NASA Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #4758

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE DAILY REPORT #4758

Continuing to collect World Class Science

PERIOD COVERED: 5am December 16 – 5am December 17, 2008 (DOY 351/1000z-352/1000z)

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED

FGS 11870

Calibrating FGS1R’s Optical Field Angle Distortion (OFAD), Second Epoch

This proposal gathers the data needed to calibrate the optical field angle distortions in FGS1r to the level of accuracy required for astrometry science. Selected stars from the galactic cluster M35 are repeatedly observed in POSITION mode by FGS1r with F583W filter at a variety of spacecraft pointings and telescope roll angles. Ideally the observations are to occur at a time when this ecliptic star field is near the anti-sun direction so that HST’s roll angle is unconstrained. Unfortunately this is not possible under two gyro operations. Therefore, the observations in this proposal are somewhat very constrained in roll. However, this test should suffice as an adequate update to the original FGS1r OFAD that executed in December 2000. For each visit, the desired telescope pointing is specified by POS TARG and ORIENT special requirements.

WFPC2 11113

Binaries in the Kuiper Belt: Probes of Solar System Formation and Evolution

The discovery of binaries in the Kuiper Belt and related small body populations is powering a revolutionary step forward in the study of this remote region. Three quarters of the known binaries in the Kuiper Belt have been discovered with HST, most by our snapshot surveys. The statistics derived from this work are beginning to yield surprising and unexpected results. We have found a strong concentration of binaries among low-inclination Classicals, a possible size cutoff to binaries among the Centaurs, an apparent preference for nearly equal mass binaries, and a strong increase in the number of binaries at small separations. We propose to continue this successful program in Cycle 16; we expect to discover at least 13 new binary systems, targeted to subgroups where these discoveries can have the greatest impact.

WFPC2 11302

WFPC2 CYCLE 16 Standard Darks – Part III

This dark calibration program obtains dark frames every week in order to provide data for the ongoing calibration of the CCD dark current rate, and to monitor and characterize the evolution of hot pixels. Over an extended period these data will also provide a monitor of radiation damage to the CCDs.

WFPC2 11793

WFPC2 Cycle 16 Internal Monitor

This calibration proposal is the Cycle 15 routine internal monitor for WFPC2, to be run weekly to monitor the health of the cameras. A variety of internal exposures are obtained in order to provide a monitor of the integrity of the CCD camera electronics in both bays (both gain 7 and gain 15 — to test stability of gains and bias levels), a test for quantum efficiency in the CCDs, and a monitor for possible buildup of contaminants on the CCD windows. These also provide raw data for generating annual super-bias reference files for the calibration pipeline.

WFPC2 11944

Binaries at the Extremes of the H-R Diagram

We propose to use HST/Fine Guidance Sensor 1r to survey for binaries among some of the most massive, least massive, and oldest stars in our part of the Galaxy. FGS allows us to spatially resolve binary systems that are too faint to observe using ground-based, speckle or optical long baseline interferometry, and too close to resolve with AO. We propose a SNAP-style program of single orbit FGS TRANS mode observations of very massive stars in the cluster NGC 3603, luminous blue variables, nearby low mass main sequence stars, cool subdwarf stars, and white dwarfs. These observations will help us to (1) identify systems suitable for follow up studies for mass determination, (2) study the role of binaries in stellar birth and in advanced evolutionary states, (3) explore the fundamental properties of stars near the main sequence-brown dwarf boundary, (4) understand the role of binaries for X-ray bright systems, (5) find binaries among ancient and nearby subdwarf stars, and (6) help calibrate the white dwarf mass – radius relation.

WFPC2/ACS/SBC 11957

Hubble Investigation of Asteroid 21 Lutetia in Support of the Rosetta Mission Flyby

The Rosetta mission is gearing up for a flyby encounter with the large, main belt asteroid 21 Lutetia, with closest approach on 2010 June 10. The next opposition, on 2008 December 1, is our last opportunity to make observations in time to affect the planning of the Rosetta program. We request a total of 5 orbits of Hubble observing time (2 using ACS/SBC and 3 using WFPC2) to characterize the UV albedo of Lutetia, to search for any dust debris near the main body, and to perform a deep search for companions. Even one orbit of Hubble time would provide valuable data for planning the Rosetta-Alice ultraviolet spectrometer observations, and 2 orbits are sufficient to characterize the far-UV albedo, but a 5-orbit program provides a richer scientific investigation with potentially much broader implications, both scientifically and for Rosetta planning.

FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports of potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.)

HSTARS: (None)

COMPLETED OPS REQUEST:

18371-2 NCS Restart and Cooldown @ 351/19:36z

COMPLETED OPS NOTES:

1761-1 Adjust NCC TBA Inlet Pressure Limit @352/00:41z

1762-0 Adjust NCC Compressor Computed Slip limit @352/01:49z

                         SCHEDULED      SUCCESSFUL
FGS GSacq                    11              11
FGS REacq                     01              01
OBAD with Maneuver     22              22

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS:

NCC Compressor Restart Was Successful:

At 351/19:04z, NCS began cooling NICMOS in preparation for its’ return to science.