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The scientific instruments on board ROSAT were activated two weeks after launch (1990 June 1). The following six weeks were devoted to the calibration and verification --performance, verification, and calibration (PVC) phase-- of all hardware components (see Sect. 1.3.1) and included operational tests of survey and pointed observations. After the PVC phase, the all-sky survey was performed in a continuous six month period using the PSPC in the focal plane of the X-ray telescope. After the survey, the pointed-observation (guest observer) phase began, starting with two six-month announcements of opportunity (AO), and yearly AOs thereafter. (See also App. A which provides a table of important dates.)