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Executive Summary
We invite members of the UK community to propose value added contributions to the commissioning of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory as part of LSST:UK’s in-kind package. This call for proposals follows acceptance of the commissioning element of our in-kind proposal, and initiates the detailed development and approval of the UK’s commissioning team and plans. Our in-kind “recipient group”, namely Rubin’s System Integration Test and Commissioning (SITCOM) team, have identified on-summit support of wavefront sensor sub-system commissioning as a high priority, in addition to a wider team that analyses commissioning data remotely in part-time roles while based at their home institute. All such roles are envisaged as lasting 1-2 years during the 2022 and 2023 calendar years. Our in-kind proposal included 3 staff years of new STFC funding for UK commissioning contributions, split roughly 50-50 between our summit and remote teams. Given the limited funding, and the exciting nature of this opportunity, we anticipate that most members of the UK commissioning team will be unfunded, volunteering a fraction of their research time. Whilst we envisage most of the proposals submitted in reponse to this call will come from groups that submitted an Expression of Interest in 2020, this call is open to all Uk colleagues regardless of previous expression of interest. This call includes background information on the process followed to date, examples of value-added contributions sought by SITCOM, and details of the rights and responsibilities of SITCOM team members, including individuals who join through this call. This call for proposals is coordinated with the recent Announcement of Opportunity for Community Engagement with Rubin Observatory Commissioning Effort in the US and Chile, however UK colleagues are only eligible to respond this UK-specific call. Proposals in response to this UK-specific call must be prepared using this template, and submitted to lusc_pm@mlist.is.ed.ac.uk before 5pm UTC September 30, 2021. Questions or concerns about this call for proposals may be directed to Graham Smith (gps@star.sr.bham.ac.uk) and Bob Mann (rgm@roe.ac.uk).
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September 30, 2021 at 5pm UTUTC | Deadline for proposal submission |
October 2021 | LSST:UK review of proposals and preparation of full UK proposal |
End of October / Early-mid November 2021 | Transmission of full UK proposal to SITCOM leadership |
November and early / December 2021 | Joint review of UK proposal by SITCOM and LSST:UK leadership |
End of 2021 | LSST:UK and SITCOM agree UK members of SITCOM team |
Early 2022 | LSST:UK team members join SITCOM and begin training |
Late 2023 / early 2024 | Commissioning ends and survey operations begin |
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