Chandra Users Committee Report Minutes -- 25-26 January, 2005


Attendees: Vassiliki Kalogera, Julia Lee, Knox Long (chair), Smita Mathur, Chris Mauche, Chris Reynolds, Maria Santos-Lleo, Steve Snowden, Greg Taylor, Allyn Tennant (ex-officio) & Leisa Townsley

The Chandra users committee met in Cambridge on 25-26 January, shortly after one of the largest snowstorms of the last twenty years.  Nevertheless, most members of the committee were able to attend, including new members Smita Mathur, Chris Mauche, Maria Santos-Lleo, and Leisa Townsley. 

The first day of the meeting was devoted to presentations by CXC staff.  Briefly:

 

General Conclusions

Based on this meeting, our own experience, and from conversations with colleagues, the CUC applauds the high quality of support provided by the CXC to the community.  Although somewhat concerned about the impacts on observing implied by the rise in temperature of the EPHIN and of the problems associated with possibly freezing of the hydrazine lines, Chandra itself seems in good health and poised to continue to produce breakthrough science for the foreseeable future. 

The CUC appreciates the positive responses given to nearly all of the recommendations made by the CUC following its June 2005 meeting.   We also appreciate the time and effort of all the presenters, and of those who helped to assure that we were able to get to and from Boston without too much hardship.  We have detailed a number of specific suggestions for the CXC to consider for the future.  The fact that these recommendations appear longer in length than our General Conclusions should not, however, obscure the fact that the CUC feels that the users are quite generally positive about the level and quality of user support and enthusiastic about Chandra as a mission.

We have detailed a number of specific suggestions for the CXC to consider for the future.  The fact that these recommendations appear longer in length than our General Conclusions should not, however, obscure the fact that the CUC feels that the users are quite generally positive about the level and quality of user support and enthusiastic about Chandra as a mission

Specific Recommendations: