While the pre-launch AO was dedicated to Key Programmes (KPs) only, the in-flight AOs will not be restricted to a particular kind of proposal. The concept of KPs no longer applies to this call, however, the concepts of 'Large' and 'Normal' Programmes are introduced, LPs and NPs. An LP is an observing programme requiring in excess of 100 hours of observing time, all other observing programmes are NPs.
It is clear that the scientific motivation for an observing programme needing an especially large amount of observing time has to be particularly high and well justified. Since more than half of the total nominally available observing time for Herschel has already been allocated to LPs in the form of KPs (about 11,000 hours) this requirement is strongly emphasized in the current AO.
By a joint agreement between Herschel and XMM-Newton there is up to 500 ks of XMM-Newton observing time in the current OT1 AO process, available for allocation by the HOTAC for joint Herschel/XMM-Newton observing programmes under certain conditions.
The sequence of dates for the current first in-flight Announcement of Opportunity (AO) for Herschel Open Time (OT1) is as follows:
20 May 2010: The Herschel OT1 Announcement of Opportunity is issued. Phase 1 OT1 proposals can be submitted.
3-4 June 2010: A Herschel Observation Planning Workshop will be organised by the HSC in ESAC, Madrid, and simultaneously by the NHSC in IPAC, Pasadena.
22 July 2010 12:00 UT: Submission deadline for Phase 1 OT1 proposals. Start of technical and HOTAC evaluation process for these proposals.
2 August 2010: Submission deadline for NASA data exploitation funding for investigators based in the USA only.
11-15 October 2010: HOTAC meeting, after which the recommendation on OT1 proposals will be provided to ESA's Director of Science and Robotic Exploration (D/SRE) for approval.
1 November 2010: Announcement of approved proposals and start of Phase 2 data entry.