HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE DAILY REPORT #3048 PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 02/01/02 - 0000Z (UTC) 02/04/02 Daily Status Report as of 035/0000Z 1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED: 1.1 Completed Nine Sets of WF/PC-2 8937 (Cycle 9 Supplemental Darks pt2/3) The WF/PC-2 was used obtain three dark frames every day to provide data for monitoring and characterizing the evolution of hot pixels. No problems were encountered. 1.2 Completed Seven Sets of STIS/MA1/MA2 9120 (Planetary Nebulae In The LMC: A Study On Stellar Evolution And Populations) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1 and MA2) was used to investigate the final phase of the evolution of low- and intermediate-mass stars, the Planetary Nebula {PN} ejection that is thought to provide the main source of carbon and nitrogen enrichment in galaxies. The observations completed nominally with no reported problems. 1.3 Completed Eight Sets of WF/PC-2 8059 (POMS Test Proposal: Targeted Parallel Archive Proposal) The WF/PC-2 was used to observe the parallel opportunities available in the neighborhood of bright galaxies are treated in a slightly different way from the normal pure parallels. Local Group galaxies offer the opportunity for a closer look at young stellar populations. Narrow-band images in F656N can be used both to identify young stars via their emission lines, and to map the gas distribution in star-forming regions. As described in HSTAR 8489 and 2.1, the acquisition for the final iteration of this proposal defaulted to fine lock backup on one FGS only, possibly affecting the observations in that iteration. Otherwise, the observations completed nominally. 1.4 Completed Three Sets of STIS/MA2 9573 (NUV-MAMA Daily Dark Monitor) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA2) was used to perform daily monitoring of the NUV MAMA detector dark noise in order to monitor the effects of thermal changes on the NUV dark rate. No problems occurred. 1.5 Completed STIS/CCD 9187 (A Lyman Limit Snapshot Survey: The Search for Candidate D/H Absorbers) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to measure D/H in gas clouds seen against background QSOs. This provides a unique and fundamental cosmological probe of the baryonic density parameter. To date, most of the QSO absorption line D/H constraints have been derived at high redshift. In this proposal the proposers investigate a lower redshift range, because there are two potentially crucial advantages to be gained by carrying out D/H measurements at intermediate redshift. First, the background of HI forest lines is lower and contamination of the DI feature is significantly reduced. Second, a far larger sample of very bright QSOs exists. There were no reported problems. 1.6 Completed Six 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. 1.7 Completed STIS/CCD 8929 (First-order LSFs for Pseudo-Aperture Locations) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to measure the LSFs for the CCD spectroscopic modes at the new pseudo-aperture locations. The proposal completed as planned. 1.8 Completed STIS/CCD 9239 (Absolute Proper Motions of Nearby Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies-Cycle 10) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to measure precise absolute proper motions for four dwarf spheroidal satellites of the Milky Way using spectroscopically-confirmed background QSOs to define a zero- velocity reference frame. The proposal completed with no reported problems. 1.9 Completed Eleven Sets of WF/PC-2 9318 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII Parallel Archive Proposal Continuation) The WF/PC-2 was used to perform the generic target version of the WFPC2 Archival Pure Parallel program. The program was used to take parallel images of random areas of the sky, following the recommendations of the Parallels Working Group. As described in HSTAR 8489 and 2.1, the acquisition for the final iteration of this proposal defaulted to fine lock backup on one FGS only, possibly affecting the observations in that iteration. Otherwise, there were no further reported problems. 1.10 Completed Four Sets of STIS/CCD 9088 (Next Generation Spectral Library of Stars) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to produce a "Next Generation'' Spectral Library of 600 stars for use in modeling the integrated light of galaxies and clusters by using the low dispersion UV and optical gratings of STIS. The library will be roughly equally divided among four metallicities, very low {Fe/H < -1.5}, low {-1.5 < Fe/H < -0.5}, near-solar {-0.5 < Fe/H < 0.1}, and super-solar {Fe/H > 0.1}, well-sampling the entire HR-diagram in each bin. Such a library will surpass all extant compilations and have lasting archival value, well into the Next Generation Space Telescope era. No problems occurred. 1.11 Completed STIS/CCD 9110 (A Search for Kuiper Belt Object Satellites) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to investigate whether the large number of collisions thought to have taken place in the primordial Kuiper belt suggest that many Kuiper belt objects {KBOs} could have suffered binary-forming collisions similar to that which formed the Pluto -- Charon binary. Detection of such KBO satellites would allow measurement of KBO masses, would help to understand the past collisional environment of the Kuiper belt, and would give a context to the otherwise unique-seeming formation of the Pluto -- Charon binary. The proposal completed with no reported problems. 1.12 Completed Three Sets of STIS/CCD 8903 (Bias Monitor - Part 1) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor the bias in the 1x1, 1x2, 2x1, and 2x2 bin settings at gain=1, and 1x1 at gain = 4 to build up high-S/N superbiases and track the evolution of hot columns. There were no problems. 1.13 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2/STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 9114 (SINS: The Supernova Intensive Study-- Cycle 10) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) and the WF/PC-2 were used to perform closer observations of supernovae (in this case, target-of- opportunity SN2002AP - STIS for the first iteration and WF/PC-2 for the second iteration) that will create the chemical history of the Universe, energize the interstellar gas, stiffen the spine of the extragalactic distance scale and provide the only evidence for an accelerating universe. A violent encounter is underway between the fast-moving debris and the stationary inner ring. Monitoring this interaction will help solve the riddles of stellar evolution posed by the enigmatic three-ring system of SN 1987A. Our UV observations of Ly- Alpha emission reveal the present location and velocity of a remarkable reverse shock that provides a unique laboratory for studying fast shocks and a powerful tool for dissecting the structure of the vanished star. No problems were encountered. 1.14 Completed FGS/1 9034 (The Masses and Luminosities of Population II Stars) Fine Guidance Sensor #1 was used to observe the mass-luminosity relation {MLR} of Population II stars of which very little is currently known. With the advent of the Hipparcos Catalogue, improved distances to many spectroscopic binaries known to be Pop II systems are now available. After surveying the literature and making reasonable estimates of the secondary masses, we find 13 systems whose minimum separation should be larger than the resolution limit of FGS #1. The observations completed nominally. 1.15 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 9067 (UV Detectability of Bright Quasars in the Sloan Fields) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to take MAMA spectra of approximately 30 new, bright, high-redshift quasars in each of the next three cycles. The observations completed with no reported problems. 1.16 Completed STIS/CCD 9278 (The Next Geminga: A Neutron Star Identification for the Egret Source 3EG J1835+5918) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe 3EG J1835+5918 which is the brightest of the so-called unidentified EGRET sources at intermediate Galactic latitude {l, b}={89, 25}. The proposers have previously obtained complete radio, optical, and X-ray coverage of its error box, discovering a faint ultrasoft X-ray source that can only be a nearby neutron star. 3EG J1835+5918 may thus become the prototype of an hypothesized population of older pulsars, born in the Gould belt, that can account for as many as 40 local EGRET sources. It is proposed to prove that it is a neutron star and assess its point of origin by obtaining precise coordinates with Chandra and deep HST images to measure its color and proper motion. X-ray spectral information will address its temperature, age, distance, and thus its gamma-ray efficiency. All observations completed without incident. 1.17 Completed WF/PC-2 9319 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII Backup Parallel Archive Proposal II) The WF/PC-2 was used to execute a POMS test proposal, designed to simulate future scientific plans. The proposal completed without incident. 1.18 Completed Four Sets of STIS/CCD 9317 (Pure Parallel Imaging Program: Cycle 10) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to perform the default archival pure parallel program for STIS during cycle 10. There were no reported problems. 1.19 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 9077 (Survey of the LMC Planetary Nebulae) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to perform a snapshot survey of all known LMC planetary nebulae {PNe} in order to study the co-evolution of the nebulae and their central stars, and to probe the chemical enrichment history of the LMC. As described in HSTAR 8489 and 2.1, the acquisition for the final iteration of this proposal defaulted to fine lock backup on one FGS only, possibly affecting the observations in that iteration. Otherwise, there were no further reported problems. 1.20 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 9137 (Quasar Absorbers and Large Scale Structure) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to perform spectroscopy of 15 bright quasars in a 22 square degree region that has well-sampled galaxy redshifts. No problems were encountered. 1.21 Completed WF/PC-2 9258 (Observatory Focus Monitor) The WF/PC-2 was used to more accurately define the HST focus. The HST focus drifts slowly and shows evidence of undergoing slips of a few microns at random times. The rate of the WF/PC-2 monitoring program is insufficient to track and/or understand OTA behavior in order to request timely and appropriate Secondary Mirror corrections. There were no reported problems. 1.22 Completed STIS/CCD 8155 (Highly Collimated Strings in the Nebula Around Eta Carinae - A New Phenomenon) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe a set of highly collimated strings in the nebula around Eta Car in order to determine their physical nature and their relation to phenomenologically similar structures in nebulae around evolved low mass stars. The observations completed with no reported anomalies. 1.23 Completed Two 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. 1.24 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 9116 (Understanding High-Redshift and Starburst Galaxies: A UV Spectroscopic Survey of B- Stars in the SMC) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) was used to construct a high quality spectral library at low metallicity in order to synthesize the UV spectra of high redshift star-forming galaxies and nearby starbursts. No problems were reported. 2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY: 2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions: Scheduled Acquisitions: 28 Successful: 28 Per HSTAR 8489, the acquisition at 034/221551z defaulted to fine lock backup on FGS-3 only due to problems with FGS-1. The proposals detailed in 1.3, 1.9 and 1.19 may have been affected. Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 19 Successful: 19 2.2 FHST Updates: Scheduled: 47 Successful: 47 2.3 Operations Notes: The target-of opportunity (TOO) observation, mentioned in the previous report and the reason for a re-running of the science plan on Thursday, began its first iteration at 032/185742Z and continued that iteration for approximately four hours. A later iteration started at 034/045715Z and ran for another four hours. The TOO proposal is described in 1.13. Using ROP SR-9A, the SSR-1 EDAC error counter was cleared five times. The SSR-3 EDAC error counter was cleared at 032/1314Z per ROP SR-1A. MCE-1 reset at 032/172139Z while the low voltage was on and while inside an SAA interval. The STIS flight software error counter was reset at 032/1721Z as directed by ROP NS-12. MAMA-1 was recovered via normal SMS commanding at 032/1846Z. A TTR was written for a required re-transmit at 033/1302Z during a NSSC-1 load. SI C&DH errors were reset at 033/1311Z, using ROP NS-5. Another TTR was generated when data was lost due to a mode 1 tracking re-acquisition failure at 034.0313Z. ROP DF-18A was utilized at 035/0902Z to reset the engineering status buffer limit for the HGA torque. 3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS: Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations. /CAW