1 Universities Space Research Association Martin Ruzek SSSC February 18, 2010 FIFI LS EOOP Extended Observing Opportunity Program Operating FIFI LS in a “facility-like” mode for the general observing community

2 Universities Space Research Association FIFI LS is a very capable and complex spectrometer - expected to be highly subscribed by the general observing community - US instruments have no spectroscopic capability between 30 and 200 microns Frequent and broad access to this German PI instrument by US investigators could be problematic without support for pipeline software, calibration, operations and users NASA, MPE, UC Berkeley and USRA agreed in May 2007 to the FIFI LS Extended Observing Opportunity Program (EOOP) - Provides for routine access in a facility-like mode through the US peer review process - Led by Randolf Klein at UCB, and supported via grant from USRA EOOP Motivation

3 Universities Space Research Association EOOP Summary Upgrades instrument software so that observations and data reduction can be performed without PI involvement Reworks MPE instrument software to meet DCS standards Provides a data reduction pipeline to produce calibrated data conforming to SOFIA data archive standards Commissions FIFI LS and develops absolute flux calibration procedures Provides an upgraded guider camera more suitable for routine facility-like operations Was to have included support for the FIFI LS instrument at UCB between flight campaigns

4 Universities Space Research Association EOOP Status The UCB team has made good progress on software development –Output products have been defined –A functional pipeline is complete and functionality tested locally on Linux and Windows XP –EOOP pipeline software is ready for testing within the DCS environment –Detailed comparison with MPE results are in progress –Observing Modes and respective AORs and AOTs have been sketched out –Design the FIFI LS Application Programming Interface (API) has begun –Work continues on documentation (Observers, Operator, User Manual)

5 Universities Space Research Association EOOP Outlook The SOFIA Science Project is fully supportive of the EOOP effort and the valuable access it enables for the general observer community The SOFIA Science Project is flexible in its approach for offering continued support for EOOP as the transition plan for the FIFI LS instrument emerges EOOP is a key part of the NASA contribution to help assure long term access to FIFI LS data, especially if FIFI LS becomes a German Facility Instrument