Cosmic Origins News

23 September 2022

Precursor Science Workshop II: Request for Community Input on Precursor Science Topics for the Future Great Observatories | October 11-13th, 2022

The Precursor Science Workshop II (“Precursors to Pathways: Science Enabling NASA Astrophysics Future Great Observatories” (https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exep/astro2020-precursor-sci-workshop2/) will be held virtually October 11-13th, 2022.

Community input from the Precursor Science Workshop I was incorporated into a "Merged Science Gap Worksheet" sorted by the future great observatory (FGO) topics (separate tabs for IROUV [exoplanets], IROUV [astrophysics], Far-IR, X-ray). Some comments and discussion by some Workshop I participants, facilitators, and organizers has produced some preliminary assessments of whether gaps sounded like they were precursor, preparatory or follow-up science. However, there are likely to be other candidate precursor science topics for the FGOs that have not yet been entered, and many of the current candidate precursor science gaps that have been entered are light on content – making assessment challenging.

With the aim to solicit additional polished input from the community on the existing gap topics (or fill in details on the previous gap topics) and to make the best use of breakout session times during the 2nd workshop, the organizers are inviting the community to submit their input via this Google form ahead of Workshop II: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScYI64FfiNv2SJeotyQ8jRDdH2eU-EF1Og9_1xD53SLmawEdg/viewform

The new Google form asks for input following the same columns as in the "Merged Science Gap Worksheet.”

Feedback received ahead of the second workshop (October 11-13th, 2022) will be integrated into the worksheet. Note that some gap lines in the spreadsheet may be combined by the organizers if there are multiple submissions on the same FGO precursor science topic.

The combined inputs from Workshops I and II will inform the ROSES proposal call D.16 Astrophysics Decadal Survey Precursor Science (ADSPS). The final text of the ADSPS ROSES call will go out this fall, with proposals due no fewer than 90 days later.

If you wish to attend (virtually) the workshop and receive email updates on it, please submit your contact information here. For more information on the workshops and ADSPS ROSES call, contact Eric Smith (eric.p.smith@nasa.gov) and Terri Brandt (t.j.brandt@nasa.gov).