Guest Observer (GO) Program

In addition to those stars being monitored for planets, targets may be selected for guest observing based on peer reviewed proposals. For detailed information, please visit the

Kepler Guest Observer Web Site

(http://keplergo.arc.nasa.gov)

KEPLER GUEST OBSERVER PROGRAM - CYCLE 2
ROSES-09 Amendment 13: New due dates and revised text for D.9, Kepler Guest Observer – Cycle 2.

The program element in ROSES-2009, Appendix D.9, Kepler Guest Observer – Cycle 2, solicits proposals for the acquisition and analysis of new scientific data from the Kepler mission. During its 3.5-year prime mission, Kepler will continuously monitor a ~100 square degree field-of-view in the Cygnus region with the objective of photometrically detecting transits of Earth-size planets in the habitable zones of stars in the solar neighborhood. Observations associated with this Kepler Guest Observer Cycle 2 solicitation will begin on or near June 18, 2010. Proposals should be for new observations only and should address areas of astrophysics outside of the exoplanet Key Project study already planned by the mission.

Amendment 13 presents new due dates and revised text for D.9, Kepler Guest Observer – Cycle 2. In addition to the change in the due dates, updates have been made to the text describing instrument performance based on in-flight experience and to the required target information table.

Notices of Intent to propose (NOIs) are now due December 4, 2009, and proposals are now due on January 15, 2010. Table 2 and Table 3 of the Summary of Solicitation for this NRA have been updated to reflect this change.

On or about August 18, 2009, this Amendment to the NASA Research Announcement "Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2009" (NNH09ZDA001N) will be posted on the NASA research opportunity homepage at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ (select "Solicitations" then "Open Solicitations" then "NNH09ZDA001N").

Further information about this program element is available from Dr. Padi Boyd, Astrophysics Division, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546-0001; Telephone: (202) 358-2368; Email: padi.boyd@nasa.gov.

Current announcements of opportunity Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) can be found at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/. Questions about Kepler Guest Observer program can be directed to the Kepler Guest Observer Office at keplergo@arc.nasa.gov .

Data Archive

The data from the Kepler Mission will be processed and archived at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI). The multiple pixels making up a single star's psf will not be combined, permitting users to perform their own photometry or other forms of analysis. In addition, light curves for all the stars will be processed on a quarterly basis at NASA Ames Research Center.

After the end of the mission, the STScI will perform a final processing and the light curves for all of the stars for the full duration of the mission derived by the Kepler science team will also be added to the archive. The Kepler archive in STScI's Multi-mission Archive Support Tool (MAST) is expected to be supported for ten years after the end of mission.