The role of the US National Office in the Gemini partnership

TL;DR

This paper traces the history and evolving role of the US National Gemini Office, emphasizing its importance in advocating for US astronomers and maintaining access to major 8m-class telescopes amidst financial challenges.

Contribution

It provides a detailed historical analysis of the US National Gemini Office's development and proposes its strategic role in supporting US astronomy interests.

Findings

The US NGO has evolved significantly since the 1990s.

Major milestones include telescope dedication and instrumentation reshaping.

The US NGO is vital for advocating US interests and preserving open access.

Abstract

We follow the history of the US National Gemini Office from its origin when the US National New Technology Telescope was reshaped into two 8m telescopes for the International Gemini Observatory. The development of the office in the decade of the 1990s continues to shape its function to the present. The following decade, 2000-2010, marked major milestones including the dedication of the telescopes, the reshaping of the Gemini instrumentation program, and dissatisfaction of the US community as expressed in the ALTAIR report. Nationally funded facilities are under financial pressure, as new projects must be funded from a nearly fixed budget. We will discuss how the US NGO should be used to advocate for both the US community and the Gemini Observatory. This role could be an essential one in protecting open access to 8m-class facilities.