28 Apr 2009

The deadline for submitting proposals has passed.

ESA is currently carrying out an assessment study phase for a number of L-class missions which are candidates for the first launch slot (possibly in 2020) in the Cosmic Vision plan. All currently studied L-class mission concepts will undergo a competitive selection at the end of 2010, from which 2 missions (out of the 3 currently under study - IXO, Lisa, and EJSM) will be selected for definition studies extending to the end of 2012. Eventually, only one mission will be adopted for flight with the industrial implementation phase starting in 2013.

The instruments for the Cosmic Vision L-class missions are foreseen to be funded by the national agencies and provided by consortia of institutes led by Instrument Study Leads. To enable the instruments to be defined at the same level as the other mission elements (platform, launch services, etc.), the assessment-level studies for the instrumentation will have to be nationally funded and will be carried out by the prospective Instrument Study Teams, in line with the general approach to science payload studies and development described in the Science Programme Committee document on "National Activities parallel to Cosmic Vision Studies", (ESA/SPC(2008)3).

Prospective Instrument Study Leads are invited to respond to this call with details of the composition of nationally funded consortia and of the proposed work-plan. These consortia are expected to carry out assessment-level studies of the scientific instruments for the IXO Cosmic Vision mission study. A description of the scope of the studies, the consortium structure and selection procedure, and interfaces with the ESA-managed system study is provided in this call, which can be downloaded from the right-hand menu.

A number of documents are included in this call:

(All of these documents are available to download in the documentation section of the right-hand menu)

Timetable for this call:

Submission process:
Proposals must be submitted electronically using the online form provided (see also in right-hand menu).

Further details:
For more information on programmatic matters please contact:

Dr. Timo Prusti
Astrophysics and Fundamental Physics Missions Coordinator, ESA HQ
(Timo.Prustiesa.int)