HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science

 

DAILY REPORT      #4866

 

PERIOD COVERED: 5am June 12 - 5am June 15, 2009 (DOY 163/0900z-166/0900z)

 

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED

 

WFC3/UV 11808

 

WFC3 UVIS Bowtie Monitor

 

The UVIS detector was observed during ground testing to occasionally

exhibit flat field and dark variations with a bowtie pattern. These

variations are most significant as ~1% flat field (gain) variations

across the field of view. It is believed that this represents a state or

condition into which the detector can transition for reasons and under

circumstances which are not currently understood. It is also very

unlikely that most science observations will determine the state (bowtie

or no-bowtie) of the detector. Ground test data indicates that this

state is long lived (many hours to ~one day). Hysteresis or memory of

past light exposure is also associated with this state.

 

Recent evidence suggests that exposing the detector to ~200k to 500k

electrons may quench this state. This proposal obtains an internal flat

field sequence of three exposures: one at 10x full well with two at 0.5x

full well immediately before and after. Each exposure is 3x3 binned to

reduce the data volume required.

 

These visits should be scheduled 2x per day until further direction is

provided.

 

FGS 11788

 

The Architecture of Exoplanetary Systems

 

Are all planetary systems coplanar? Concordance cosmogony makes that

prediction. It is, however, a prediction of extrasolar planetary system

architecture as yet untested by direct observation for main sequence

stars other than the Sun. To provide such a test, we propose to carry

out FGS astrometric studies on four stars hosting seven companions. Our

understanding of the planet formation process will grow as we match not

only system architecture, but formed planet mass and true distance from

the primary with host star characteristics for a wide variety of host

stars and exoplanet masses.

 

We propose that a series of FGS astrometric observations with

demonstrated 1 millisecond of arc per-observation precision can

establish the degree of coplanarity and component true masses for four

extrasolar systems: HD 202206 (brown dwarf+planet); HD 128311

(planet+planet), HD 160691 = mu Arae (planet+planet), and HD 222404AB =

gamma Cephei (planet+star). In each case the companion is identified as

such by assuming that the minimum mass is the actual mass. For the last

target, a known stellar binary system, the companion orbit is stable

only if coplanar with the AB binary orbit.

 

WFC3/UV 11529

 

UVIS tungsten lamp cross-check

 

This proposal will verify the operation of the spare UVIS channel

calsystem tungsten lamp. Internal flatfields will be obtained in one

filter from each of the twelve filter wheels, providing an initial

baseline and comparison for those taken with the primary lamp (WF09,

11422). Filters for this proposal were chosen based upon a balance of

multiple factors: reasonable countrate with calsystem tungsten lamp (no

long exposure times), science priority of the filter, overall coverage

of UVIS wavelength regime, and slot location in the wheel. Exposures

will be taken in the default full-frame, four-amp, unbinned readout

mode.

 

ACS/WFC 11510

 

External CTE Monitor

 

Observations of 47 Tuc with half-FOV sized dithers to check the impact

of CTE on photometry after SM4.

 

COS/NUV 11469

 

COS NUV Optics Alignment and Focus

 

This program has stringent guide star and timing requirements. Refer to

the observing description section for complete details.

 

This program determines the fine focus using NUV MIRRORA exposures of

the same target as COS08 (program 11468 - COS to FGS Alignment (NUV)).

This program must commence execution approximately 48 hours after

completion of visit 1 of COS08 and as soon as possible after the uplink

in visit 2 of COS08. Three fine focus visits are executed to establish

on-orbit nominal focus. Two detailed verification visits are executed

after the three focus-sweep visits. Approximately 48 hours after each

odd-numbered visit an uplink of new information is required.

 

COS/S/C 11468

 

COS to FGS Alignment (NUV)

 

DESCRIPTION: In order to determine the location of the COS reference

frame with respect to the FGS reference frames, NUV MIRRORA images will

be obtained of an astrometric target and field. Astrometric guide stars

and targets must be employed for this activity in order to facilitate

the alignment with the FGS. Images will be obtained at the initial

pointing and at positions offset in V2 and in V3. Starting with the

original blind pointing, obtain MIRRORA image exposures in a 5x5

POS-TARG grid centered on initial pointing; repeat the image sequence at

two bracketing focus positions in same visit. Following completion of

third pattern, return to nominal focus and perform 5x5 ACQ/SEARCH target

acquisition and obtain one TIME-TAG MIRRORA image and one ACCUM

verification exposure. Next perform an ACQ/IMAGE target acquisition

followed by an ACCUM verification exposure. Also obtain ACCUM

verification exposure for each of the two alternate focus positions used

previously. Using MIRRORB obtain ACCUM confirmation image at nominal

focus and ACCUM images at alternate focus positions and then perform an

ACQ/IMAGE and confirming image at nominal focus. Analyze imagery, uplink

pointing offset as offset 11469A and adjust nominal focus via patchable

constant uplinked with subsequent visit of this program; update aperture

locations via modified SIAF file uplinked with subsequent SMS. Use

updated focus and offset pointing as input for COS 09 (program 11469 -

NUV Optics Alignment and Focus) (note the SIAF update is not a

prerequisite for COS 09 to proceed, but the pointing offset and focus

update are).

 

WFC3/IR 11423

 

IR FSM Test

 

This proposal will verify the operation of the IR filter wheel (FSM) and

a calsystem tungsten lamp. A baseline image set will be established by

obtaining one internal flatfield in each IR filter using the channel's

default lamp, plus one dark in each of the different sample sequence

types used. Separate proposals will obtain additional darks and

flatfields in each filter for CDBS reference file generation (proposals

11447 and 11433) and verify the health and flux output of the spare

tungsten bulb for the IR channel (proposal 11543).

 

This proposal corresponds to WFC3-10; it should not be run until after

successful completion of the IR functional (WFC3 -07, proposal 11420)

but needs to be completed before execution of the initial IR alignment

(WFC3-12, proposal 11425).

 

WFC3/UV 11419

 

UVIS Detector Functional Test

 

This program measures the baseline performance and operability of CCDs

using internal observations: bias frames, darks, and internal (WFC3

calsystem) flatfields. The images will be used to evaluate readnoise,

dark current, and gain. Both chips and all four amplifiers/quadrants

will be checked; while most data will be taken in default readout mode

(unbinned, four-amp gain 1.5 setting), a small number of biases and

darks will also be taken in full-frame binned modes and a set of

subarrays. A set of internal flatfields will be acquired to provide an

absolute gain measurement at the nominal setting (1.5 e-/DN) as well as

a relative check at the off-nominal settings.

 

 

STIS/CCD 11404

 

CCD Dark and Bias Monitor for SMOV4/Cycle 17 Activity STIS-07

 

Monitor the darks for the STIS CCD. 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.

 

ACS/SBC 11398

 

UV Sensitivity, Geometric Distortion and Flat Field Verification for SBC

 

NGC604 is observed to provide a secondary check on UV sensitivity, and a

primary verification of geometric distortion and flat fields following

the similar calibrations done in ACS/CAL-10722. Exposures are obtained

on a 10x10 arcsec dither box, and the geometric distortion is

established using the previously available HRC calibration of this field

as a reference.

 

Internal flats using the deuterium lamp are obtained in the full suite

of SBC filters and the prisms, this follows from ACS/CAL-11052.

 

ACS16/SBC 11378

 

ACS SBC Image Quality Verification

 

This activity will obtain a series of images to evaluate the point

source image quality over the field of view of the ACS SBC channel. NGC

6681 (18.7 h, -32 deg) will be the target, as this star field has been

used extensively for SBC PSF measurement and photometry. High SNR images

will be obtained in the F125LP and F150LP filters, with dithers in each

axis. This corresponds to activity ACS16.

 

ACS/WFC 11371

 

CCD Cross Talk

 

The goal of this program is to verify the amount of cross talk in the

ACS WFC detectors in the post SM4 era. Before the failure of ACS the

cross talk was very low at gain=1 e-/DN and almost not existent at

gain=2 e-/DN. We plan to verify if the cross talk with the new

electronics is still at levels that do not represent concerns for

science. Both gain=1 and gain=2 will be tested. A bright extended source

and several bright (likely saturated) stars will be used for the test.

The sources will be positioned in different quadrants to verify if any

specific amplifier is more affected to cross talks than others.

 

The program consists of four visits two orbits each. Only three visits

are supposed to be executed for a total of 6 orbits. The structure of

each visit is identical, the only difference is the correlated double

sapling technique.

 

Visit 01 and 02 should be executed program between programs 11814

(iteration #6 of the CEB-R optimization campaign) and program 11815

(iteration #7 of the CEB-R optimization campaign). The aim of these

visits is to confirm with external observations the impact of the new

electronics on the cross talk while we are still optimizing the CEB-R.

 

Visit 03 or visit 04 should be executed anytime after the end of the

CEB-R optimization campaign depending on which of the dual slope

integrator or correlated double sampling is adopted.

 

COS/FUV/S/C 11356

 

COS FUV Initial On-Orbit Turn-On

 

This proposal specifies the procedure for SMOV initial HV turn-on and

ramp-up of the COS FUV detector. (The FUV will have been commanded to

its Operate state to support execution of proposal 11353.) The procedure

is detailed in the Observing Description, but in summary, the following

is done: The initial transition from FUV Operate to HVLow is broken into

two parts, with a gap of 4 hours between turning on the HV and ramping

to the HVLow (SAA) voltage. This will be followed by 5 cycles of HV

ramp-up and return to HVLow. Cycles will ramp up to successively higher

(magnitude) voltage, with the fifth cycle going to the nominal operating

values. There will be a gap of at least 4 hours between cycles. All HV

ramp-up will be done at 10 sec per HV "step". The step rate and cycle

voltage values (for Segments A and B) must be patched in FSW in each

cycle prior to the HV ramp commanding. Memory monitors will be set on

the patched memory locations. Immediately after any HV commanding, and 4

hours after ramp-up commanding, the DCE memory will be dumped.

Immediately after HV ramp-up commanding higher than HVLow, short DARK &

WAVE exposures will be obtained. Visits 01 and 02, and all the

subsequent even numbered visits (the ones 4 hours after HV ramp-ups),

end with NSSC-1 COS event flag 3 being set. If the flag remains set,

subsequent FUV commanding will be skipped. Thus, Operations Requests

must be in place to clear the flag prior to those subsequent visits.

Real-time monitoring of the telemetry will be used to guide the

decisions whether or not to clear the flag. The final visit (13)

provides a scheduled final opportunity to clear flag 3, and if the flag

is cleared, initiates nominal FUV HV commanding and requests a DARK

exposure.

 

STIS/MA/S/C 11351

 

NUV MAMA HV Recovery

 

This proposal addresses the concerns over Cesium migration from the

NUV-MAMA photocathode into the pores of the microchannel plate and lays

out the procedures necessary to permit a safe and controlled recovery of

the NUV-MAMA detector to science. This procedure should only be used

during the SMOV4 high voltage recommissioning phase for the NUV-MAMA.

After, the normal ramping procedure should be used. This proposal is

loosely based on proposal 10036, STIS MAMA Anomalous Recovery, with the

differences summarized below: (1) additional plateaus during voltage

commanding, (2) longer dwells after each 50 V step, (3) intermediate

ramp re-structured into 2 parts, (4) change in yellow and red limits and

the MCP Hi limit, setting new values for the next plateau, and (5)

adding a fold test at 300V below the nominal MCP voltage. The recovery

consists of four separate procedures (visits) and they must be completed

successfully and in order. They are: (1) a signal processing electronics

check, (2) 1st high voltage ramp-up to an intermediate MCP voltage of

-1500 V with limits modifications and voltage plateaus, (3) 2nd high

voltage ramp-up to an intermediate MCP voltage of -1750 V (300 V below

the nominal MCP voltage) with limits modifications and voltage plateaus

followed by a fold distribution test, and (4) a final high voltage

ramp-up to the full operating voltage, again with limits modifications

and voltage plateaus, followed by a fold distribution test. During the

1st high voltage ramp-up, diagnostics are performed followed by a dark

exposure. During the 2nd and 3rd high voltage ramp-ups, diagnostics are

performed followed by a dark, flat field ACCUMs, and a fold analysis

test. All required parameters are defined in 07-248 FUV and NUV SMOV

Ramp-up Parameters Excel workbook. Supports Activity STIS-18

 

FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

 

Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports

of potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.)

 

HSTARS:

11876 - COS LTAIMAGE Moved Target Out Of FOV @ 162/0949z.

 

11877 - In Proposal 11468, several sequences of POSTARG (Position

           Target) were performed. From examination of the science data, the COS

           Science Team determined that a least one POSTARG direction sign was

           incorrect.

 

11878 - GSAcq (1,3,1) at 165/12:59:58z acquired in fine lock backup on FGS

           1 only.

 

           Observations affected: None.

 

 

           GSAcq (1,3,1) at 165/15:59:58z did not acquire lock on FGS 3.

 

           Observations affected: None.

 

 

11880 - SIC&DH Safed @ 166/0651z.

 

 

COMPLETED OPS REQUEST:

18511-0 - Genslew for Proposal 11469 - Slot # 1 @ 163/1621z

18512-2 - Update COS aperture positions in FSW @ 163/2203z

18513-0 - Genslew for Proposal 11469 - Slot # 1 @ 163/2237z

18515-0 - Uplink OBSINT Gyro Bias Update @ 163/2352z

18514-0 - Clear COS Event Flag 3 after FUV initial turn on Part 3-4 completes @ 164/1353z

18519-0 - Genslew for Proposal 11469 - Slot # 1 @ 165/1729z

18516-0 - Clear STIS Event Flag 3 (MAMA2 Checkout Part 3) @ 165/2158z

18517-1 - Gyro Calibration Configuration @ 166/0641z

 

 

COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)

                       SCHEDULED      SUCCESSFUL

FGS GSAcq               20                  20

FGS REAcq               07                  07                

OBAD with Maneuver 20                  20           

 

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS:

 

Flash Reports:

-The COS FUV HV was partially ramped to HVNom (-5199/-5152 volts) on both

 segment A and B respectively at 163:17:25z.

 

-The COS FUV HV was ramped to its nominal operating voltages (-5293/-5246

 volts) at 165:19:00z.

 

-The first iteration of the gyro calibrations and all associated

 commanding was successfully completed at 166/06:42z.