_                   
                                                         |_|                  
      V   V   SSSS   OOO   PPPP                 \__      |_|      __/         
      V   V  S      O   O  P   P                   --____/ \____--            
      V   V   SSS   O   O  PPPP                    _ _ _ --- _ _ _            
       V V       S  O   O  P                      |_|_|_|  @|_|_|_|           
        V    SSSS    OOO   P                             o-o                  
                                                          /                   
      ***  N    E    W    S  ***                        <)                    

HALCA STATUS

HALCA's spin axis has precessed toward the preferred direction, with the two cooler reaction wheels having warmed up somewhat. Testing of reaction wheel D has shown encouraging signs that it may be able to be restarted once it has warmed to at least 20 C.

VSOP-2 PROPOSAL

The ISAS Science Steering Committee met last month to receive and consider the Mission Evaluation Sub-committee report. The report recognized that both the VSOP-2 and NeXT (X-ray) proposals: would make significant scientific advancements in their field; had designed appropriate instrumentation to meet their science goals; had identified their respective technical challenges and demonstrated advanced planning in addressing these; and would require a level of international collaboration. The sub-committee ranked both missions highly, and regarded them as being practically equal. However, as the project group structure of NeXT was deemed to be slightly better organized, the evaluation sub-committee recommended NeXT as the next science mission. The ISAS Engineering Steering Committee had previously selected the Solar-Sail mission as its choice for the next mission, and it was anticipated that the decision between these two missions would be made in the near future.

However, the Advisory Council for Research and Management met last week and decided that no new mission will be included in the ISAS budget plan for the 2005 fiscal year, partly because of the tight budgetary profile that already exists for the next few years from previously selected missions, and partly in recognition of the fact that a strong coherent overall plan for space science in Japan is required to strengthen the case for future budget requests. Details of the implications of this decision will be reported in future issues of VSOP news.

In any case, the VSOP-2 team, encouraged by the high ranking received, will be revising and improving its proposal for submission in the next round. It is likely that some development funding will be available to continue the studies of the main antenna, rapid slewing with CMGs, etc, made to date. Ongoing support and assistance from the domestic and international community will be required for the submission of an even more competitive proposal.

VSOP TEAM

The National Astronomical Observatory (NAOJ) has joined several molecular, nuclear, and biological institutes to form a new organization, while keeping its own identity, from the beginning of this month. Also, NAOJ is changing to a project-based structure, with Space VLBI being approved as one of the Observatory's projects. Prof. M. Inoue is the project manager and VSOP-2 is the group's main focus. With the new fiscal year starting at the beginning of April, a number of personnel changes have also taken place. Keiichi Asada has joined the Space VLBI project at NAOJ as a postdoc, and Kiyoaki Wajima has taken up a postdoctoral position at the Korea Astronomy Observatory, working on the Korean VLBI Network.

                Editors: Phil Edwards and Hirax Hirabayashi