RxA3 – future status.

Following on from the acceptance of the future operational model and staff reductions at the JAC staff by the JCMT Advisory Panel and Board in November, come implications for the future operational status of RxA3. The International Review of the JCMT in 1999 recognised the lower priority of RxA3 in the overall strategic plan and while it is readily accepted that high quality science results from its use, RxA3 is now starting to show its age. It has a number of components that are well and truly obsolete (including a 5.25-inch boot floppy disk drive). While the builders are perfectly willing to upgrade these, the effort to do so is not available in the near future. Furthermore, with the prioritisation of the future JCMT instrument (see Director's Report) it is clear that should RxA3 fail catastrophically sometime in the medium-term, it is probable that there will not be the effort, funding or scientific priority to ensure its resurrection. After discussions with the ITAC it was felt important that this information be widely promulgated. Therefore, this is a notification to potential users. If you have high quality RxA3 programmes in the pipeline you are urged to apply for time sooner rather than later, preferably over the coming year or so. This gives the maximum opportunity to have your programmes satisfactorily completed, either as prime programme or as backup. This call also embraces extensive survey-type programmes, which require significant observing time that can readily be undertaken in backup conditions. While RxA3 can continue to do high quality science, it is important that we maximise its capability, which will not last forever.