HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

       DAILY REPORT #2984

PERIOD COVERED:  0000Z (UTC) 10/24/01 - 0000Z (UTC) 10/25/01

Daily Status Report as of 298/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

    1.1 Completed Two Sets of 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.

    1.2 Completed Three 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.  The observations completed nominally.

    1.3 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.

    1.4 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.

    1.5 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 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.

    1.7 Completed Four 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.

    1.8 Completed STIS/CCD 9126 (Galaxy Mass and the Fate of Luminous, Blue 
Compact Galaxies at z~0.6)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to obtain 
long-slit spectra for a sample of 6 luminous, blue, compact galaxies 
{LBCGs} at z ~ 0.6.  Despite being very luminous, LBCGs have velocity 
widths Sigma ~ 60 kms and half-light radii r_e ~ 0.5'' {or R_e ~ 
3Kpc}.  Small sizes and velocity widths suggest LBCGs are low- mass stellar 
systems , while their blue colors, strong emission lines and low M/L-ratios 
indicate they are undergoing a major starburst. I f the star-forming 
process halts after the current burst, models predict that LBCGs will fade 
by ~2-4 magnitudes after a few Gyrs to reach the low luminosities and 
surface brightnesses characteristic of spheroidal galaxies.  The proposal 
completed with no reported problems.

    1.9 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.

    1.10 Completed 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.

    1.11 Completed WF/PC-2 9155 (The Cepheid Distance to NGC 1637: A Direct 
Comparison with the EPM Distance to SN 1999em)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to directly compare distances estimated by two 
primary extragalactic distance indicators. The appearance of supernova 
1999em, a bright, extremely well- observed type II plateau event in the 
nearby SBc galaxy NGC 1637 offers the best chance to test the consistency 
of the Expanding Photosphere Method {EPM} of supernova distance 
determination with that derived from Cepheid variable stars.  Although EPM 
distances have been measured to 18 type II supernovae out to 180 Mpc and 
used to determine Hubble's constant independent of the Cepheid distance, 
there have never been any measurements of Cepheids in a galaxy that has 
hosted a normal type II-P supernova, the classic variety of core-collapse 
event to which EPM-derived distances are most robust.  The proposal 
completed nominally.

    1.12 Completed 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.

    1.13 Completed WF/PC-2/STIS/CCD 8573 (Newborn Planets and Brown Dwarf 
Companions in IC 348)

        The WF/PC-2 and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) were 
used to search for young giant planets and brown dwarfs around ~100 
low-mass stars and brown dwarfs in the nearby cluster IC 348.  The 
observations completed with no reported problems.

    1.14 Completed STIS/CCD 7912 (STIS Parallel Archive Proposal - Nearby 
Galaxies - Imaging and Spectroscopy)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make 
parallel observations of nearby galaxies.  This survey will be useful to 
study the star formation histories, chemical evolution, and distances to 
these galaxies.  These data will be placed immediately into the Hubble Data 
Archive.  The observations were completed as scheduled, and no problems 
were reported.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

    2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
       Scheduled Acquisitions:  7
Successful:  7

  Scheduled Re-acquisitions:  3
Successful:  3

    2.2 FHST Updates:
Scheduled: 16
Successful: 16

    2.3 Operations Notes:

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

        A TTR was written when there was a required re-transmit at 
297/124442Z during a NSSC-1 load.  Accordingly, at 297/1253Z, per ROP 
NS-05, SI C&DH errors were reset.

        The plus wing solar array drive mechanism (SADM) shaft temperature 
monitor (BE2%DMT3) flagged out-of-limits low (yellow) at 297/211926Z with a 
value of 24.3405 degC.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

        Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.

/CAW