[somewhat OT] Status of the Space Interferometer Mission (SIM)

I know some of you are interested in this sort of thing (the goings-on
with
space projects of NASA and all), so sending it out.
Skip/delete/blow-it-away
if isn't something of interest to you. :)

Mk
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To:	OPUSOPS@stsci.edu
Subj:	news for the Space Interferometer Mission

To:	STScI Management Council
From:	Steve Beckwith, Director
Date:	1999 September 29
Subject:	STScI and the NASA/JPL Space Interferometer Mission 

Many of you will know that the Space Interferometer Mission (SIM) is
the next large mission for astrophysics in the Origins Program after
SIRTF. SIM has a projected launch date of June 2006; JPL has been
designated as the lead center for this mission.

Within the next few months NASA-HQ is planning on issuing an AO
inviting proposals for membership on the SIM Science Team and for Key
Projects to be carried out with SIM.  Besides the intrinsic scientific
interest in SIM, which may motivate some of our staff to respond to
this AO on their own, there are Institutional interests in becoming
involved in SIM science and SIM operations in the near future which
have persuaded me to focus some additional resources on responding to
this AO. One major area where STScI could play a role is in organizing
and supporting the imaging observing mode of SIM.