FGS Instrument Handbook for Cycle 24

help@stsci.edu

5.5	Special Calibrations

It is expected that the same calibrations outlined here for recent cycles and the current Cycle 23 plan will be maintained for Cycle 24.

It is the intention of STScI to develop a calibration program that most effectively balances the needs of the community for obtaining excellent science results from the instrument with the limited resources available(e.g., a nominal limit of 10% time available for calibration). Common uses of the instrument will be fully calibrated.

In special circumstances proposers may wish to request additional orbits for the purpose of calibration. These can be proposed in two ways and should be for calibrations that are not likely to be in the core calibration programs. An example of a non-core calibration would be one that needs to reach precision levels well in excess of those outlined in Tables 5.1 and 5.2.

The first type of special calibration would simply request additional orbits within a GO program for the purpose of calibrating the science data to be obtained (see the Call for Proposals). In this case the extra calibration would only need to be justified on the basis of the expected science return of the GO's program.

The second type of special calibration would be performed as a general service to the community via Calibration Proposals (Section 3.6 of CP). In this case the calibration observations should again be outside the core responsibilities of the FGS group to perform, and furthermore should be directed at supporting general enhancement of FGS capabilities with the expectation of separately negotiated deliverables if time is granted.

Proposers interested in obtaining either type of special calibration should consult with Instrument Scientists from the FGS Group via questions to the Help Desk at least 14 days before the proposal deadline in order to ascertain if the proposed calibrations would be done at STScI in the default program.

Observations obtained for calibration programs will generally be flagged as non-proprietary.