1. Next Generation SOFIA Science Instrument – Call for Proposals
Alan Rhodes
NASA SOFIA Science Instrument Development Manager
NASA Ames Research Center

2. Outline What is SOFIA Timeline for Next Generation Solicitation
Philosophy of this Solicitation
What has changed in this call

4. SOFIA Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy Revealing Our Dynamic Universe
Planet Atmospheres
Galactic Center
Dust Around Black Hole
Star Formation
Planetary Nebula
Supernova
Flight Operations
Planet Formation
Magnetic Fields

5. The Birth of Planets and Stars: Finally Charting the Infall
Molecular clouds
Cloud cores
Filaments and magnetic fields in clouds
Infall
Protostars and disks
Morphology
Stochastic accretion
Feedback effect
Role of turbulence versus magnetic fields
The Path to Life: Water, Organics, and Dust through Cosmic Time
Beginning of the light hydrides
Formation of dust in the outflow of evolved stars, novae, and supernovae
Spatial abundance gradients across the Galaxy
Distribution of oxygen, water ice, and water vapor in different phases of planet formation.
Planetary atmospheres
Astrochemistry
Molecular chemistry of comets and comet dust properties
PAHs
Extreme and Hostile Environments: Stepping Stones to Starbursts and AGNs
Flows and magnetics fields near the galactic center
Imaging of local starbursts
Establish local truth to compare with high z
Cool dust surrounding supermassive black holes

6. How does our universe work?
How did we get here?
Are we alone?
How does our universe work?

7. SOFIA Specifications Joint US and German Observatory Telescope
Illuminated Aperture: 2.5 m
Elevation range: 20 – 60 degrees
Wavelength range 0.3 to 1600 microns
Flies up to 13.7 km (45,000 ft), above 99.9% of water vapor in the atmosphere
Operational capability:
> 8 research flight hours per flight
> 70 Guest Observer (GO) programs per year
> 800 research flight hours per year
Global Operations
Twenty year operational life to 2034
Major maintenance completed, no need to repeat.

8. Our International User Base
Cycle 6 – PI & Co-I Institutions
130 Programs Selected for Cycle 6 – P1, P2, P3, Survey
28 P P P Survey +
729 total Co-Is (some are repeated)
Unique PIs: 110. ; Unique Co-Is: 463
33 New Pis submitted to Cycle 6; of which. 3 had P1 or P2; and 5 P3 status
Next step: Useful would be actual statistics on how many people use SOFIA in each place.
100 Unique PI selected for Cycle 5; some on multiple proposals; of which 36 of them were first time PIs (when looking from Basic Science through Cycle 5)
In the US queue, 21% proposals received were from women (37 submissions from women; 142 submissions from men)

9. Example SOFIA Observation
from Karska et al. 2013
C. Risacher & R. Güsten 225th AAS Seattle
R.Güsten with the GREAT consortium

10. Example SOFIA Observation
(3) FIR-cooling in massive star forming cores (G5.89: Leurini et al. 2015):
Herschel - PACS SOFIA - GREAT
The line luminosity at high velocities can be used as tracer of the mass-loss rate of the jet since [OI] is the main coolant of the gas in this velocity regime.
from Karska et al. 2013
C. Risacher & R. Güsten 225th AAS Seattle
R.Güsten with the GREAT consortium

11. Upcoming Observation Milestones
2018
~April 30 Observation Cycle 7 (incl. Focused Programs) Call
June-July New Zealand Deployment
~June 29 Observation Cycle 7 (incl. Focused Programs) Proposals Due
November Selection Observation Cycle 7
2019
February SOFIA Observation Cycle 7 begins
Upcoming Major Science Mtgs
Jun ’18 Denver AAS
Jul ’18 COSPAR + Tour
Jan ’19 SOFIA visits Jan 2019 AAS

12. The Time For What’s Next
Use what we’ve learned to help
Flexible call for proposals
Science leads the way
A team on the inside to help
Come Explore With Us
All leading to the Legacy of Your science

13. Interchangeable Instrument Suite
FPI+
High Speed Visible Camera
GREAT Heterodyne Spectrometer
EXES
High Resolution IR Spectrometer
Interchangeable science instruments with different science focus
LHe recharge after each flight (if needed)
Rapid development of leading edge technology through new instruments
HIPO – Commissioned Feb 2013
GREAT – Commissioned April 2013
FORCAST – Commissioned September 2013
FLITECAM – Commissioned February 2014
EXES – Commissioned May > Avail Cycle 3
FIFI-LS – Commissioned June ; First Avail Cycle 3
upGREAT LFA (2x7)– Commissioned Dec 2015, low Freq extension May 2016
LFA: ~1.9 THz ([CII], CH, [OI](2-1), CO(16-15)
upGREAT - HFA (1x7) – Commissioned Nov 2016
HFA: THz ([OI])
HAWC+ - Commissioned Dec 2016
upGREAT – LFA(2x7)+HFA(1x7) together – Commissioned July 2017
4GREAT – Commissioned July 2017
FORCAST
Mid-IR Camera & Spectrograph
FIFI-LS
Integral Field Spectrometer
HAWC+
Far IR Camera & Polarimeter

15. Next Gen Science Instrument (SI) Timeline
The Call for Proposals has been released!
Optional – Notice of Intent to Propose Due: 1 JUN 2018
Phase 1 Proposals Due: 1 AUG 2018
Selections Announced / Concept Study Phase starts: ~1 OCT 2018
Concept Studies Due: ~1 MAR 2019
Instrument(s) selected for development: ~ JUL 2019
Instrument(s) delivered for commissioning: ~ JUL 2022

16. Timeline

17. Timeline

18. Philosophy of Solicitation
Science Leads the Way
Selected team(s) must execute and deliver well-defined Legacy Science Program(s)
Prioritize instruments that enable broad community usage and/or data of high archival value, but also allow for agile, “niche” instruments to solve important / outstanding science questions
Technology to Meet the Needs of Science
Solicitation allows for:
new instruments
upgrades/modifications to existing instruments
Allow for flexibility for future enhancements and modifications to NGSI
Flexibility to Propose What The Science Needs
Allow for a nominal three-year development period after funding begins but also allow for longer or shorter development timescales for optimal science return
Allow for schedule and budget flexibility; make selections based on science return on investment
Reduce requirements for the Instrument Concept Study (ICS) phase compared to previous solicitations
Make instrument development and acceptance process easier for teams (using lessons learned from past experience)

19. Legacy Science Programs (LSP) - Requirements
The LSP must contain:
A detailed scientific justification
An observing plan which clearly describes the science targets, instrument modes and the time required to achieve the scientific goals
The roles and expertise of the science team that will execute the LSP.
It should be executable within a two year period following commissioning
Nominally LSP data have no period of exclusive use
In the ICS phase and after commissioning, the proposing team(s) may refine the needed observing time (possibly based on a better understanding of the instrument) but may not change the scope of the scientific investigation.
What Legacy will Your science leave?

20. What Has Not Changed This Time
Solicitation issued and selections made by NASA HQ
Instrument development overseen by the NASA SOFIA Program
Proposals are solicited from universities, industry and NASA centers
Instrument upgrade proposals are also encouraged
Foreign instrument proposals from countries other than Germany are solicited, on a no exchange of funds basis

21. What Has Changed This Time
The instrument development period is longer than the last time (nominal ~3 yrs vs. 2 yrs)
Solicitation strongly emphasizes a Legacy Science Program (LSP) to be executed by proposing team that motivates the new instrument(s)
Intent is to make the instrument development and acceptance process easier
Instrument Concept Study phase requirements significantly reduced compared to last time
Funding profile not to exceed ~$15-20M over three years starting after ICS phase, unless strongly justified
Science Exploitation Period (SEP) following commissioning for up to 2 years
SI team conducts their Legacy science
Science community will also do science with SI team support
New SI is turned over to the Program after the SEP

22. Please Review the Solicitation
Solicitation at:
=%7B1ABFE215-9C B6F- 8E97A9A01E36%7D/viewSolicitationDocument=1/D.14%20SOFIA%204th%20Gen%20Instruments %20Amend%202_rev.pdf
SOFIA Science Instrument Library (more information on SOFIA and Instrument Development Requirements
• Questions:
Specific to Solicitation – send to Kartik Sheth:
General SOFIA or Instrument Development – send to SOFIA Science Instrument Development: arc-
• Tell your friends and colleagues

23. Green et al 2016 ApJ