The two 10-meter Keck telescopes are operated for the California Association for Research in Astronomy (CARA), the University of Hawaii (UH), NASA, and the California Institute of Technology by the W. M. Keck Observatory in Waimea, HI.
NExScI administers the partnership between NASA and Keck by issuing the twice yearly Call for Proposals, facilitating the Time Allocation Committee, and managing the awarded contracts.
NASA intends for the use of Keck telescopes to be highly-strategic, in support of ongoing missions and/or high-priority, long-term science goals. The NASA Keck Call for Proposals is open to a wide range of disciplines, spanning exoplanets and solar system objects to galactic, extragalactic, and cosmology topics.
The opportunity to propose as a Principal Investigator (PI) for NASA time on the Keck Telescopes is open to all U.S.-based astronomers (i.e., those whose principal affiliation is at a U.S. institution).
Subject to availability of funds, PIs of programs awarded time will receive limited research and travel funding with the amount determined through formulaic means. Successful Target of Opportunity and twilight observing proposals do not receive financial support since the observations may never be triggered. NExScI manages the Keck PI Data Awards and will contract with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to administer their disbursement.
The Remote Observing Facility (ROF) at IPAC (Pasadena, CA) is available for use by NASA Keck time awardees. Scientists wishing to use the IPAC ROF should start the approval process 5 weeks in advance of their scheduled observations.
WMKO also supports at-home (pajama mode) observing for experienced observers. Please see here for information about Keck remote observing, including at-home observing.
NExScI and WMKO maintain the Keck Observatory Archive (KOA), an archiving and access system for data collected with all past and present Keck instruments. All Keck data are publicly accessible following the 12-month (for NASA Keck data collected after 2023A) or 18-month (for other Keck partner institutions) period of exclusive use.
NExScI also administers the NASA IRTF Keck Users' Group (NIKUG). The NIKUG reviews all aspects of the operations of the facilities, including budgets, observing proposal review, visitor support, telescope performance, maintenance, instrumentation, operational procedures, scientific results, and future plans. The group meets twice a year and reports to NASA Headquarters. Current membership of the NASA Keck NIKUG can be found here.
This NASA Keck web site is intended for professional researchers who wish to submit proposals for the NASA allocation of observing time at the W. M. Keck Observatory. For general public information, please visit the Keck Home Page.
(last updated February 13th, 2025 16:51:03)
The NASA Exoplanet Science Institute is operated by the California Institute of Technology, under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under the Exoplanet Exploration Program.
