Amendment 28: NICER GO Final Text

ROSES-18 Amendment 28: This amendment releases final text for program element D.12 NICER Guest Observer Cycle-1.

The Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) is an X-ray experiment on the International Space Station dedicated to high-resolution timing and spectroscopy of neutron stars and other rapidly variable X-ray sources in the 0.2-12 keV band. Following the end of its prime mission, NASA is initiating a Guest Observer (GO) program during a "bridge" mission extension that bridges the period between the prime mission and the Senior Review-recommended extended mission, should the Senior Review committee meeting in Spring 2019 recommend it. Proposals for observations with NICER addressing all areas of astrophysics are solicited, with limited amount of funding available in FY19. Proposers also have the opportunity to request coordinated NuSTAR observations of their proposed NICER targets. A total of up to 400 ks of NuSTAR observing time is available within this Cycle.

Proposals will be submitted in two stages, with Phase 1 focusing on the science goals and observation parameters. Selected Phase-1 proposers will be invited to submit a budget for Phase 2. Phase-1 proposals are due by 4:30 p.m. Eastern time on December 20, 2018, via ARK/RPS, see Section 2.2.1 of the call for proposals for details.

Technical questions concerning this program element may be directed to Keith Gendreau at Keith.C.Gendreau@nasa.gov.
The NASA point of contact for programmatic information is Rita Sambruna who may be reached at Rita.M.Sambruna@nasa.gov.