# GTC Observing Time Opportunity for the US and Chilean Community

**URL:** <https://www.rubin.community/t/gtc-observing-time-opportunity-for-the-us-and-chilean-community/12233>\
**Category:** Announcements\
**Tags:** in-kind\
**Created:** [July 2, 2026, 3:40pm UTC](https://www.rubin.community/t/gtc-observing-time-opportunity-for-the-us-and-chilean-community/12233 "2026-07-02T15:40:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![steven.margheim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@steven.margheim](https://www.rubin.community/u/steven.margheim)\
**Post date:** [July 2, 2026, 3:40pm UTC](https://www.rubin.community/t/gtc-observing-time-opportunity-for-the-us-and-chilean-community/12233/1 "2026-07-02T15:40:23Z")

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Hello Rubin Community,

We are pleased to announce a unique opportunity to secure high-impact observations on a premier 10m-class facility. Through the Rubin Observatory International In-kind Program, a special allocation of approximately 2 nights per semester on the 10.4-meter Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) is now available to the US and Chilean astronomical community.

This time is contributed jointly via the Spanish in-kind initiatives ESP-BCM-S5 (Barcelona-Madrid) and ESP-IAC-S1 (Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias). This inaugural cycle marks the beginning of an expected 10-year program spanning the lifetime of the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST).

For full program details, including capacity caps and scientific scope management, please see the attached PDF.

### How the Process Works

Because this observing time is integrated into the Spanish national allocation, proposals must follow a collaborative workflow:

- **1. Submit a Letter of Intent (LoI):** PIs from the US or Chilean community must submit a brief LoI outlining their teams, science case, targets, and instrument requirements.
- **2. Technical Review & Matchmaking:** The Spanish In-kind Coordination Team will evaluate LoIs for feasibility. Successful LoIs will be paired with a Spanish host institution scientist who will serve as the formal PI for the proposal.
- **3. Full Proposal Submission:** Paired teams will jointly prepare and submit a full proposal to the Spanish Time Allocation Committee (TAC).

### Key Information

- **Eligibility:** Open to all astronomers affiliated with US institutions and the Chilean astronomical community.
- **Available Instruments:** Time can be requested for any standard, currently operating GTC instruments, including OSIRIS+, EMIR, MEGARA, and HiPERCAM.
- **Collaboration Terms:** A Spanish co-PI is a procedural requirement to submit to the Spanish TAC. While deeper international scientific connections are highly encouraged, fully integrated collaborations are not a strict requirement.

### Important Timeline Milestones

| **Milestone** | **Date** |
| --- | --- |
| Announcement of Opportunity Released | July 2, 2026 |
| **Letters of Intent (LoI) Due** | **August 7, 2026** |
| Matchmaking & Feasibility Notifications | Late August 2026 |
| Official GTC Call for Proposals Opens | September 1, 2026 |
| **Hard Deadline for Spanish TAC Submission** | **October 1, 2026** |

### Next Steps & Questions

- **Where to Apply:** Letters of Intent must be submitted directly via the official submission portal at **[https://lsst.ice.csic.es/](https://www.google.com/search?q=https://lsst.ice.csic.es/)**.
- **General & Process Questions:** Please contact Steven Margheim at **[steven.margheim@noirlab.edu](mailto:steven.margheim@noirlab.edu)**.
- **Technical & Instrument Capabilities:** Please consult the GTC website or use the contacts available within the submission portal.

> _Please download the attached PDF for the complete Announcement of Opportunity text._  
> [July 2026 Announcement of Opportunity\_ GTC Observing Time.pdf](https://www.rubin.community/uploads/short-url/d2UEv88IgQXxlDY42eGCG0visIK.pdf) (111.9 KB)