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Activities of the US Gemini Project Office (1Mar94) (from USGPO, NOAO Newsletter No. 37, 1 March 1994) As reported in the last Newsletter, a letter was distributed in mid-December describing the process by which US institutions could participate in providing instruments to Gemini. A copy of this letter may be obtained by contacting the USGPO (usgpo@noao.edu). A brief summary of the process is as follows: Based on the responses to the request for letter of intent, the US Gemini Science Advisory Committee (US SAC) identified the following instrument work-packages as the community's highest priority interests: 1) optical arrays and controllers for imagers, spectrometers, acquisition, active and adaptive optics functions 2) IR arrays and controllers for imagers and spectrometers 3) optical imagers to support both science and field acquisition functions at both telescopes 4) a 1-5 micron imager (already allocated to the University of Hawaii) 5) a 1-5 micron spectrometer (for the northern telescope) 6) a mid-infrared imaging capability (not in the project's baseline instrumentation complement) The US SAC also endorsed a strong role for NOAO both in the development of a "strawman" plan for the Gemini project and in the design and fabrication of instruments allocated to the US. The "strawman" plan is used in two ways. First, it is a demonstration to the Gemini project and the Gemini Board that the interest and capability to supply these instruments exists in the US. In that sense it is a placeholder for whatever US proposal is selected to supply the instruments. Second, it is a start on a real proposal which will ensure that at least one viable option exists for each US-allocated instrument. The plan under development will be presented, as part of a larger international plan including all first-light instruments, to the Gemini Board in May. Following the board's approval, a general request for proposals will go out to the US community. Scientific and operational requirements for each of these instrument work- packages will be distributed. Competing proposals will be reviewed by an impartial panel, and one will be selected on a basis which will be described in detail in the call for proposals. The Gemini Project will then begin negotiations with the successful proposers so that specifications, a schedule, a funding profile, and a management structure are in agreement. A number of design reviews and milestones are expected in the next few months. The telescope critical design review and Cassegrain rotator preliminary design review will be held in early March. Two reviews are planned for the f/16 chopping secondary, one in mid-February to discuss the scientific requirements, one in early March to critique a conceptual design. The Gemini Science Committee meets in early April in Cambridge, England. The principal agenda item will be discussion of the instrument plan currently being developed by the Gemini Project with the assistance of the national project scientists. The colloquium series begun last year by Jay Gallagher, Richard Green, and Fred Gillett is regarded by the USGPO as a great success and a model for ongoing communication to the US community. More than a dozen colloquia about the Gemini Project and the role of the US community were given during the fall at US institutions. This program will be continued in the spring; please contact us if you would like a USGPO associate to visit and talk about Gemini. Todd Boroson, Fred Gillett
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