Program News and Announcements

7 July 2025

HWO Community Science & Instrument Team (CSIT) Established

Building on the foundation of the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) Technology Maturation Project Office (TMPO), NASA is now establishing the HWO Community Science & Instrument Team (CSIT). This team is crucial for bringing the expertise of the scientific community directly into the early stages of planning for the Habitable Worlds Observatory.

Specifically, the CSIT will:

• Serve as key liaisons to the broader scientific community, fostering communication and ensuring wide input into the mission's development.
• Lead scientific investigations to help the project establish the observatory's primary science objectives and requirements.
• Analyze TMPO-provided science instrument concepts and support basic instrument definition.
• Provide valuable scientific perspectives on the technology development plans that will enable HWO to achieve its goals.

• David Charbonneau (Harvard), Co-Chair
• Evgenya Shkolnik (Arizona State), Co-Chair
• Michael Bottom (U. Hawaii)
• Eric Burns (LSU)
• Richard Cartwright (JHU-APL)
• Ewan Douglas (U. Arizona)
• Kevin France (LASP/CU Boulder)
• Scott Gaudi (Ohio State)
• Rebecca Jensen-Clem (UCSC)
• Janice Lee (STScI)
• Victoria Meadows (U. Washington)
• Chris Packham (UT San Antonio)
• Laurent Pueyo (STScI)
• Tyler Robinson (U. Arizona)
• Jason Tumlinson (STScI)