Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #astro2020
Most recents (6)
Thread 4: Major NSF/ground recommendations to accomplish the #astro2020 vision:
The first ground recommendation is a US Extremely Large Telescope program with the US taking a share totaling 50% in the Thirty Meter and Giant Magellan Telescopes, targeting 25% of each
Final participation is contingent on a NSF review showing demonstrated viability of the projects, a final site selection for TMT, and a clear governance plan.
Thread 3: Major #astro2020 NASA recommendations.
1. An integrated Great Observatories Mission and Technology Maturation Program. Future missions are big. Before they can formally commence, the technology and mission architecture must be mature.
1. An integrated Great Observatories Mission and Technology Maturation Program. Future missions are big. Before they can formally commence, the technology and mission architecture must be mature.
Mature enough that realistic costs and schedules and feasibility can be assessed. This proposed process ties technology to specific missions and architectures; evolving a mission as technology matures.
The first and highest priority mission is a 6-m (inscribed) IR/O/UV telescope capable of imaging earthlike worlds with broad astrophysics capabilities (especially in the UV) - see this thread
Thread 2: process. The report is work of 145 committee and panel members, plus 21 amazing @theNASEM staff (who I love unconditionally). Working with these people was a privilege.
The input of the community was critical, from the incredibly detailed Flagship mission studies to 867 white papers. Every white paper, every page of every study, was read by one ore more committee and panel members.
Six science panels reviewed the field and identified key questions in their areas. Informed by that, five program panels focused on different techniques (space OIR, etc). Program panels evaluated proposed missions and facilities against these science questions
First, I wanted to highlight with the major NASA recommendation of the Decadal Survey: a 6-m class telescope capable of imaging Earthlike worlds orbiting sunlike stars. @theNASEM #astro2020.
JWST, and the Extremely Large groundbased telescopes, can study potentially habitable planets huddled close to the coolest stars - a critical capability - but a world like our own Earth is beyond the reach of anything but a dedicated space telescope
The work of the whole community, distilled into the @luvoirtelescope and @nasahabex visions, makes it clear that this is possible. Uncertainties that existed in 2010 have been resolved - we know how to build such a telescope. We know how it would operate. 
#astro2020 schedule reminder: the report text will be available at 11 AM eastern time, 8 AM pacific time. Followed by a live briefing by the committee chairs at 2 PM eastern / 11 AM pacific. nationalacademies.org/our-work/decad…
Much less excitingly, I'll do an overly-long-summary here on twitter.
I’m going to post several threads covering key points (especially the capital-R Recommendations) in the #astro2020 report from the @nasem. These are going to be long (I’m not good at concise) and remarkably sarcasm-free.
Paul Hertz: I don't know when #Astro2020 is coming out. Maybe the committee can combine all of our rumors.
This is the plot of APD division scientists' guesses as to the release date. Only two potential winners remain!
This is the plot of APD division scientists' guesses as to the release date. Only two potential winners remain!
"We intend to come back to the community 8-10 weeks after the survey to tell you our plans”.
Q from Chick: So this is unlikely to happen at AAS?
Paul: I don’t think we’re going to get it in time for AAS now. It has to be vetted through agency. If we had it by Oct 1, maybe.
Q from Chick: So this is unlikely to happen at AAS?
Paul: I don’t think we’re going to get it in time for AAS now. It has to be vetted through agency. If we had it by Oct 1, maybe.
Note that Paul uses the New Great Observatories logo as the notional cover for #Astro2020. I remain happy to give this to Colleen / Fiona / Rob and save the committee time. :)
