From: Christie, William
Sent: Monday, July 25, 2005 8:42 AM
To: O'Brien, Edward
Cc: Lynch, Don; Aronson, Samuel; Ludlam, Thomas W; Pile, Philip H; Brown, Ralph L; Christie, William
Subject: Re: Proposed schedule for Run-6
Dear All,
    Below please find the STAR input for the discussion on the preferred start date for the FY06 run.
    Greetings,
        Bill

Schedule if we install the FMS Platform during the current (FY05) Summer
Shutdown
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1.) The main driving task for the start of the FY06 run, from STAR's
perspective, is to get the new platform installed on the West tunnel
alcove of the STAR Hall, for the Forward Meson Spectrometer (FMS) detector.
    - It is our opinion that getting the platform installed during the
current shutdown will allow us to install the FMS detector onto the
platform during the FY06 Summer Shutdown, in preparation for the FY07 run.
    - A corollary to item 1 is that we don't believe that we can install
both the platform and the FMS detector during a single (i.e. FY06 )
SUmmer Shutdown period.
    - We need sufficient time after the FMS platform is installed to get
the STAR detector back into the Wide Angle Hall (WAH), get it hooked up,
commissionind, and ready for the FY06 Physics run.
2.) A second consideration concerning the optimum start date is the
completion of the Barrel Electromagnetic Calorimeter (BEMC) electronics,
prior to the start of the FY06 run.
    - Our estimate at this time is that we'll just get the last of the
BEMC electronics installed by November 1st. At least  a few weeks will
be required to commission and debug this electronics after it is installed.
Schedule Components
-----------------------
* FMS Platform pieces fabricated and delivered to STAR  (July 25 to
August 31)
        - Work to be done by BNL Central Shops
        - Central Shops estimate is that FMS platform pieces will be
delivered by end of August.
* Installation of FMS platform in the STAR Hall (Sept. 1 to October 14)
        - Estimated time to accomplish this, including reinstalling new
RHIC vacuum pump stand, and assorted utilities in /on platorm area is
1.5 months.
* Move the STAR Detector back into the WAH and connect all utilities
 (Oct. 17 to Oct. 28)
        - Endcap Electromagnetic calorimeter (EEMC) needs a few days
after the platform is installed and before STAR is moved into the WAH.
* Certify interlock systems, debug and commission sub systems,
integrated STAR tests (Oct. 28 to Nov 25)
    - typically takes the better part of a week to certify the
interlocks. During this time it is difficult to test systems.
    - 3 wks is about the minimum required to test, debug, and commission
all of the sub systems individually, and then as an integrated system.
*  Allowing for a slip of a week in any portion of the plan (as well as
Thanksgiving last week of Nov.) leds to an earliest start date (with FMS
platform installed) of about December 5th.
Schedule if we DO NOT install the FMS Platform during the current (FY05)
Summer Shutdown
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1.) If we don't install the FMS during the FY05 Shutdown, the driving
issue for our preferred start date is the completion (including
debugging and commissioning) of the BEMC electronics.
    - It is anticipated that a major portion of the FY06 run will be
polarized protons. To make best use of this beamtime we need the
complete BEMC and EEMC sub systems operational, as well as the other
STAR components.
Schedule Components:
-----------------------
* We could move the STAR detector back into the WAH during the 1st two
weeks of October (Oct. 3 to Oct. 14)
    - We may even be able to move into the WAH a bit earlier than this
* Certify interlock systems, debug and commission sub systems,
integrated STAR tests (Oct. 15 to Nov 15)
    - typically takes the better part of a week to certify the
interlocks. During this time it is difficult to test systems.
    - 3 wks is about the minimum required to test, debug, and commission
all of the sub systems individually, and then as an integrated system.
    - This assumes that we get started on debugging and commissioning
the BEMC electronics early in this period, and then test the last
components of BEMC electronics as they come out of the Lab and get
installed on the detector.
* If one allows for a slip of a week in some portion of the schedule,
this leds one to a start date of ~ Nov. 21st.