HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

   DAILY REPORT #2890

PERIOD COVERED:  0000Z (UTC) 06/08/01 - 0000Z (UTC) 06/11/01

Daily Status Report as of 162/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

    1.1 Completed WF/PC-2 8699 (The Origin of Short-Period Comets)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to detect and characterize cometary nuclei in 
order to determine the basic physical properties of a large fraction of the 
population of short-period comets.  By acquiring statistically significant 
data, we can study the origin of this family of comets and test the 
hypothesis that they are collisional fragments from the Kuiper Belt 
Objects.  The observations completed with no reported problems.

    1.2 Completed Six Sets of WF/PC-2 8828 (Cycle 9 Supplemental Darks pt3/3)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain 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 Eight Sets of WF/PC-2 8682 (A Snapshot Study of 
0bservational Cosmology)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to examine the observational constraints on 
the cosmic star formation history that is currently among the most active 
fields in observational cosmology.  The most widely used tracer of the 
co-moving volume-averaged star formation rate {SFR} is the UV luminosity 
density, which early results found to peak at z~1- 2.  The apparent 
identification of the primary epoch of metal production and star formation 
in the Universe led to intense theoretical and observational 
interest.  Nevertheless, and remarkably for such a fundamental observation, 
little is known about the history of star formation in the Universe beyond 
its global average.  There were no reported anomalies.

    1.4 Completed WF/PC-2 9170 (The Post-CE Status of the Massive WD Binary 
LB11146)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to perform analyses of the spectrum of LB11146 
that was discovered to be a binary system composed of magnetic/nonmagnetic 
white dwarfs each having a mass estimated to be ~0.9 M_solar, making it the 
only known double degenerate system with a combined mass exceeding the 
Chandrasekhar limit.  No errors were reported.

    1.5 Completed 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.

    1.6 Completed Six Sets of WF/PC-2 8811 (Cycle 9 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 WF/PC-2 8592 (Pixel Microlensing of M87)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to undertake a pixel microlensing study of M87 
in order to: 1} probe the lower end of the M87 IMF via star-star lensing, 
2} possibly obtain the first evidence of Massive Compact Objects (MACHOs) 
in the halo of a galaxy other than our own, and 3} search for intracluster 
MACHOs.  The proposal completed nominally.

    1.8 Completed Five Sets of WF/PC-2 9085 (Measuring The Masses Of High-Z 
Quasar Host Galaxies)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to investigate the close link between 
black-hole mass and spheroid mass in both quiescent and active galaxies in 
the local universe.  Consequently black-hole and spheroid formation/growth 
are now viewed as intimately related processes, and establishing the mass 
of quasar host galaxies as a function of redshift is now seen as a key 
measurement in observational cosmology.  From the Cycle 7 NICMOS program, 
the best estimate to date of the mass evolution of the hosts of both 
radio-quiet and radio-loud quasars out to z ~eq 2 has been derived.  Under 
the assumption of passive stellar-population evolution our results are 
consistent with the black-hole/spheroid population being unchanged out to z 
~eq 2.  However, the crucial assumption of passive evolution needs to be 
tested.  All observations competed nominally.

    1.9 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 9073 (Ultraluminous X-Ray Sources 
and Intermediate Mass Black Holes)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to observe ultraluminous X-ray sources {ULX} 
that are second only to AGNs in point-source luminosity yet they have no 
known optical counterparts.  These extraordinary X-ray objects, which 
radiate at the Eddington luminosity of a 30-100 solar mass object, are 
non-nuclear sources in normal disk galaxies.  One explanation is that they 
are binary systems where the accreting black hole has a mass of 30-100 
solar masses, although this challenges stellar evolutionary models, which 
do not predict remnants larger than about 10 solar masses.  Another 
possibility is that ULXs are intermediate mass black holes acting as 
micro-quasars in galaxy disks and representing the link between stellar 
black holes {4-10 solar masses} and supermassive black holes {10^6-10^10 
solar masses}.  The observations completed with no reported problems.

    1.10 Completed WF/PC-2 8641 (Testing the Accelerating Universe)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to observe Type Ia supernovae which provide 
evidence for an accelerating universe: an extraordinary result that needs 
to be rigorously tested.  The observations completed with no reported problems.

    1.11 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 8816 (Cycle 9 UV Earthflats)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain sequences of Earth streak flats to 
improve the quality of pipeline flat fields for the WFPC2 UV filter set and 
in order to monitor flat field stability.  There were no reported problems.

    1.12 Completed WF/PC-2 8632 (A UV Atlas of Nearby Galaxies)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a snapshot survey of local galaxies 
at UV wavelengths with the F300W filter.  The aim of the project is to 
build a reference UV Atlas of normal galaxies, whose optical images are 
well known, with the highest possible degree of information, covering all 
the morphological types and luminosity classes.  The proposal completed 
normally.

    1.13 Completed WF/PC-2 8597 (The Fueling of Active Nuclei: Why are 
Active Galaxies Active?)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to investigate the accretion onto massive 
black holes that are believed to be the energy source for AGN.  However, 
evidence for black holes in quiescent galaxies has also been reported.  Why 
are these galaxies inactive?  One possibility is that active galaxies are 
better at providing fuel to the nuclear region than quiescent 
galaxies.  Other possible fueling mechanisms such as ``bars-within-bars'' 
or nuclear spirals cannot be investigated from the ground because they are 
relatively small features in the ISM.  The observations were completed as 
planned.

    1.14 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8592 (Pixel Microlensing of M87)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to undertake a pixel microlensing study of M87 
in order to: 1} probe the lower end of the M87 IMF via star-star lensing, 
2} possibly obtain the first evidence of Massive Compact Objects (MACHOs) 
in the halo of a galaxy other than our own, and 3} search for intracluster 
MACHOs.  The proposal completed nominally.

    1.15 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 9045 (The Relationship Between 
Radio Luminosity and Radio-Loud AGN Host Galaxy Properties)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to determine the relationship between the 
properties of the host galaxies of radio-loud AGN and their radio 
luminosities.  Previous studies in this area with the HST have concentrated 
on the 3C sample which shows a tight correlation between luminosity and 
redshift, such that evolutionary effects cannot be distinguished from those 
depending upon radio luminosity.  Our sample of 46 radio galaxies at z ~ 
0.5 comes from four complete, low-frequency-selected samples of radio 
sources with differing flux limits.  Thus the total sample spans an 
unprecedented three orders of magnitude in radio luminosity at a fixed 
redshift interval.  The proposal completed with no reported problems.

    1.16 Completed WF/PC-2 8550 (Heritage Observations of NGC 6782)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to make observations of galaxy NGC 6782, 
augmenting archival data to produce a full-color Hubble Heritage image for 
public outreach.  The observations completed nominally.

    1.17 Completed WF/PC-2 8601 (A Snapshot Survey of Probable Nearby Galaxies)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to continue the very successful snapshot 
survey in order to use the high spatial resolution of HST to determine 
whether selected galaxies are nearby on the basis of resolution into stars, 
and the magnitudes and colors of the brightest stars.  There were no 
reported problems.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

    2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
       Scheduled Acquisitions: 29
Successful: 29

  Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 20
Successful: 20

    2.2 FHST Updates:
Scheduled: 52
Successful: 52

    2.3 Operations Notes:

        The STIS instrument remains in safe mode.

        Using ROP SR-1A, the SSR EDAC error counter was cleared eight times.

        The CCS 485 engineering status buffer limits were adjusted on five 
occasions per ROP DF-18A.

        A new HST 486 SMAC20 SI C&DH safing sequence, which utilizes STIS 
on side 2, was successfully uplinked at 159/1408Z per an operations request.

        The EPS limits set was returned to normal ranges after the high sun 
time has passed.  This was done at 159/1832Z.

        At 159/1832Z, the CCC 5 Voltage/Temperature Level 5 to Level 4 was 
raised, as was the Trickle Charge Initiation parameter (from 2 to 
3).  Trickle charge initiation occurred nominally at 159/190623Z.

        At 159/1833Z, the pressure-based battery capacity equations were 
updated.

        Per ROP NS-3, the NSSC-1 status buffer was dumped at 160/0024Z.

        A TTR was written for a required re-transmit at 161/1322Z during an 
NSSC-1 uplink.  Later, at 161/1324Z, the SI C&DH error counter was reset as 
directed by ROP NS-5.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

        Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.

/CAW