Report from the NA61/SHINE experiment

This document reports on the status and plans of the NA61/SHINE experiment at the CERN SPS as of October 2015. First, an overview of the 2014 and 2015 data-taking period on p+Pb interactions at 158 GeV/c and Ar+Sc collisions at 13A GeV/c - 150A GeV/c is given. The latter data-taking with the first primary Ar beams at CERN was a major success. Second, the facility maintenance and upgrades are briefly presented. The VTX-1 magnet was damaged at the beginning of the 2015 proton period. The physics data-taking for p+p interactions at 400 GeV/c and for the Fermilab neutrino beams as well as the pilot data taking on Pb+Pb collisions at 30A GeV/c was replaced by detector tests and calibration runs. Third, the advance in the NA61/SHINE software and calibration procedures is briefly reported. Fourth, new physics results are presented. In particular, the very first results on Ar+Sc collisions are presented. Fifth, plans for data taking in 2016 - 2018 are outlined and ideas concerning the NA61/SHINE physics programme beyond 2020 are sketched. The proposal for the beam momentum scan with Pb+Pb interactions is presented in a separate addendum document submitted in parallel to this Status Report.