Skip to main content

To bring the optical and radio communities and facilities together, the ORP Consortium sets as a priority Transnational and Virtual Access (TA & VA) in an integrated approach, as well as providing the tools for facilitating scientific research and research data exchange at an international level. Thus, the Pilot also aims at supporting both established and new scientists to pursue truly multi-wavelength projects across multiple facilities

The ORP Pilot’s objectives are the following

  1. Provide Transnational and Virtual access to radio and optical facilities including rapid response capabilities;
  2. Improve Services offered by the facilities by developing a new common framework for data access and processing, as well as simplified procedures across the spectrum; and provide support and training for multi-wavelength astronomers;
  3. Harmonize processes by developing common standards for observation requests and specifications and implement a new single access point proposal tool with interfaces to existing proposal tools for related large astronomy facilities;  
  4. Develop on-line services to improve every aspect of this process, specifically targeting trans-national and multi-wavelength access, while benefiting all science areas;
  5. Mapping and analysing access modalities to foster exchange of good practices among stakeholders, service providers and the astronomy community; 
  6. Contributing to astronomy sustainability: contribute to efforts to raise awareness of and mitigate against the effects of low-earth satellite constellations that are impacting both radio and optical wavelengths. 
  7. Review and understand the basis of access provision for all current and future facilities (including large-scale ESFRI facilities), the funding mechanisms and models available to enable transnational access, and the scope to enhance and sustain open access that includes defining a future relationship between astronomical facilities, national funding agencies and the European Commission.