Community AnnouncementSolicitation for NASA Science Team Members for ESAs Euclid MissionThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate(SMD) intends to release a solicitation for NASA-selected members of the Science Team forESAs Euclid mission for dark energy research. This solicitation will be released as anamendment to the Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences 2010 (ROSES-2010)NASA Research Announcement (NRA).OVERVIEW OF THE EUCLID OPPORTUNITY It is anticipated that the Euclid solicitation will invite proposals for NASA PrincipalInvestigator (PI)-led science investigations using ESAs Euclid mission. The selected PIwill serve on the Euclid Science Team and have full data rights to the Euclid flightdata. The development of flight hardware and ground-system software will not besolicited in the solicitation. Participation in this solicitation will be open to allcategories of organizations (domestic and non-U.S., but excluding organizations from ESAmember states), including educational, industrial, and not-for-profit organizations,Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), University AffiliatedResearch Centers (UARCs), NASA Centers, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and otherGovernment agencies. Principal Investigators are responsible for and allowed to assembleinvestigation teams from any and all of these organizations.As of the release of this announcement, NASA and ESA are continuing to discuss thepotential for a strategic collaboration on the Euclid mission. NASA participation willdepend upon the outcome of decisions informed by an assessment of the proposed ESA-NASAEuclid collaboration. NASA reserves the right to defer selection decisions, to make noselections, or to terminate selected investigations.THE EUCLID MISSION The Euclid Consortium has determined the science and observational requirements andinstrumentation capabilities for Euclid, which will include the Baryon AcousticOscillation and Weak Lensing techniques for measuring the properties of dark energy andother cosmological parameters. The solicitation will describe a Euclid Reference Mission design that demonstrates theexistence of a configuration that meets the science goals, as well as Euclidsprogrammatic constraints, to which proposers must strictly adhere in the proposal ofscience investigations. The Euclid Reference Mission will include a visible-light imagerand a near-infrared spectrograph / photometer. It is anticipated that, subsequent toselection of the Euclid Science Team, the Euclid design may evolve slightly from theEuclid Reference Mission.DETAILS OF THE PLANNED SOLICITATION It is anticipated that the solicitation will solicit two types of proposals:(1) an investigation led by a Euclid Survey Scientist with expertise in at least one ofthe major methods for dark energy research; and(2) an investigation led by an Instrument Scientist for the Near-Infrared Spectrograph /Photometer with expertise in infrared photometry, especially infrared photometry fromspace.The PIs of the proposals selected under this solicitation will become members of theEuclid Science Team and will be expected to participate fully in all aspects of the workof the Euclid Science Team.In common with all other Euclid Consortium members, all members of the selected scienceinvestigation teams will have proprietary access to Euclid data for the execution oftheir proposed science investigation.It is anticipated that proposals for Euclid science investigations may offer or requestsupport for ground-based observations, with the requirement that such ground-basedobservations contribute to the specific Euclid science investigation proposed. It isanticipated that proposals will be evaluated firstly on their use of Euclid data inconjunction with Stage III priors as defined by the Joint Dark Energy Mission (JDEM)Figure of Merit Science Working Group (FoMSWG). Proposers will be further allowed toinclude additional ground-based data (other than the Stage III priors defined by theFoMSWG) in order to improve the figure of merit of their proposal; these additionalground-based data may include anticipated data from the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope(LSST).It is anticipated that the solicitation will contain an aggregate science investigationfunding profile over the life cycle of the Euclid mission. Approximately $20M of fundingto support Phase E prime science operations for each investigation is expected to ramp uproughly two years prior to launch as appropriate support personnel are assigned to theproject, and to continue until one year after the expected ~4-year prime science phase. Up to 10% of such funds may be used towards ground-based support observations. Proposerswill be required to include in their proposals a work plan and budget profile, and thiswill be assessed as part of the evaluation.It is anticipated that Euclid data, including suitable calibration and processing tools,will be made available to the public one year following data acquisition.The following schedule describes the anticipated major milestones of NASAs Euclidsolicitation. These dates are subject to change. Solicitation Release as a ROSES-2010 Amendment: Mid-Oct 2010Notice of Intent (NOI) to propose Due Date: Release + 4 weeksProposal Due Date: Release + 2 monthsSelections Announced (target): Release + 4 months The issuance of this Community Announcement does not obligate NASA to issue the Euclidsolicitation and solicit proposals. Any costs incurred by prospective investigators inpreparing submissions in response to this Community Announcement are incurred completelyat the submitter's own risk. The Euclid solicitation may contain provisions that differfrom this announcement, in which case those in the solicitation will take precedence.Questions or comments about this Community Announcement on NASAs Euclid solicitation maybe addressed to the NASA Euclid Program Scientist: Dr. Richard Griffiths, AstrophysicsDivision, Science Mission Directorate, National Aeronautics and Space Administration,Washington, DC 20546-0001; E-mail:
[email protected]; Phone: 202-358-1605. Comments should be provided to Dr. Griffiths within 1 week of this posting in order to beconsidered in the solicitation. The character string "Euclid Solicitation" (withoutquotes) should be included in the subject line of all transmissions.