First Draft ( 6 August , 1997 ) : Status of Muon Colliders and Future Research and Development Plans

The status of research into muon colliders is discussed and plans are outlined for future theoretical and experimental studies. Besides continued work on the parameters of a 4 TeV collider, many studies are now concentrating on a machine near 100 GeV that could be a factory for the s-channel resonance production of Higgs particles. We discuss the research on the various components in such muon colliders, starting from the proton accelerator needed to generate the muons and proceeding through muon cooling, acceleration, storage in a collider ring and the collider detector. Finally, we present theoretical and experimental R & D plans for the next several years that should lead to a high level of understanding of the design and feasibility issues for all of the components of muon colliders.