feasibility and ease of operations, the science merit, proposed coordinated observations by other observatories and maintaining the existing balance of international participation.
- All data from this long look period will be made public, as soon as it has been processed.
1999, July 27 H. Inoue, F. Nagase, N. White
If you have any questions concerning ASCA, visit our Feedback form.