Title: The Path to a Next Generation Gamma-ray Observatory
Abstract: The Compton Gamma-ray Observatory was a one of the four original NASA Great Observatories and changed our view of the high energy universe. Its successors (INTEGRAL, Swift, and Fermi) have expanded this view and are still contributing in new and exciting ways. There are also many efforts underway in R&D (CZT, pixel detectors, Glowbug, …), ballooning (ComPair, GRAPE, …), SmallSats (BurstCube to StarBurst), missions of opportunity (MoonBEAM, LEAP, …), small explorers (COSI) and medium explorers (AMEGO-X) that are pushing the field forward. The time for planning a new Gamma-ray Observatory is now and I’ll present the scientific case and a path to developing a community backed plan for our next Gamma-ray flagship mission.