/observer/rt-quicklook-services/rt-services
February 10, 1995

The ST ScI's Observation Support System (OSS) and Post-Observation Data
Processing System (PODPS) teams are being merged.  The new organization will 
be called OPUS, the OSS-PODPS Unified System.  

While the procedures to be followed by the OPUS team are still being developed
and will probably continue to be developed throughout 1995, a broad outline
of how existing services will change can be sketched.  The new, more restricted
services were implemented on January 16, 1995.

Most of the services these two teams currently supply will continue, though
there may be some changes in how they are implemented.

  1) Real-time commanding for interactive acquisitions and other required
     uplinks identified in your proposals will continue with no change to
     you, the observer. 

     If you request, OPUS team members will still handle the real-time 
     decision for you.  As before, you will have to provide sufficient 
     information to them concerning the expected field. 

  2) Requests for unscheduled pointing corrections must be made at least 
     24 hours in advance of the observations (72 hours if the pointing 
     correction must be implemented after midnight and before 8 am).  These 
     must be accompanied by a scientific justification.  Requests are 
     evaluated for scientific impact, for feasibility and for effect 
     on current operations before they are approved. 

  3) You may inspect the observations on a quick look basis on the operations 
     computers if specifically requested in the proposal.  Unless the proposal
     logsheet specifies "RT analysis" or "INT ACQ", the observations will not
     be available until after they enter the production pipeline.  If your
     proposal does not identify a quick look requirement, you still may request 
     quick look inspection of observations if you justify why you cannot wait
     for access through the DADS and if the request is made at least a week 
     in advance. 

     If a spacecraft or instrument emergency is declared, quick look inspection
     will be provided to the instrument scientists and engineers without prior
     approval. 

  4) The OPUS team will continue to inspect observations and the concurrent 
     engineering data to determine whether there are anomalies with the 
     execution of the observations or with the performance of the instrument.
     Deficiencies that might decrease the scientific utility of the data will
     be documented in the PDQ files. 

     This inspection will occur after the concurrent engineering data 
     are received in the production pipeline.  Typically the receipt of the
     engineering data will be 24 to 48 hours after the observation occurs. 

     Real-time target acquisitions and unscheduled pointing corrections will 
     continue to be documented in the Observer's Comment files (OCX files).

  5) You will still be notified of failed and missing observations though
     notification will be less timely due to the delay in receiving the 
     engineering data. 

  6) "Fast track" transfer of science data is discouraged, but will still be 
     provided if sufficiently justified.  

     Observations will no longer be available routinely in near real-time 
     in the OPUS era.  Generally science data will only be available after 
     it has entered the production pipeline.  This typically occurs within 
     24 hours after they are transmitted from the HST. 

     Unless problems occur in the data calibration stage, the data are not
     expected to be available for "fast track" much earlier than they are
     transferred to the DADS archive system.  Therefore, requests for the 
     "fast track" must justify why you cannot wait for access through the 
     DADS. 


Several services will not be supported after the end of January.

  1) OPUS will not have a store of near real-time engineering data for anomaly
     investigation.  Instrument engineers will take the lead in obtaining any 
     needed data from the ESS system at Goddard.  

  2) OPUS will not provide round the clock on-call support for science 
     instrument or spacecraft anomaly investigation. 

  3) OPUS will not have a capability to use unscheduled real-time commanding 
     for rescuing observations after a failed onboard target acquisition. 

OPUS staff can be contacted with e-mail at OSSOPS@STSCI.EDU or by phone at 
410/338-4414.