China and ESAC exchange experience on satellite instrument calibration and science operations
groupphoto of the China-ESAC astronomic satellite instrument calibration and science operations workshop |
China has not launched any space astronomic satellite yet, and so has little experience as to the science operations and instrument calibration. During the workshop, the Chinese participants reported on the problems and challenges that need to be tackled, the ESAC scientists delivered 22 talks covering a wide range of science operations and calibration of ESA astronomic satellites, such as the contributions from the users' group to project development, software development and maintenance in a distributed environment, X-ray calibration and data processing, etc. After extended discussions, the Chinese attendees received a lot of valuable suggestions.
Prof. David Southwood, ESA Director of Science and Robotic Exploration, spoke highly of the serious and active attitude of the Chinese scientists in the workshop, which would also encourage ESAC staff in their future research. It was decided that a joint working group would be set up and three or four experts from each side would be chosen to draft plans for collaboration in the next year for the official approval of CAS and ESA.
After the meeting, the IHEP attendees visited the Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica and University of Ferrara in Italy to discuss the HXMT instruments and possible collaboration between the two institutes. Minutes of the meeting were also signed.