TITLE:   GCN GRB OBSERVATION REPORT
NUMBER:  634
SUBJECT: Budget cuts in BeppoSAX operations: impact on GRB observations
DATE:    00/04/17 18:29:31 GMT
FROM:    SAX Science Operations at IAS/CNR Frascati  <saxsci@ias.rm.cnr.it>

Due to budget cuts, BeppoSAX operations have been reduced by ASI as
follows:

as of April 4:

- Mission Planners (previously available 24 hrs a day on call)
  will serve during office hours only (8 hrs a day Mon.-Fri.)
   
- Duty Scientist at the Science Operation Center will not cover the night
  shifts

as of April 15:

- Scientific Instruments will not be operated during Saturday & Sunday
nights




As a consequence we estimate that:

-  THE NUMBER OF FAST GRB LOCALIZATIONS 
   WILL BE REDUCED BY A FACTOR OF ~2.

- THE NUMBER OF FAST GRB FOLLOW-UP (i.e. AFTERGLOW OBSERVATIONS) 
  WILL BE REDUCED BY A FACTOR OF ~ 3


L. Piro

BeppoSAX Mission Scientist