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KMOS is a multi-object near-infrared integral field spectrograph built by a consortium of UK and German institutes for the ESO Paranal Observatory. We report on the on-sky performance verification of KMOS measured during three commissioning runs on the ESO VLT in 2012/13 and some of the early science results.

The large submillimeter telescope (LST) is a proposed wide-field, 30m-class telescope operating from a ground-based site in the relatively unexplored 0.2 - 1mm waveband. The telescope will be equipped with imaging and spectroscopic instrumentation to allow astronomers to probe the earliest evolutionary stages of galaxies, stars and planets. It is intended to operate the telescope in the 200μm atmospheric window, giving access to unique science; probing the peak emission from the cosmic far-IR/submm background and proto-stellar cores. The wide field-of-view and superb image fidelity will be perfect for large-scale surveys of the sky, such as entire giant molecular clouds and of fields of dusty galaxies at early epochs. It will therefore be an ideal complement to new generation interferometers (such as ALMA). In this paper we present an update on the science case and outline initial designs for both the telescope and instrumentation.

KMOS is a near-infrared multi-object integral field spectrometer which has been selected as one of a suite of second-generation instruments to be constructed for the ESO VLT in Chile. The instrument will be built by a consortium of UK and German institutes working in partnership with ESO and is currently at the end of its preliminary design phase. We present the design status of KMOS and discuss the most novel technical aspects and the compliance with the technical specification.

SCUBA-2, which replaces SCUBA (the Submillimeter Common User Bolometer Array) on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) in 2006, is a large-format bolometer array for submillimeter astronomy. Unlike previous detectors which have used discrete bolometers, SCUBA-2 has two dc-coupled, monolithic, filled arrays with a total of ~10,000 bolometers. It will offer simultaneous imaging of a 50 sq-arcmin field of view at wavelengths of 850 and 450 microns. SCUBA-2 is expected to have a huge impact on the study of galaxy formation and evolution in the early Universe as well as star and planet formation in our own Galaxy. Mapping the sky to the same S/N up to 1000 times faster than SCUBA, it will also act as a pathfinder for the new submillimeter interferometers such as ALMA. SCUBA-2's absorber-coupled pixels use superconducting transition edge sensors operating at 120 mK for performance limited by the sky background photon noise. The monolithic silicon detector arrays are deep-etched by the Bosch process to isolate the pixels on silicon nitride membranes. Electrical connections are made through indium bump bonds to a SQUID time-domain multiplexer (MUX). We give an overview of the SCUBA-2 system and an update on its status, and describe some of the technological innovations that make this unique instrument possible., 16 pages, 14 figures, Invited talk at SPIE Glasgow 21-25 June 2004, Conference 5498

Ground-based submillimetre astronomy is beset by high extinction caused by water vapour. To ensure maximum scientific return and efficiency of operation it is critical to ensure that the scientific requirements are matched to the prevailing atmospheric conditions. This means that flexible observing is a requirement. The James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) has been undertaking scientifically prioritised, queue-based flexible observing for the past four years and this paper describes the experience and lists the lessons learned. It is absolutely clear that the JCMT and its user community has benefited enormously from the experience. The recent introduction of the Observing Management Project (OMP) will bring fully automated software solutions to bear that will ensure maximum efficiency is brought to the process for both the facility and the users.