Call for mission concepts for the large-size 'L2' mission opportunity in ESA's Science Programme
20 January 2014
Through this Call for Missions, the Director of Science and Robotic Exploration solicits proposals from the broad scientific community for the competitive selection of mission concepts to be candidates for the implementation of the second large mission (L2) of the Cosmic Vision Plan, for a planned launch in 2028.Note: The deadline for proposal submissions has passed
"The Hot and Energetic Universe" is the scientific theme of the L2 mission. Among the key questions to be addressed by the mission concepts that are proposed in response to this Call are: How and why does ordinary matter assemble into the large-scale structures that we see today, and how do black holes grow and influence their surroundings? In addition, the mission should allow continuing progress in the study of distant transient phenomena, and in particular on gamma-ray bursts, and to enable new observatory science.
Please consult the Call document for further details; this is available to download from the right-hand menu.
Direct link to this Call page:
http://sci.esa.int/2014_L2_Call
Schedule for this Call
The schedule for the issue of the Call and the proposal evaluation process is:
| LOI submission deadline | 17 February 2014 (12:00 noon CET) |
| Briefing meeting | 7 March 2014 |
| Proposal submission deadline | 15 April 2014 (12:00 noon CET) |
| Proposal evaluation | April 2014 - June 2014 |
Call information package
Full details of the Call are available in the Call document; this can be downloaded from the right-hand menu, under Documentation.
Letter of Intent (LOI) submission
Prospective proposers are required to submit, by 17 February 2014, at 12:00 (noon) CET, a Letter of Intent (LOI) stating their intention to submit a proposal in response to the present Call. Submission of a LOI is mandatory; proposals not preceded by a corresponding LOI will not be considered.
Submissions are accepted exclusively in electronic form, in PDF format, using the online submission form that can be accessed below or from the right-hand menu (the form opens in a new window).
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LOI submission form |
| Deadline for LOI submission has passed |
The LOI should have a maximum length of 1 A4 page, minimum font size 11 pt. The letters should only contain the name of a contact person for the proposal and the proposal title. The purpose of the Letter of Intent will be to allow ESA to make the necessary preparation for the proposal evaluation process. No support or endorsement letters should be attached to the Letters of Intent.
Proposal submission
Submissions are accepted exclusively in electronic form, in PDF format, using the online submission form that can be accessed below or from the right-hand menu (the form opens in a new window). The deadline for receipt of proposals is 15 April 2014, at 12:00 (noon) CET.
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Proposal submission form |
| Deadline for proposal submission has passed |
Proposals will be limited in length to 34 A4 pages (including any title page, appendices, bibliography, etc.), with a minimum font size of 11 pt, and a maximum file size of 50 Mbytes.
A description of the expected proposal content is available in the Call document, available to be downloaded from the right-hand menu, under Documentation
Briefing meeting
Following the submission of a Letter of Intent, proposers have been invited to a briefing meeting, held on 7 March 2014 at ESTEC (Noordwijk, The Netherlands).
Contact
The main contact point for this Call is:
Dr Luigi Colangeli
Head of the Coordination Office for the Scientific Programme
Directorate of Science and Robotic Exploration
European Space Agency
Email: luigi.colangeli
esa.int