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The Spitzer General Observer (GO) Program is the primary means by which
scientists in the community at large conduct independent research programs
using new Spitzer observations. Most of the observing time available
during Spitzer's science mission will be devoted to peer-reviewed GO
investigations. The GO Program is open to all investigators worldwide on
a competitive basis.
More information on the GO Program
The Legacy Science Program consists of large-scale competitively selected
projects requesting substantial and coherent data sets without proprietary
periods and promising to deliver products (often including ancillary data
from other telescopes) to the community. The six original Legacy projects
were selected in November 2000. Five additional projects selected as part
of Cycle-2, eight additional projects selected as part
of Cycle-3, and seven additional projects selected as part of Cycle-4 share many characteristics of Legacy programs, and so were
included under the Legacy umbrella.
More information on the Legacy Project
Archival research investigators use Spitzer data that is publicly
available through the Spitzer Archive. By the start of 2006,
the entire original Legacy Science Program will be available. This also includes
enhanced data products returned to the SSC by the Legacy teams for
distribution to the community. Solicitations for funding support are a
part of consolidated General Observer/Archival Research Calls for
Proposals. For Cycle-5, archival research will be limited to data in the
publicly available Archive by December 31, 2008.
More information on the AR Program
The Theoretical Research (TR) Program provides funding support for
theoretical research of direct relevance to Spitzer science. The
program should provide lasting benefit for current or future
observational programs with Spitzer.
More information on the TR Program
Targets of opportunity are special cases of General Observer
(GO) programs, designed for observations of transient or other
time-limited phenomena. Up to 5 medium- and high-impact ToOs will be
accepted for Cycle-5. Rapid response ToOs that require a ~6 K telescope
when MIPS is not already on and the telescope is already cold are
unlikely to be accommodated.
More information on TOOs
The SSC Director controls and allocates five percent of Spitzer observing
time. This Director's Discretionary Time (DDT) is intended to cover
emerging scientific topics or areas missed in the proposal review process.
More information on the DDT Program
The First-Look Survey (FLS) is a special case of Director's Discretionary Time (DDT). It is intended to
provide an early examination of the mid-infrared sky at sensitivities
about 100 times deeper than any previous dataset.
More information on the FLS
The Guaranteed Time Observations (GTO) follow from a 1983 NASA
Announcement of Opportunity and competitive selection of Instrument Teams
and the Spitzer science team. For the first 2.5 years of the prime
mission, 20 percent of Spitzer observing time will be allocated to the GTO
program. The Principal Investigators (PIs) of the three science
instrument teams will each be allocated 5 percent of the observing time.
The balance will be shared equally among these members of the Spitzer Science Working Group (SWG).
Beyond 2.5 years, the GTO allocation is reduced to 15 percent of the
observing time, and is split equally among the three PIs of the instrument
teams.
More information on the GTO Program
The Spitzer Space Telescope Fellowship Program provides an opportunity for
highly qualified recent postdoctoral scientists to conduct independent
research with the goal of enhancing the overall scientific return from the
Spitzer mission. This can be accomplished through a proposal to conduct
new observations with Spitzer, through exploitation of Spitzer archival
databases, or through research that aids in the interpretation of Spitzer
results, including theoretical investigations and laboratory
astrophysics. Research must be conducted at a U.S.-based Host Institution
chosen by the Fellow.
More information on the
Spitzer Fellowship Program
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