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Session 23 - Science with the Space Interferometry Mission.
Oral session, Wednesday, January 07
International Ballroom Center,
The Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) will be NASA's first space-borne long-baseline optical interferometer, and a cornerstone of NASA's Origins Program. The science objectives of SIM cover a broad range of fundamental astrophysics, from the frequency of planetary companions to stars, to stellar masses and luminosities, to galactic dynamics. SIM's primary mission will be microarcsecond-class narrow and wide-angle astrometry, but will also include 10 milliarcsecond rotational synthesis imaging, and interferometric nulling.
SIM is currently entering the mission, spacecraft, and data reduction design stage, and there is ample opportunity for the astronomical community to contribute to several aspects of this design effort. The SIM project is currently soliciting proposals for studies to evaluate classes of astronomical objects suitable to be astrometric references. Further, there are immediate opportunities to contribute to the architecture and design of the SIM Science Data Center. Future opportunities will exist to serve on the SIM Science Team, and contribute to the mission target list.
