Extreme Precision Doppler Spectrometer (EPDS)

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/NASA_Solicits_Proposals_for_Precision_Doppler_Spectrometer_at_Kitt_Peak_National_Observatory_999.html


The spectrometer, funded by NASA, will be deployed on an existing telescope at Kitt Peak, the 3.5-meter WIYN telescope. The National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), which is funded by NSF, is a partner in the telescope and operates Kitt Peak
The new spectrometer will be a world-class precision radial velocity instrument, with a minimum velocity precision of better than 0.5 m/s (1 mph) and a goal of 0.1 m/s (0.2 mph).
NASA has established an aggressive development schedule for the new spectrometer in order to make the instrument available for use by the astronomical community on a timescale relevant to the availability of data from the TESS mission (mid-FY18).

Quote :

For context, the leisurely speed of 0.2 mph is close to the top speed of a desert tortoise; and 1 mph is similar to the sprint speed of a gila monster.

I now petition to change the unit of K to "the cruise speed of a gila monster".

Anyway… this is good news! As far as I recall, this is the first time a next-generation spectrograph has been planned for a site in the northern hemisphere. It will be invaluable for missions like Kepler and TESS, and for radial velocity studies as a whole.

There will be SPIROU (CFHT) and IRD (Subaru) at Mauna Kea (first light 2017 and 2015)
CARMENS (3.5m Calar Alto, Spain) first light 2015
HPF (Hobby-Eberly telescope) first light 2015, HORUS (Gran telescope, Canarias)

Shellface wrote:

I now petition to change the unit of K to "the cruise speed of a gila monster".

I'll second that.

Like the banana unit of radioactivity?