The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is pleased to announce the release of its Cycle 6 Call for Proposals (CfP) on May 1, 2017.

The Call solicits proposals from the U.S., and international, astronomical community for approximately 500 hours of SOFIA observations, and is issued on behalf of NASA by the Universities Space Research Association (USRA).  The proposal deadline is June 30, 2017, and the Cycle 6 observing period will be from February 2, 2018 to February 1, 2019.  NASA expects approximately $5M to be available for support of U.S. affiliated investigators.

Instruments offered for Cycle 6 observations are: (1) the EXES mid-IR high-resolution spectrometer, (2) the FIFI-LS far-IR imaging spectrometer, (3) the FORCAST mid-IR camera, including its grism spectrometer (4) the FPI+ camera in science mode (5) the GREAT heterodyne spectrometer, and (6) The HAWC+ far-IR imager and polarimeter.  New in Cycle 6 is the availability of the GREAT dual-array mode LFA/HFA, as well as two of the bands in the new lower-frequency 4GREAT receiver.

Starting with the Cycle 6 Call for Proposals the proposal category “Thesis Enabling Programs” is introduced, specifically aimed at supporting graduate student research.

For further details, please see:https://www.sofia.usra.edu/science/proposing-and-observing/proposal-calls/cycle-6