The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) have agreed that limited subsidy would be provided to guest observers on the Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF). NASA provides visitor support for NASA related research which occupies approximately 50 percent of the observing time. The remaining observing time is available for observational programs of general scientific interest. The NSF provides funds for visitor support for the non-NASA mission related research. The support consists of (1) payment of food and lodging costs for three members of a visiting observing team; (2) the cost of transportation of sponsored visitors from Hilo to the Mid-Level Facility and the summit of Mauna Kea; (3) payment for half of the costs of publishing the results of the research conducted on the IRTF; and (4) the cost of the cryogens used by the scientists for their observations. The Infrared Telescope Facility is located at an altitude of approximately 13,500 feet near the summit of Mauna Kea on the Island of Hawaii. Mauna Kea was selected as the site of the IRTF because it is clearly one of the world's best accessible sites for infrared observations. The IRTF is being operated as a nationally available facility for astronomical research by the University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy under an annually renewable contract which provides for complete NASA funding for all operating costs.
