UK Astronomy Science and Technology Roadmap: STFC Astronomy Advisory Panel Roadmap 2022

TL;DR

This roadmap outlines the UK astronomy community's science and technology priorities for future funding, emphasizing ground-based infrastructure and technology development for diverse astronomical research areas.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive strategic plan based on community consultations, highlighting priorities for infrastructure and technology investments in UK astronomy.

Findings

Prioritized ground-based facilities and technologies for UK astronomy.

Recognition of the importance of STFC-funded tech for ESA science programs.

Strategic guidance for future funding and infrastructure development.

Abstract

This document summarises the UK astronomy community's science and technology priorities for funding and investments in the coming decades, following a series of national community consultations by the Astronomy Advisory Panel of the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). The facility remit of STFC is ground-based so the infrastructure recommendations are necessarily also ground-based, but the report also recognises the importance of STFC-funded technology development for, and science exploitation of, the ESA science program including but not limited to X-ray, gamma-ray and multimessenger astronomy.