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Announcement of opportunity

for ESA-appointed representatives

to the NASA Great Observatory Maturation Program's (GOMAP)

Science, Technology, Architecture Review Team (START)

for the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) mission

18 October 2023

This Announcement of Opportunity (AO) solicits the participation of the European community in the role of ESA-appointed representatives to the NASA Great Observatory Maturation Program's (GOMAP) Science, Technology, Architecture Review Team (START) for the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) mission.

The 2020 National Academy of Sciences Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics (Astro2020) recommended a "Great Observatories Mission and Technology Maturation Program" as its highest priority in Enabling Programs for Space. Astro2020 further recommended that the first mission to enter the maturation program be an infrared-optical-ultraviolet (IR/Optical/UV) space telescope. In response to these recommendations, NASA has established the Great Observatory Maturation Program (GOMAP). Consistent with the guidance from Astro2020, the first entrant into GOMAP will be the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO), a space-based IR/Optical/UV telescope. As part of GOMAP, NASA will form and coordinate a series of groups whose collective activities will perform and document analyses that advance HWO's concept maturity. These analyses will inform a future pre-phase-A project's decisions on HWO science, technology, and architecture trades. One of the groups being formed is the START. The START will translate the Astro2020 science objectives and goals into quantified observational capabilities for HWO.

ESA will appoint up to three representatives to the START. These positions will be for the duration of the START activities (expected to be between 18-36 months) or for a duration of 36 months, whichever comes first. With the exception of expenses incurred while travelling for activities related to the current call (a maximum of two transatlantic trips per year), ESA will not fund the activities of the scientists and each proposer is responsible for securing their own funding from other sources.

The AO is open to scientists and engineers based in ESA Member States. Early career scientists and historically under-represented groups in astronomy and space sciences are encouraged to apply.

Full details of this AO can be found in the Announcement of Opportunity for ESA-appointed scientists to the NASA Great Observatory Maturation Program's (GOMAP) Science, Technology, Architecture Review Team (START) for the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) mission document. Additional information can be found in the HWO GOMAP START Terms of Reference.

Letter of Intent and Proposal Submission forms

Proposals in response to this AO must be preceded by a mandatory Letter of Intent. Proposals not preceded by a Letter of Intent will not be considered. The Letters of Intent and Proposals must be submitted using the online forms – see links to the forms below or in the top menu.

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Schedule for this call and important dates

Contact

Requests for further information should be addressed to:

Paul McNamara
​​​​Astronomy and Astrophysics Coordinator
ESA/ESTEC
2200 AG Noordwijk
The Netherlands
e-mail: Paul.McNamaraesa.int

Last updated: 30 November 2023

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