This report introduces Major Research Facilities and Equipment Construction (MRFEC) projects funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the U.S. and non-MRFEC projects funded through Research and Related Activities (R&RA). To support the acquisition, construction, use, operation, and upgrade of large research facilities, standards for establishing priorities were put into place. It was published to explain large research facilities and equipment for engineering and science research across almost all fields from nano-particles to the universe for the next 1-2 decades. The goal and current status of research facilities, cooperative relationships, and NSF’s roles are described in each chapter.

Overview

Chapter 1 MREFC project

Projects at the completion stage
South Pole station modernization project
Project under development
Atacama large millimeter array
EarthScope
Icecube neutrino observatory
Scientific ocean drilling vessel

Projects launched in 2007
Alaska region research vessel
National ecological observatory network
Ocean observatories initiative

Projects launched in 2008
Advanced laser interferometer gravitational wave observatory

Projects to be funded by the MREFC starting 2009
Advanced technology solar telescope

Projects at the preparation stage

Chapter 2 Conventional facilities non-MREFC project infrastructure

Conventional facilities and non-MREFC project infrastructure
National Optical Astronomy Observatory and National Solar Observatory
National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center
Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory
Large hardron collider
A leadership-class computing system ‘BLUE WATERS’
National Institute for Computational Sciences
A high-performance computing system for science and engineering ‘RANGER'