SODRM
The new 2012 edition of the Science Operations Design Reference Mission (SODRM) is a major exercise in simulating the scientific program of the observatory. The new SODRM updates the 2005 version and is designed to represent the range and depth of science programs that JWST will carry out in its first year of science operations. Its main purpose is to provide a realistic test bed for the design and implementation of the JWST ground system at STScI, and for simulations of the operating schedule for the observatory and its instruments. The 112 SODRM programs cover a wide range of science and calibrations from a broad cross-section of scientists from the STScI, GSFC, and the JWST instrument teams. The SODRM 2012 programs do not represent actual allocations or reservations of observing time; the real JWST observing programs will consist primarily of programs competitively selected by the Telescope Allocation Committee (TAC), plus Guaranteed Time Observations (GTO).
Over the long term, we expect to use the SODRM extensively to improve the JWST ground and flight operational systems. The SODRM deliberately exercises all the instrument modes and invokes a wide range of special requirements for mosaics, orient specifications, and timing. Such requirements test the limits of our ability to plan, schedule, and execute observations with this complex facility. In the near term, we are using the SODRM to identify the observational overheads with the greatest impact on observational efficiency. We will continue to update the SODRM as our system and the science evolves, and we expect to solicit community input in future iterations.
Summary of SODRM Programs by Category
The following table provides with a summary of the SODRM programs by science/calibration category. In each category, the table gives the number of programs, the total time in days, and the percentage of the total time. There are 112 SODRM programs comprised of 70 science programs and 42 calibration programs. The total time for the SODRM 2012 is 649 days = 1.78 years.
| Category | # of Programs | Total Time [days] | Percentage of Total Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar System | 8 | 51.3 | 7.9% |
| Exoplanets | 14 | 104.4 | 16.1% |
| Galactic | 19 | 132.3 | 20.4% |
| Nearby Galaxies | 13 | 111.3 | 17.2% |
| Distant Galaxy & Cosmology | 16 | 204.5 | 31.5% |
| Instrument Calibration | 40 | 31.9 | 4.9% |
| Observation Calibration | 2 | 13.0 | 2.0% |
| Total | 112 | 648.7 | 100.0% |
Different representations of the distribution of the SODRM programs illustrate how all of the expected science and calibration areas are well represented in the SODRM 2012.