Enabling a GSMT for the US Community: AURAs Proposal to the NSF

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Enabling a GSMT for the US Community AURAs
Proposal to the NSF

• Stephen E. Strom
• 04 June, 2004
• Tucson, AZ
• National Optical Astronomy Observatory
• Tucson

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Frontier Science Enabled by GSMT
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Frontier Science Enabled by GSMT
Exploits 10x gain in sensitivity at optical
wavelengths
Exploits enhanced sensitivity and angular
resolution
Exploits enhanced sensitivity and angular
resolution
Exploits 100x gain in sensitivity or unresolved
point sources
Exploits enhanced angular resolution and
diffraction-limited performance
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AASC Vision for GSMT

• The Giant Segmented Mirror Telescope (GSMT), the
  committees top ground-based recommendation.is a
  30-m-class ground-based telescope that will be a
  powerful complement to NGST and ALMA in tracing
  the evolution of galaxies and the formation of
  stars and planets.

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AASCImplementing A New Paradigm

• GSMT requires a large investment of resources
  and offers an opportunity for partnership between
  national and university/independent observatories
  in producing and operating a world-class facility
  within the coordinated system of these two
  essential components of US ground-based
  astronomy.
• Half the total cost should come from private
  and/or international partners.

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GSMT SWG Recommendations

• In order to reap the enormous potential synergy
  between the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and
  a 20-m to 30-m telescope, it is essential to
  initiate major design and technology development
  efforts now to ensure that facility operations
  coincide with the early JWST era.
• Federal investment now in a major technology
  development program targeted at key areas can
  advance multiple design programs, and will ensure
  a strong public voice at all stages in the
  development of next-generation telescopes.

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AURAs Proposal to the NSF

• Goal
• Advance the design of TMT and at least one other
  US ELT program so that performance, cost,
  schedule and risk of differing approaches can be
  assessed prior to any commitment to construction
• Provide 17.5M for TMT partnership effort
• Matches the partner shares from ACURA, Caltech
  and UC
• Provide comparable funds for non-TMT investment,
  including
• Startup funds for another ELT design
  development effort (14M)
• Funding for joint, common technology development
  (2M)
• Funding for two instrument conceptual design
  studies (1.5M)

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Proposed NSF Investment in TMT

• TMT responds directly to AASC recommendations
• Builds on CELT, GSMT VLOT design studies for a
  segmented 30m
• Community receives observing time proportional to
  public investment
• NSF funds (17.5M) will leverage 52.5M (Moore
  ACURA)
• Technology developments will be transparent
• Reported to other groups published openly
• Effort will be made to compete technology
  developments openly so as to engage the broader
  community
• AURA participation will ensure that NSF and
  community will be represented at all levels in
  the project
• GSMT SWG will be the locus for community input
•  

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Proposed NSF Investment in a Complementary ELT
Program

• Responds to SWG by supporting technology
  development and design efforts needed to advance
  another major ELT concept.
• AURA will request letters of intent outlining a
  coherent plan for advancing an ELT concept
• Letters would need to outline
• Current and future private/state matching funds
• Total cost of the proposed Design and Development
  effort
• Mechanisms for making technology developments
  transparent
• Mechanisms for incorporating community input into
  decision making
• Mechanisms for engaging the broader community in
  technology developments
• Total funding available for Design and
  Development effort 14M

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Other Elements of theAURA NSF Proposal

• Instrument concept studies (1.5 M)
• Engage the broader community in developing
  instrument design concepts for TMT other ELT
• Joint technology development programs (2M)
• Detectors gratings coatings.
• Areas agreed to by TMT and other ELT program
• Encourages cooperation and transparency
• Theory Challenge program
• Engage theorists early in ELT design phases
• Provide theory input to ELT capabilities via the
  GSMT SWG
• Education and Public Outreach programs

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Advantages of AURAs Approach

• Provides the resources to advance 2 ELT concepts
  to a Preliminary Design by Q4 2007
• Ensures the success of at least one effort
• Enables community input via the GSMT SWG
• Ensures resulting designs meet community
  aspirations
• Encourages transparency between the projects
• Provides the basis for an eventual convergence
  path
• Engages the talents of the broader community via
• Instrument design efforts
• Technology development efforts
• Encourages aligned investments with ESO where
  practical

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Status of the TMT Design and Development Phase

• Partnership formed among CELT, ACURA and AURA
• 44M/70M DDP funds identified
• Key personnel appointed
• Project Manager Gary Sanders
• Project Scientist Jerry Nelson
• Central design office established in Pasadena
• Initial TMT WBS and schedule completed
• Key design trades identified and initiated
• Site evaluation (part of general GSMT effort)
  well advanced
• Atacama, Las Campanas, Mauna Kea, San Pedro
  Martir
• Science Requirements Document under change
  control by Q3 2004
• D D Phase will be completed by Q4 2007

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Engaging with ESO

• AURA signs MOU with ESO to establish working
  groups
• Segment fabrication
• prototype figured segments
• Adaptive Optics
• Detectors and Instrument Components
• Site testing
• ensure a consistent calibration
• Working groups are establishing areas for
  aligned investment
• Develop alternate technical approaches and
  multiple vendors
• ESO and GSMT SWGs agree to meet
• First meeting held in Berlin
• Collaborative efforts are aimed at keeping
  communication lines and partnership possibilities
  open

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Requested NOAO-OC Actions

• Authorize submitting the proposal to NSF
• Support the proposal enthusiastically and
  proactively
• Letter to NSF-AST and NSF-MPS
• Face-to-face meeting in DC to show strong support