In order to submit a proposal, every observed must accomplish the following steps:

• Fill a Proposal Form that contains all the relevant information (target name and coordinates, experimental configuration, observing times and temporal constraints if requested)
• Write a Scientific Justification Form (maximum lenght: 4 pages)

We just remind hereafter the general structure of the Proposal Form.

The overall structure of a Proposal Form is the following:

• General Information Form
  • Pointing Form #1
    • Instrument Form#1 for pointing#1
    • Instrument Form#2 for pointing#1
    • ...
    • Instrument Form#n for pointing#1
  • Pointing Form#2
    • Instrument Form#1 for pointing#2
    • Instrument Form#2 for pointing#2
    • ...
    • Instrument Form#3 for pointing#2
  • ...
• Additional Information Form
• Scientific Justification Form

The Pointing Information Form includes target name and coordinates, temporal duration and constraints for each pointing. One Form for each pointing must be filled, even if they refer to the same target, unless a special temporal constraints is requested that allows to fill just one Target Form and a special Number of Pointing keyword. The relevant Temporal Constraints are:

• Periodically Repeated Observations
• Aperiodically Repeated Observations

The Instrument Information Form includes the experimental configuration of each instrument per pointing. One Form for each instrument to be used must be filled.

An Additional Information Form must be filled in case of TOO observation and can be filled in case of STANDARD observations with special requirements, especially temporal ones.

The Scientific Justification Form must be submitted via the SDC ftp server as described in the BeppoSAX AO5 Announcement of Opportunity. It cannot be written with SPASS.

After starting SPASS, one will be asked to fill first the General Information and then each Pointing and any relevant Instrument Form. Each Form will be validated separately against trivial format or out-of-range errors, according to a step-by-step procedure. After the last Instrument Form has been filled, the observer will be asked to submit the proposal. The submission automatically sends via e-mail the Proposal Form to saxao5@sax.sdc.asi.it. A copy is also sent to the Principal Investigator e-mail address.

WARNING: A maximum number of 10 Co-Is is presently available with SPASS. If the proposal include more than 10 Co-Is, we suggest the following procedure:

• Fill the Forms with SPASS including only the first 10 of the Co-Is' list
• At the end of the Form compilation, view the complete ASCII Proposal Form and save it locally with the browser Save As... option
• Edit the Proposal Form with an editor whatsoever and complete the Co-Is' list manually
• E-mail the Proposal Form with the complete list to saxao5@sax.sdc.asi.it (as specified in the AO)

IMPORTANT: If during the validation of your proposal you'd find a 500 Server Error message, it would be greatly appreciated if you:

• mail it to helpdesk@sax.sdc.asi.it with the Subject: SPASS 500 Server Error

If you want to start the tool, please click here

Viel SPASS mit SAX!