Status Report

Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2993 – 7 Nov 2001

By SpaceRef Editor
November 7, 2001
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HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #2993

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 11/06/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 11/07/01

Daily Status Report as of 311/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8901 (Dark Monitor-Part 1)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor
the darks. There was no anomalous activity.

1.2 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8936 (Cycle 10 Supplemental Darks Pt1/3)

The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a dark calibration program that
obtains three dark frames every day to provide data for monitoring and
characterizing the evolution of hot pixels. The proposal completed with no
reported problems.

1.3 Completed Four Sets of WF/PC-2 9042 (An Archive To Detect The
Progenitors Of Massive, Core-Collapse Supernovae)

The WF/PC-2 was used to search for supernovae which have massive
star progenitors. The already extensive HST archive and high-resolution
ground-based images of galaxies within ~20 Mpc enables us to resolve and
quantify their individual bright stellar content. As massive, evolved
stars are the most luminous single objects in a galaxy, the progenitors of
core-collapse supernovae should be directly detectable on pre-explosion
images. One Type II progenitor has been observed this year, and the
investigators have proposed a short, companion WFPC2 proposal to confirm
this candidate and identify a second. The observations completed nominally.

1.4 Completed Seven Sets of STIS/CCD 9285 (POMS Test Proposal: STIS
Non-scripted Parallel Proposal Continuation III)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make low
galactic latitude, non-scripted parallel observations as part of a POMS
test proposal. The observations were completed as planned, and no
anomalies were reported.

1.5 Completed STIS/CCD 9066 (Closing in on the Hydrogen Reionization
Edge of the Universe)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used in parallel
constrain the Hydrogen reionization edge in emission that marks the
transition from a neutral to a fully ionized IGM at a predicted
redshifts. The proposal completed uneventfully.

1.6 Completed WF/PC-2 8935 (Cycle 10 Standard Darks)

The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain 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. The proposal completed with no reported problems.

1.7 Completed STIS/CCD 8903 (Bias Monitor – Part 1)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor
the bias in the 1×1, 1×2, 2×1, and 2×2 bin settings at gain=1, and 1×1 at
gain = 4 to build up high-S/N superbiases and track the evolution of hot
columns. There were no problems.

1.8 Completed WF/PC-2 9250 (Hubble Heritage Observations of NGC 1275)

The WF/PC-2 was used to observe the active galaxy NGC 1275 for a
Hubble Heritage release. It is planned to obtain a two-orbit I-band image
that will be combined with archival B and R-band images of the same object,
to result in a 3-color image. There were no reported problems.

1.9 Completed Eight Sets of WF/PC-2 8940 (Cycle 10 Earth Flats)

The WF/PC-2 was used to monitor flatfield stability by obtaining
sequences of Earth streak flats to construct high quality flat fields for
the WF/PC-2 filter set. These flat fields will allow mapping of the OTA
illumination pattern and will be used in conjunction with previous internal
and external flats to generate new pipeline superflats. The proposal
completed without incident.

1.10 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8611 (Observations of Nearby Type
Ia Supernovae)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to obtain
UV spectra of five nearby {0.02 < z < 0.08} SNe Ia in the Hubble Flow. The spectra will be taken at weekly intervals over a range in time starting slightly before maximum light and extending to +30 days. These observations will accomplish the following three goals: {1} calibration of the rest frame UV light curves of SNe Ia and an assessment of their potential use as distance indicators through UV light curve shape analyses. {2} improvement in our understanding of the physics of SNe Ia, metallicity/evolutionary effects and correlations between peak brightness and UV spectral features. {3} calibration of the SNe Ia previously observed by HST at high-redshift. This data is crucial for proper cross-filter k-corrections and calibration of the supernova photometry. The observations completed with no reported anomalous activity.

1.11 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 9244 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII
Parallel Archive Proposal Continuation)

The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a generic target version of the
Archival Pure Parallel program. The program will be used to take parallel
images of random areas of the sky, following the recommendations of the
Parallels Working Group. The observations completed with no anomalous
activity.

1.12 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 9249 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII
Backup Parallel Archive Proposal II)

The WF/PC-2 was used to execute a POMS test proposal designed to
simulate scientific plans. The proposal completed with no reported problems.

1.13 Completed WF/PC-2 9118 (Tracing the Cosmic Expansion to z>1 with
Type Ia Supernovae)

The WF/PC-2 was used to observe type Ia supernovae in order to
provide evidence for an accelerating universe. The case for cosmic
acceleration rests almost entirely on the observation that the observed SN
Ia at z~0.5 are 0.25 magnitudes fainter than expected for a
non-accelerating Universe. It is proposed to follow five SN Ia in the
range 0.95 0 cosmology, this experiment is a powerful and
straightforward way to assess the reliability of the SN Ia
measurements. In addition, if SN Ia are reliable standard candles, the
proposed observations will significantly increase the precision with which
Omega_Lambda and Omega_M are measured. There was no reported anomalous
activity.

1.14 Completed Two Sets of STIS/MA1/MA2 8920 (Cycle 10 MAMA Dark
Measurements)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1 and MA2) was used to
perform the routine monitoring of the MAMA detector dark noise, and is the
primary means of checking on health of the MAMA detectors systems through
frequent monitoring of the background count rate. The proposal completed
with no reported anomalous activity.

1.15 Completed WF/PC-2 8867 (Gamma-Ray Bursts: Discovering The
Progenitors And Understanding The Explosion – Visits A0-R0)

The WF/PC-2 was used to observe a gamma-ray burster,
GRB010921. Gamma-ray burst astronomy, one of the most active and exciting
frontiers in astrophysics, is now entering a critical stage — with
dramatic leaps in understanding of these events, as well as new
discoveries. Improvements in triggering and positioning accuracy provided
by the SAX and HETE-2 gamma-ray satellites will allow entirely new classes
of events to be studied. Given the recent progress in this field, the
proposers are now in a position to design precision, broadband measurements
that can provide quantitative information on the as-yet unknown energy
sources, the explosion geometry, and the surrounding medium. In
particular, the growing evidence of an intimate connection between SNe and
GRBs can be definitively tested. The proposal completed with no reported
problems.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 9

Successful: 9

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 8

Successful: 8

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 19

Successful: 19

2.3 Operations Notes:

The gyro #3 motor current increased from about 190 mamps to
approximately 207 mamps at 310/2246Z, after an initial spike to 252
mamps. HSTAR 8390 was written. This event occurred during an FGS guiding
period without impact to either the guiding or science. All subsequent
acquisitions have been successful. An initial corresponding drop in heater
duty cycle was seen which may be indicative of another lube patch. In two
days, PCS engineers will have completed a two-day power assessment of the
heater duty cycle. A bias shift of 25, 10 and 17 arcsec/hr was seen in the
V1, V2 and V3 axes. Using ROP DF-14A, the re-computed RGA bias table was
uplinked at 311/0107Z.

The SSR EDAC error counter was cleared at 311/0013Z per ROP SR-1A.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.

SpaceRef staff editor.