Announcement of Opportunity for the Gaia Data Processing
9 November 2006
The AO Deadline for Submission has Passed
Dear Sir, dear Madam,
The Science Directorate of ESA is releasing today the Announcement of Opportunity for the constitution of the Gaia Data Processing and Analysis Consortium (DPAC). The Gaia mission, a global astrometric survey mission, is an element of ESA's Scientific Programme, which has recently entered the implementation phase and which is foreseen to be launched in December 2011.
Proposals are solicited for the Gaia DPAC, which will build and operate the Gaia data processing ground segment, a single processing pipeline leasing directly to the intermediate and final mission products. The data processing ground segment is an essential element of the mission, and is expected to be developed as a collaboration between the ESA Gaia Science Operations Centre (SOC) and a substantial and broad scientific community funded by national funding agencies. An overarching proposal from a consortium covering all aspects of the Gaia DPAC is expected in response to the AO. The Agency may however also consider individual proposals of a specialised nature.
With the present letter I invite proposers from ESA Member States to respond to the AO which is available on line (see links in right-hand menu).
Responses to the AO are due by 11 December 2006 following the procedure described in detail here (see links in right-hand menu).
A copy of the response must also be sent to all national funding agencies who will later be asked to support the DPAC activities.
Yours sincerely,
David Southwood
Director of Science