The entire suite of telescopes owned, operated, or partnered in by U.S. institutions make up the U.S. System. Since the 2000 Decadal Survey report, NOAO has undertaken to lead the development of the U.S. ground-based OIR System.

Unlike ESO, the US System is not centralized and there are many competing groups and diverse centers of activity. NOAO's role in the development of the System is to find ways to help these diverse centers work together to address the overall needs of US astronomers while allowing independent groups to pursue their own programs.

NOAO works with funding agencies to gain resources to help build the System both through NOAO and non-NOAO groups and sponsors a number of community based meetings and panels to help do this in a way that supports efficeint use of federal funding across the System.

The System Road Map

NOAO has organized a committee of astronomers from across the US community to participate in the development of a System Road Map. This road map will be used to guide the community in strategic and efficient planning for the System to ensure the US community remains competetive. The Road Map will be a living document, updated every few years. NOAO will also work with this committee to produce an associated "State of the System" document that the Road Map Committee can use to help guide them in their planning.

Workshop and Committee Reports

Since 2000, NOAO has conducted community-wide workshops to encourage discussions on needed capabilities and their scientific drivers. NOAO has also organized committees to develop community consensus on priorities and mechanisms to improve and expand the System.

TSIP

The Telescope System Instrumentation Program (TSIP) provides NSF funds for non-federal observatories to build needed instrumentation and also provides time on these telescopes for open access.

ReSTAR

Renewing Small Telescopes for Astronomical Research (ReSTAR) is NOAO’s program to provide high-performance capabilities on telescopes with apertures of 5 meters or smaller.

Future Instrumentation

NOAO uses a variety of mechanisms to create new capabilities, including developing new instrumentation for its own telescopes and channeling resources to other observatories.

US TMT Liaison

In March 2013, the NSF/AST and the Thirty Meter Telescope Observatory Corporation signed a cooperative agreement initiating a five-year program aimed at engaging the US astronomical community in the TMT Observatory project. NOAO has established a US TMT Liaison office (TMT@noao.edu) to help coordinate and organize these activities.