ExoPAG Overview

1. SAVE THE DATE: ExoPAG 31 @ AAS245 (January 11-12, 2025, National Harbor, MD)

ExoPAG 31 will be held Saturday January 11, 2025 (9:00am - 5:15pm ET) and Sunday January 12, 2025 (9:00am - 12:15pm ET) in National Harbor, MD at the 245th AAS Meeting. The agenda will be posted in the coming weeks.

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2. NN-EXPLORE 2025A Observing Time Available for Exoplanet Research

From David Ardila (NN-EXPLORE Program Manager & NASA Exoplanet Exploration Program Deputy Program Manager):

"NN-EXPLORE observing time available for exoplanet research:

NN-EXPLORE is a partnership between NASA and the NSF to support community exoplanet science. NN-EXPLORE will make available about 40 nights of observing time at the WIYN telescope, 300 hours of observing time at SMARTS/CHIRON, and 150 hours of observing time in MINERVA-Australis. The proposals will be managed via the NOIRLab time allocation process. NOIRLab will release the new announcement of opportunity the first week of September 2024. All researchers associated with US institutions are encouraged to apply. More information at https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exep/NNExplore/overview/."

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3. EPRV 6: The Sixth Workshop on Extremely Precise Radial Velocities (June 30-July 3, 2025, Porto, Portugal)

Please mark your calendars for The Sixth Workshop on Extremely Precise Radial Velocities (EPRV 6), which will take place June 30 – July 3, 2025 in Porto, Portugal!

Following the tradition of previous workshops, EPRV 6 will provide the latest news on extreme precision RV, focusing on:

• New instrumentation developments and challenges
• Data reduction and post-processing
• Stellar (and solar) variability and methods of mitigation
• New results in exoplanet research using high resolution spectroscopy

The conference will be hybrid with a small fee for online attendance. The maximum attendance will be 200 persons.

Additional details, including calls for splinter sessions and contributed talks and information on conference registration, will be released this fall on the conference website: https://www.iastro.pt/research/conferences/eprv6/

--Susana Barros & Nuno Santos

On behalf of the EPRV6 SOC

Note: The following key dates are envisaged (subject to change):

• 29 November 2024: Splinter deadline submission
• 14 March 2025: Early registration deadline and call for abstracts deadline
• 30 June 2025: Late registration deadline

https://www.iastro.pt/research/conferences/eprv6/index.html?opt=keydates

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4. Exoplanets in Our Backyard 3 (EioB3; November 13-15, 2024, Louisville; Registration Now Open - Deadline October 18, 2024)

Registration is now open for Exoplanets in Our Backyard 3 (EioB3)!

Purpose & Scope:

EioB3 is a workshop dedicated to addressing the complex challenges of exoplanet research through interdisciplinary collaboration. It brings together experts from solar system science, astrophysics, and related fields to foster cross-disciplinary partnerships and share insights on exoplanetary research — past, present, and future. The event emphasizes discussion, networking, and the exchange of knowledge, with invited speakers leading the discourse. Abstract submissions are encouraged but not mandatory. Researchers of all levels will benefit from the collaborative environment aimed at advancing the detection and characterization of exoplanets.

Conference Location and Dates:

This iteration of EioB will be held in Louisville, Kentucky at the Muhammad Ali Center, from November 13-15, 2024.

Early Bird Registration is $340 USD and will be open until October 18, 2024.

Please note that space is limited and no on-site registrations will be allowed. The event aims to foster cross-disciplinary dialogue and education and due to this there will not be an online/virtual component.

Registration & Additional Information:

For more information and registration, visit https://www.exoplanetsbackyard.com/ and/or send an email for the organizers to exoplanetsbackyard@bmsis.org. EioB3 is managed by the Blue Marble Space Institute of Science.

1. Virtual Town Halls for Roman’s Core Community Surveys Begin August 26, 2024

Dear Colleague,

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will devote a majority of the first five years of the mission to surveys that are being defined by the science community. This includes Roman’s Core Community Surveys, which serve to meet Roman’s mission-level science requirements for investigating the nature of dark energy and the fate of the universe, and the demographics of exoplanets. The surveys consist of the Galactic Bulge Time-Domain Survey (GBTDS), High Latitude Time-Domain Survey (HLTDS), and High Latitude Wide Area Survey (HLWAS). The primary goal for the definition of each of these is to maximize the science performed with Roman’s infrared surveys.

To define the details of each survey (e.g., field selection, filter selection and depth, observation cadence, etc.), a definition committee has been formed for each of the three Core Community Surveys comprised of members of the community. The committee membership was selected to ensure that the breadth of interests of the scientific community in using Roman were well represented. The committees have been charged with assessing community input, investigating various observational strategies to maximize the science return of the surveys, and producing a recommendation for multiple survey options (such as a minimal, nominal, and optimal survey definition). The committees are expected to deliver a report summarizing the recommended survey options, including a discussion of the scientific tradeoffs, the time required, and the observational constraints of each option to the Roman Project at NASA Goddard by November 2024 for dissemination to the Roman Observations Time Allocation Committee (ROTAC). The ROTAC will review the input of the committees and make a recommendation to the Roman Project on the implementation of the surveys and the amount of time to be dedicated to each survey.

The three definition committees would like feedback and input on the survey options and strategies they are considering. Each definition committee will hold two virtual town halls spread over two weeks, in late August / early September, to give a progress report and hear from the community. The times of the town halls aim at maximizing attendance over different time zones.

Dial-in Info:

Webex link: https://nasaenterprise.webex.com/nasaenterprise/j.php?MTID=mc21600f4a19d761d3ccebeac0b77ec67

Meeting number (access code): 2821 833 2150

Meeting password: sBVgvmR@337 (72848671 when dialing from a phone or video system)

Schedule:

• Mon Aug 26 - 7pm EDT: GBTDS - Daniel Huber
• Wed Aug 28 - 10am EDT: HLTDS - Brad Cenko
• Thu Aug 29 - 7pm EDT: HLWAS - Ryan Hickox
• Tue Sep 03 - 7pm EDT: HLTDS - Masao Sako
• Wed Sep 04 - 10am EDT: GBTDS - Jessie Christiansen
• Thr Sep 05 - 10am EDT: HLWAS - Ryan Hickox

We look forward to having you join us in the coming weeks.

On behalf of the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope’s Project Scientist Team at NASA Goddard’s Project Science Office (PSO), the Science Support Center (SSC) at IPAC, and the Science Operations Center (SOC) at STScI.

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2. HWO Technology Maturation Project Office Now Established

From Josh Pepper (NASA HQ):

"Hi everyone,

The HWO Technology Maturation Project Office (referred to below as the Project Office), led out of GSFC and with significant leadership from JPL and participation from other NASA Centers, was officially initiated on August 1, 2024. The team is led by Principal Architect Lee Feinberg (GSFC), interim Project Scientist Giada Arney (GSFC), Pre-Formulation Architect John Ziemer (JPL), interim Pre-Formulation Scientist Aki Roberge (GSFC), interim Pre-Formulation Scientist Bertrand Mennesson (JPL), Mission Systems Engineer Mike Menzel (GSFC), and interim Project Manager Scott Smith (GSFC). The NASA Astrophysics Director, Mark Clampin, announced the initiation of the Project Office at recent the Astrophysics Advisory Committee (APAC) meeting July 23 & 24.

The establishment of the Project Office involves the formal stand-down of the START and the TAG and an evolution into a new structure. However, it does not change the overall timeline and scope of HWO Working Group (WG) activities through the end of calendar year (CY) 2024. The work of the hundreds of HWO WG members continues, and the development of their science cases as well as their architecture and technology studies remain crucial for the next stages of HWO. Note that while the Science, Joint, and Community WGs will continue with their activities through the end of CY 2024, some Technology WGs are being re-structured into the new Project Development Team under the Project Office to avoid conflict-of-interest issues with upcoming industry solicitations. Going forward, the community will continue to have opportunities to participate in HWO via competitive solicitations for technology development, architecture analyses, and science team involvement.

We could not have made it this far without the commitment and dedication of the members of the START and TAG. We wish to thank every one of them for their tremendous service to NASA and the community. We would especially like to thank the START and TAG co-chairs: Courtney Dressing, John O’Meara, Bertrand Mennesson, John Ziemer, Aki Roberge, and Lee Feinberg, all of whom remain deeply involved in HWO in various ways.

Thanks to everyone for all of your work on behalf of HWO, and particularly the WG and subgroup co-chairs who are still hard at work developing science cases, performing analyses, and assembling tools that will take HWO planning to the next stage. We look forward to an exciting meeting in October and more discussions about HWO science and technology ideas coming up.

From your HWO Team at NASA HQ,

Megan, Josh, Julie"

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3. 2024 Sagan Summer Workshop (Advances in Direct Imaging: From Young Jupiters to Habitable Earths) and PROTO (PROfessional Tools and Opportunities) Workshop: Presentations and Videos Posted Online

Presentation slides and videos from the 2024 Sagan Summer Workshop https://nexsci.caltech.edu/workshop/2024/ are posted online:

2024 Sagan Summer Workshop: Advances in Direct Imaging: From Young Jupiters to Habitable Earths: https://nexsci.caltech.edu/workshop/2024/agenda.shtml

and

PROTO (PROfessional Tools and Opportunities) Workshop: https://nexsci.caltech.edu/workshop/2024/proto.shtml

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4. 2025 Astrophysics Small Explorer Announcement of Opportunity Community Announcement

The NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) has released a Community Announcement via a www.SAM.gov special notice NNH24ZDA008L stating its intention to solicit investigations for the Astrophysics Explorers Program.

SMD’s Astrophysics Division’s (APD) Explorer Program plans to release draft text for comment for a future Announcement of Opportunity (AO) entitled “2025 Astrophysics Small Explorer (SMEX)”. The planned selection process has two steps. In Step 1, it is anticipated that approximately two or three investigations will be selected to conduct nine-month, $3.0M/each Phase A concept studies. In Step 2, NASA will conduct a review of the Phase A concept study reports. At the conclusion of the study report review, it is anticipated that up to one SMEX investigation will be down-selected to continue into Phase B and subsequent mission phases.

No Missions of Opportunity (MO) proposals will be solicited.

When available, the draft and final AO text will be posted on the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES): https://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/.

AO participation will be open to all categories of U.S. organizations, including educational institutions, industry, not-for-profit organizations, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, NASA Centers, and other Government agencies and non-U.S. organizations with some restrictions.

Cost Cap: The Principal Investigator-Managed Mission Cost (PIMMC) for Phases A-F of investigations will be capped at $170M (Fiscal Year 25 dollars), excluding NASA-provided launch services. The cost of any mission specific and special launch services is the responsibility of the PI and must be included within the PIMMC. Lower-cost investigations and cost-efficient operations are encouraged.

Access to Space: The standard launch performance capability will be consistent with the available certified Launch Vehicles on the NASA Launch Services II (NLS II) contract. The cost of mission specific and special launch services will be charged against the PIMMC. PI-provided access to space may not be proposed.

Space Communications: The NASA Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) will not be available to support missions proposed to this AO. Missions may propose the use of Direct-To-Earth (DTE) communication services through NASA’s Near Space Network (NSN) with the charges reflected as a reduction to the cost cap. Alternatively, proposers may choose to procure commercial services, either for DTE or as space relay communications, as an expense against the PIMMC. As information becomes available regarding NASA communication services, it will be provided in the “2025 Astrophysics SMEX Acquisition Program Library” to be hosted by the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) website.

Contributions: Contributions, including contributions from foreign partners, are welcome and will not be counted against the PIMMC, but the value of such contributions is constrained. The sum of contributions of any kind to the entirety of the investigation is not to exceed one-third (1/3) of the proposed PIMMC.

Additional Opportunities: Proposals for Student Collaborations and their evaluation are deferred to the Step-2 mission concept study. Proposals for Science Enhancement Options and their evaluation are deferred to the Step-2 mission concept study. Technology Demonstration Opportunities may not be proposed.

NASA is committed to a culture of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility where all employees feel welcome, valued, respected, and engaged. The AO will require an “Inclusion Plan” to capture the project vision for operating in an inclusive, equitable, and safe manner, and to improve the work environment over the course of the project. SMD provides general information about inclusion plans at: https://science.nasa.gov/researchers/inclusion.

The time frame for the solicitation is intended to be:

Release of draft AO	December 2024
Release of final AO	March 2025
Pre-proposal conference	~3 weeks after final AO release
Notice of Intent	NET 45 days after AO release
Proposals due	NET 90 days after AO release
Step 1 Selection announced	1st Quarter CY2026 (target)
SMEX Down-selection	Fall CY2027 (target)
SMEX launch readiness date	NLT 2nd Quarter CY 2031

NASA has not approved the issuance of the Astrophysics Division’s 2025 SMEX AO, and this community announcement does not obligate NASA to solicit proposals. Any costs incurred by prospective investigators in preparing submissions in response to this community announcement (CA) are incurred at the submitter's own risk. The forthcoming draft and final AOs may contain provisions that differ from this preliminary notice, in which case the provisions in the AO will take precedence. The draft and final AOs will be based on the Standard PI-led Mission AO Template available at https://soma.larc.nasa.gov/standardao/sao_templates.html.

Additional information will be posted, as it becomes available, by the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) Science Office for Mission Assessments (SOMA) on its 2025 Astrophysics SMEX Acquisition website at https://explorers.larc.nasa.gov/APSMEX25/SMEX/index.html.

Questions or comments about this intention to release an Astrophysics SMEX AO may be addressed via email only to Doris Daou, Astrophysics Small Explorers Program Lead Scientist, SMD, Doris.Daou@nasa.gov and E. Lucien Cox, Astrophysics Small Explorers Program Executive, SMD, elbert.l.cox@nasa.gov using subject line “APD 2025 SMEX CA”. Email questions/comments no later than September 20, 2024, 11:59 p.m. Eastern time. Depending on the nature of the question(s), NASA may respond on an individual basis by email or may post responses to inquiries on the Questions and Answers (Q&A) pages on the SOMA Explorer Program Acquisition website. Anonymity of persons or institutions submitting questions will be preserved.

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5. REMINDER: 2025A NASA Keck Call for Proposals (Proposals due September 12, 2024)

The NASA Exoplanet Science Institute is soliciting proposals to use NASA’s portion of time on the two 10m Keck Telescopes for the 2025A observing semester (February 1, 2025 - July 31, 2025).

The opportunity to propose as a Principal Investigator for NASA time on the Keck Telescopes is open to all U.S.-based astronomers. Investigators from institutions outside of the U.S. may participate as Co-Investigators on proposals for NASA Keck time.

NASA intends the use of the Keck telescopes to be highly strategic in support of on-going space missions and/or high priority, long-term science goals. Proposals are sought in the following discipline areas: (1) investigations of our own SOLAR SYSTEM; (2) investigations in support of EXOPLANET EXPLORATION science goals and missions; (3) investigations in support of COSMIC ORIGINS science goals and missions; and (4) investigations in support of PHYSICS OF THE COSMOS science goals and missions. Direct mission support proposals in any of these scientific areas are also encouraged.

Deadline: September 12, 2024: all proposals due to NExScI by 4 pm PDT
Website: http://nexsci.caltech.edu/missions/KeckSolicitation/index.shtml
Contact: KeckCFP@ipac.caltech.edu

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6. REMINDER: Input to ExEP Science Gap List (Input Requested by September 30, 2024)

The NASA Exoplanet Exploration Program (ExEP) is seeking community input on the ExEP Science Gap List (SGL) through September 30, 2024, with the goal of providing an updated version in early 2025:

The current 2023 version of the SGL is posted on the ExEP Program Science page (https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exep/science-overview/) at: https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/internal_resources/2749/ExEP_Science_Gap_List_2023_Final.pdf)

The Science Gap List (SGL) curates from community inputs program “science gaps”, which are defined as the difference between knowledge needed to define requirements for specified future NASA exoplanet missions and the current state of the art, or knowledge which is needed to enhance the science return of current and future NASA exoplanet missions. This gap list is a resource for the broader community, pointing to where focused science investigations are needed over the next 3-5 years in support of community ExEP goals. The ExEP Science Gap List represents activities and investigations that will advance the goals of NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program, and provides brief summaries in a convenient tabular format. The ExEP Science Gap list is meant to assist proposers in describing the relevance of their work to Program goals as they respond to SMD ROSES and mission observing proposal solicitations. All ExEP approaches, activities, and decisions are guided by science priorities, and those priorities are presented and summarized in the ExEP Science Gap List.

Please contact ExEP scientists Karl Stapelfeldt (Karl.R.Stapelfeldt@jpl.nasa.gov) & Eric Mamajek (Eric.Mamajek@jpl.nasa.gov) with any input for revisions to the SGL. Please put "ExEP Science Gap List Input" in the subject line.

The ExEP Exoplanet Program Science documents are available at: https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exep/science-overview/

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7. NASA Astrobiology Program Early Career Collaboration Awards (Deadline October 1, 2024)

NASA Astrobiology Program Early Career Collaboration Awards
Deadline October 1, 2024
astrobiology.nasa.gov/education/ecc/

The ECCA offers research-related travel support for undergraduate, graduate students, postdocs, and junior scientists. Applicants are encouraged to use these resources to circulate among two or more laboratories supported by the NASA Astrobiology Program (see https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/research/astrobiology-at-nasa/), however any travel that is critical for the applicant’s research will be considered. Requests are limited to $5,000. Travelers must be formally affiliated with a U.S. institution.

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8. ROSES-24 C.20 Interdisciplinary Consortia for Astrobiology Research Clarification

C.20 Interdisciplinary Consortia for Astrobiology Research (ICAR) seeks proposals that describe an interdisciplinary approach to a single compelling question in astrobiology, and address at least one aspect of the 2015 Astrobiology Strategy.

Section 3.3 "Step-1 Proposal Content and Submission Process" of C.20 Interdisciplinary Consortia for Astrobiology Research has been clarified to remind proposers that the references do not count against the 5-page limit for the technical / scientific section of the Step-1 proposal. New text is in bold. The proposal due dates remain unchanged: Step-1 proposals are due September 24, 2024, and Step-2 proposals are due January 16, 2025.

Questions concerning C.20 ICAR may be directed to Lindsay Hays at lindsay.hays@nasa.gov.

C.20 Interdisciplinary Consortia for Astrobiology Research: https://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary.do?solId=%7b3D196E9B-0D83-A882-C488-CA112557D945%7d&path=&method=init

2015 Astrobiology Strategy: https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/about/astrobiology-strategy/

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9. Circumplanetary Disks and Satellite Formation III (January 27-31, 2025, Kyoto, Japan)

Circumplanetary Disks and Satellite Formation III
January 27-31, 2025, Kyoto, Japan
Deadline for registration: December 31, 2024
Deadline for abstract submission: October 31, 2024
https://sites.google.com/view/cpdsf2025/home

The conference goal is active discussion of satellites' origins, including formation environments and processes, gas and particle dynamics around terrestrial and giant planets, and constraints from the Solar System and protostellar disk observations.

Topics:

• Formation and evolution of circumplanetary disks
• Observation of circumplanetary disks, rings and exomoons
• Satellite formation around terrestrial and giant planets
• Orbital evolution of moons
• Surface and internal evolution of moons
• Formation of planetary atmosphere
• Interaction between protoplanetary disk and embedded planet
• Space missions related to satellite formation

Scientific Organizing Committee: Yuri I. Fujii (Kyoto University, Chair), Jun Hashimoto (NAOJ), Shigeru Ida (Tokyo Institute of Technology), Jun Kimura (Osaka University), Takanori Sasaki (Kyoto University)

Local Organizing Committee: Yuri I. Fujii (Kyoto University, Chair), Shigeru Ida (Tokyo Institute of Technology), Takanori Sasaki (Kyoto University)

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10. Addendum: Habitable Worlds Observatory Spectral Retrieval Data Challenge Tutorial Workshop — SAVE THE DATE and SURVEY

The first Habitable Worlds Observatory Spectral Retrieval Workshop will be held on November 18-19, 2024, at the Space Telescope Science Institute. This workshop will be designed (1) to familiarize community members with the use of HWO spectral data, and (2) to prepare community members for the HWO Spectral Retrieval Community Data Challenge planned for 2025. We anticipate hosting up to 30 participants in person, with the potential for online viewing. Travel support may be available for U.S.-based participants. If you are interested in attending this workshop, please fill out the following survey to help us with planning the program: https://shorturl.at/dEWws.

1. 2025A NASA Keck Call for Proposals (Deadline: September 12, 2024, 4pm PDT)

The call for proposals for NASA Keck time in observing semester 2025A (February 1, 2025-July 31, 2025) is now open for professional research using the NASA allocation for telescope observing time at the W.M. Keck Observatory.

The opportunity to propose as a Principal Investigator (PI) for the NASA time on the Keck Telescopes is open to all U.S.-based astronomers, i.e. those with their principal affiliation at a U.S. institution.

2025 Call for Proposals for NASA-Allocated Observing Time on the Keck Telescopes: https://nexsci.caltech.edu/missions/KeckSolicitation/gen-info.shtml

Instruments Available for Semester 2025A: https://www2.keck.hawaii.edu/observing/instavail.html

NASA Keck 2025A Proposal Submission Form: https://catcopy.ipac.caltech.edu/nasakeck/proposal.php

Proposer Guidelines for NASA Keck Dual Anonymous Reviews: https://nexsci.caltech.edu/missions/KeckSolicitation/DAPR_proposer.shtml

Important Dates:

• August 9, 2024: NASA Keck Call for Proposals released
• September 12, 2024: All NASA Keck proposals due by 4 pm PDT
• December 1, 2024: Notification of NASA Keck TAC results
• February 1, 2025: Start of 2025A observing semester

Questions? KeckCFP@ipac.caltech.edu

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2. Call for Self-Nominations for the Roman Observations Time Allocation Committee (NOTE: Deadline August 12, 2024)

The primary goal of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is to maximize the scientific return from wide field near-infrared surveys. Roman's WFI observing program will include both Core Community Surveys and General Astrophysics Surveys (for which a minimum of 25% of Roman’s observing time will be reserved in the first five years), defined by a community-led process (https://roman.gsfc.nasa.gov/science/core_community_survey_definition.html) and traditional peer-reviewed calls for proposals. The majority of observing time during Roman’s primary 5-year mission will be devoted to community-defined surveys. It is the task of the Roman Observations Time Allocation Committee to review the survey implementation options recommended by the committees tasked with defining Roman’s community-defined surveys, and to advise the Roman Project at NASA/GSFC on which of the implementation options for each survey should be adopted. This committee will be charged with considering the balance between community-defined surveys and PI-led General Astrophysics Surveys.

Roman’s community-defined surveys include Roman’s Core Community Surveys (https://science.nasa.gov/mission/roman-space-telescope/observing-with-roman-surveys) as well as an Early Definition General Astrophysics Survey of the Galactic Plane (https://roman.gsfc.nasa.gov/science/Early-definition_Astrophysics_Survey_Assessment.html). Roman’s Core Community Surveys will include a High Latitude Wide Area survey, a High Latitude Time Domain survey, and a Galactic Bulge Time Domain survey. All Roman’s community-defined surveys will enable a wide range of general astrophysical investigations.

The ROTAC will be composed of members representing both the breadth and diversity of science to be enabled with the surveys, and that of the scientists who will use Roman through the community-defined surveys and the PI-led General Astrophysics Surveys. The ROTAC will be formed by late summer, 2024 and is expected to be active for approximately one year.

This call for self-nominations is the first step in forming the ROTAC. The full committee membership will be drawn from various sources, including but not limited to self-nominations.

For full details and context on this call for self-nominations, as well as submission instructions, please visit: https://roman.gsfc.nasa.gov/science/roman_time_allocation_committee.html.

For specific questions related to a submission, please email roman-help@bigbang.gsfc.nasa.gov with the subject line: “Roman ROTAC self-nomination.”

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3. JWST: Cycle 4 (Proposals due October 16, 2024)

STScI Invites Scientists To Submit Proposals for JWST Cycle 4
Release Date: August 01, 2024
Proposal Deadline: Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Call for Proposals:

https://jwst-docs.stsci.edu/jwst-opportunities-and-policies/jwst-call-for-proposals-for-cycle-4

We are pleased to announce the release of the Cycle 4 Call for Proposals for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) General Observer time and funding for Archival Research and Theoretical Research programs.

Participation in this program is open to all categories of organizations, both domestic and foreign, including educational institutions, profit and nonprofit organizations, NASA Centers, and other government agencies.

Proposals are due by 8 p.m. US Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday, October 16, 2024. The version of the Astronomer's Proposal Tools (APT) required for proposal submission is 2024.5 or higher (https://www.stsci.edu/scientific-community/software/astronomers-proposal-tool-apt). This version will be delivered around August 22, 2024. We encourage prospective investigators to start preparing their proposals as soon as possible.

The Cycle 4 Telescope Allocation Committee will meet at the end of January/early February 2025, with selections announced in March 2025.

For details, please consult the full Call for Proposals (https://jwst-docs.stsci.edu/jwst-opportunities-and-policies/jwst-call-for-proposals-for-cycle-4). There have been significant changes, notably to page lengths and Science Categories. Please be sure to consult the What's New section for more information. Questions may be submitted to the JWST Help Desk (https://stsci.service-now.com/jwst).

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4. JWST: Call for Community Input on Rocky Worlds DDT Targets & Nominations for its Science Advisory Committee (Targets due September 6, 2024; Nominations to SAC due August 27, 2024; Information Session August 16, 2024, 11am EDT)

As recently announced (https://www.stsci.edu/contents/news/jwst/2024/stsci-initiates-a-concerted-search-for-atmospheres-around-m-dwarf-exoplanets), STScI is starting a large-scale, multi-year survey of rocky M-dwarf exoplanets — the Rocky Worlds DDT Program — using around 500 hours of Director’s Discretionary Time on the James Webb Space Telescope to search for atmospheres in more than a dozen nearby systems. Approximately 250 orbits of ultraviolet observations with the Hubble Space Telescope will be used to characterize the system’s host star UV properties.

The Program is currently seeking input from the community on:

• The Targets Under Consideration (TUC) list as well as comments on the program observing strategy (due September 6, 2024). For more information on this call for input, please see the Dear Colleague Letter related to the TUC (https://outerspace.stsci.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=261161543).
• Nominations (including self-nominations) to be part of the external Science Advisory Council (SAC; due August 27, 2024), whose aim is to provide advice on all aspects of the program, including target selection, data verification, and equitable community interactions. For more information on this call for nominations, please see the Dear Colleague Letter related to SAC Nominations (https://outerspace.stsci.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=261161545).

The Program’s Core Implementation Team’s (CIT) Leadership, Néstor Espinoza and Hannah Diamond-Lowe, will be holding a virtual information session focused on the process for those two calls for community input above on Friday, August 16th at 11 AM ET via WebEx. The call will be recorded. Please submit your questions for this session in advance via Slido.

Webex: https://stsci.webex.com/wbxmjs/joinservice/sites/stsci/meeting/download/eb72f96279f94fadaf825cee74d3f401?siteurl=stsci&MTID=maf80a9613a67aaef63c5144c2a4cd865

Slido: https://app.sli.do/event/6STUWBa9pgqJfr2nvKFJTv?_gl=1*fyxdoz*_gcl_au*MjA5MTg3NTgyMC4xNzIyNDg1OTUy