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HST Second Decade Study
At the request of NASA, the Space Telescope Science Institute (ST ScI) is developing a strategic plan to optimize the scientific return from Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in its second decade, and especially during the period after the final servicing mission in 2002. For this purpose, ST ScI has formed a committee drawn from the broad astronomical community to study the issues, formulate a plan, and write a report of its analysis and recommendations. The 'HST Second Decade study' will be completed in 1998. The committee is making its working papers available over the Internet at the committee's web site (see address below). Comments and input from the community on all aspects of the study are welcomed in the strongest terms.
The HST Second Decade study is prompted by NASA's recent decision to extend the HST mission until 2010 with low-cost operations. This means that HST will operate in parallel with its successor, the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST), planned for launch in 2007. This second decade will also be the era of the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF), and the Space Interferometry Mission (SIM), as well as other new space-based and ground-based observing facilities. What should be the vision for Hubble science in that future environment? What policies should guide the allocation of resources such as observing time? What forethought can be provided about the opportunities, constraints, and issues that will be important for HST's future contributions to science? The HST Second Decade committee is endeavoring to parse these questions and to address them with your help.
With respect to opportunities, the committee is asking, What developments will set the scientific agenda in the period 2002-2010? What questions will be most important for HST to address? What synergy could--and should--develop between HST and NGST or other space or ground-based observatories? Your input is solicited on this list of questions about opportunities.
The constraints will consist of the instrument and spacecraft capabilities in place after the final, 2002 servicing mission. The low-cost operations now being developed for HST may impose others. Your input is also solicited in identifying other constraints.
Issues before the committee include: the desirable precursor and/or coordinated programs with NGST and other observatories; the optimal mix of large and small observing programs and the possible implications for community grant support; the uniqueness of HST's capabilities, particularly in the near infrared; the options with respect to proprietary data rights; and the relative emphasis on archival research. Your help in defining other relevant issues is also sought.
For those interested in commenting on the study, committee documents such as the charter, membership, and working papers are available at the study's web site: http://sco.stsci.edu/second_decade/. Please feel free to contact committee members directly. An informal discussion session is planned for the June 1998 AAS meeting in San Diego (time and place to be announced in the final program).
The HST Second Decade study is led by Dr. Robert A. Brown, ST ScI, who welcomes any thoughts and suggestions. Address them to him at rbrown@stsci.edu or ST ScI, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218.
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