The Open Access Program provides access to LCO's network of telescopes to the entire astronomical community, thanks to an award from the Heising-Simons Foundation. For semesters 2025A - 2026A standard open access proposals were selected twice a year. The standard open access proposal calls have been suspended for semesters 2026B - 2028B. Instead, the Heising-Simons support is directed to Open Access Key Projects and greater open access to Director's Discretionary time, for which anyone may apply.
From 2017 through 2024, Open Access to the LCO network was supported by a Mid-Scale Innovations Program (MSIP) grant awarded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The Open Access program was intended to encourage the astronomical community to prepare for time domain research with the Vera Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). The MSIP program was discontinued because of budget constraints at the NSF.
The MSIP-supported Open Access time allocation process was managed by the NSF's NOIRLab. (the US national observatory), with technical assistance from LCO. The program received approximately 40 proposals every six months. The selection process resulted in 20-25 proposals being awarded time. The NOIRLab's open skies policy allowed scientists from around the world to apply for LCO time. Over 7 years of the program, principal investigators (PIs) from 89 different universities, colleges, government labs and other organizations gained access to the LCO network.