GeminiFocus January 2019 | Page 16

Among the first exciting activities in 2019 is a Communications Summit in Multi-Mes- senger and Time-Domain Astronomy (MMA/ TDA). Planning is now underway to identify and invite science communication special- ists and scientists working in MMA/TDA to the summit which will focus on the unique challenges and opportunities in sharing the complexities and new scientific horizons presented by MMA/TDA. Figure 2. SCORPIO team member Amanda Bayless with an engineering grade E2V device in the clean room. Credit: Stephen Goodsell In January 2019 the GEMMA Program Execu- tion Plan (PEP) is slated for submission to the NSF and work will ramp up significantly following its approval. In the meantime the Gemini user community is encouraged to provide input into the GEMMA program. The Time Domain Astronomy Working Group is being formed in order to advise the Obser- vatory on the development of the time-do- main network which will facilitate the execu- tion of time-domain observations. Secondly, Gemini is re-establishing an Adaptive Optics Working Group (AOWG) made up of staff and engaged members of the Gemini user community. For more details on getting in- volved in GEMMA please go to this link. The GEMMA logo (Figure 1; previous page) is taken from Gemma’s rings, an early astro- nomical instrument consisting of three rings representing the celestial equator, declina- tion, and the meridian. The rings were creat- ed by Gemma Frisius, a 16th century Dutch physician, mathematician, cartographer, philosopher, and instrument maker. SCORPIO Completes Two Key Reviews The Spectrograph and Camera for Observa- tions of Rapid Phenomena in the Infrared and Optical (SCORPIO) completed two key reviews in November 2018. We held an Op- tical Design Review from November 14-15 at the University of Madrid, Spain, to assess the design readiness of the instrument’s six Collimator Units and eight Camera Units. An assessment panel consisting of external ex- perts reviewed whether the long-lead opti- cal components were ready for acquisition; after the two day detailed review, they con- cluded the team provided sufficient analysis to justify the early purchase of the long-lead opto-mechanical units, believing the risk of proceeding was small. We expect the SCOR- PIO team to place contracts for all of these items in Q1-2019. We also held a project quarterly progress review at the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio, Texas, from November 26-28. The team presented a large amount of new work and demonstrated solid prog- ress made since the last project review in August. The schedule to a Q1-2019 Critical Design Review (CDR) remains tight as there are a number of key analyses on the final de- sign that only occur late in the schedule; the team plans to move these items earlier so we can proceed on schedule. We will re-assess readiness for the planned March 2019 CDR in January. 14 GeminiFocus January 2019