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Session 42 - SIRTF.
Display session, Thursday, January 08
Exhibit Hall,
The majority of the observing time on the Space InfraRed Telescope Facility will go to the General Observer Program, which includes the Legacy Program. SIRTF's efficiency will likely result in 7500 hours of observing a year. Combined with the limited lifetime (2.5yr requirement), SIRTF scientific gains will be maximized if the community is well-prepared to conduct GO observations when the first round of proposals are due immediately following in-orbit checkout. Unlike longer lived missions, it will not be possible to sit back and wait for the dust to settle. Consequently, potential users of the GO Program need to include SIRTF in their observing plans for the immediate future. Also, the much more focused instrumentation and observing modes for SIRTF combined with a well planned Science Center will greatly facilitate the proposal, observing and data pipeline processes for the General Observer.
