GSFC XMM-Newton GOF Status Report #180: AO-9 Release/Useful Information

[xmmnews@lists.nasa.gov]

25 August 2009

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Contents:

1) XMM-Newton AO-9 Call for Proposals
2) NASA "Dear Colleague" letter
3) Correction in last XMM-News

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1) XMM-Newton AO-9 Call for Proposals

The ESA XMM-Newton project has issued the AO-9 call for science
proposals.
Information on proposal submission can be found at the SOC: 
http://xmm.esac.esa.int/external/xmm_science/AO9/

and at the U.S. GOF: 
http://xmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/xmm/xmmhp_prop_tools.html

Participation is open to US-based scientists. Please see the attached
"Dear Colleague" letter from NASA.

As a friendly reminder XMM-Newton proposals are due 12:00:00 UT,
Friday, 09 October 2009.

This converts to:
22:00:00 Fri Oct 09 2009 Canberra
21:00:00 Fri Oct 09 2009 Tokyo
16:00:00 Fri Oct 09 2009 Moscow
14:00:00 Fri Oct 09 2009 Madrid
13:00:00 Fri Oct 09 2009 London
08:00:00 Fri Oct 09 2009 Boston
07:00:00 Fri Oct 09 2009 Huntsville
06:00:00 Fri Oct 09 2009 Phoenix
05:00:00 Fri Oct 09 2009 Los Angeles
02:00:00 Fri Oct 09 2009 Honolulu

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2) NASA "Dear Colleague" letter

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 
ninth cycle (AO-9) observing program for ESA's X-ray Multi-Mirror 
Mission (XMM-Newton).  The subject Announcement solicits proposals 
for observations to be performed during a 12-month period commencing 
in May 2010.  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 advised to contact ESA directly. 
U.S. scientists may propose either as Principal Investigators or as 
Co-Investigators on proposals with non-U.S. PIs (foreign PI proposals). 
The AO may be accessed directly from ESA at the following address:

http://xmm.esac.esa.int/external/xmm_science/AO9/index.shtml

The XMM-Newton Guest Observer Facility (GOF) at the Goddard Space 
Flight Center (GSFC) is the 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, is 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 December 2009.

NB: Prospective proposers to this opportunity should note that, at 
the present time, NASA support of XMM Guest Observations in Fiscal 
Year 2010 and beyond is uncertain.  Following the recommendations of 
NASA's 2008 Senior Review of Astrophysics Operating Missions, funding 
has not been allocated for the support of successful (Stage 1) 
proposers to AO-9.  However, XMM-Newton will be invited to 
participate in the 2010 Senior Review which could recommend the 
reinstatement of NASA funding of the US XMM GO program in Fiscal Year 
2011 and beyond.  Should this occur, NASA will solicit Stage 2 cost 
proposals from successful Stage 1 proposers to AO-9.

For additional technical or programmatic information regarding U.S. 
participation in the XMM-Newton 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 
                                Steven.L.Snowden@nasa.gov 

Programmatic Information:       Dr. Louis Kaluzienski 
                                Astrophysics Division
                                Science Mission Directorate
                                Mail Suite: 3W39
                                NASA Headquarters
                                300 E Street, SW
                                Washington, DC  20546-0001
                                Tel:  (202) 358-0365
                                Fax:  (202) 358-3096
                                Louis.J.Kaluzienski@nasa.gov

Sincerely,

Dr. L. J. Kaluzienski
U.S. XMM-Newton Program Scientist

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3) Correction in last XMM-News

The previous GSFC XMM-Newton news status report was mislabeled #169
instead of the correct #179. We apologize for the mistake.

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