Daily Report #4758

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science

DAILY REPORT****** #4758

PERIOD COVERED: 5am December 16 - 5am December 17, 2008 (DOY
******************* 351/1000z-352/1000z)

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED

FGS 11870

Calibrating FGS1R's Optical Field Angle Distortion (OFAD), Second
Epoch

This proposal gathers the data needed to calibrate the optical field
angle distortions in FGS1r to the level of accuracy required for
astrometry science. Selected stars from the galactic cluster M35 are
repeatedly observed in POSITION mode by FGS1r with F583W filter at a
variety of spacecraft pointings and telescope roll angles. Ideally the
observations are to occur at a time when this ecliptic star field is
near the anti-sun direction so that HST's roll angle is unconstrained.
Unfortunately this is not possible under two gyro operations.
Therefore, the observations in this proposal are somewhat very
constrained in roll. However, this test should suffice as an adequate
update to the original FGS1r OFAD that executed in December 2000. For
each visit, the desired telescope pointing is specified by POS TARG
and ORIENT special requirements.

WFPC2 11113

Binaries in the Kuiper Belt: Probes of Solar System Formation and
Evolution

The discovery of binaries in the Kuiper Belt and related small body
populations is powering a revolutionary step forward in the study of
this remote region. Three quarters of the known binaries in the Kuiper
Belt have been discovered with HST, most by our snapshot surveys. The
statistics derived from this work are beginning to yield surprising
and unexpected results. We have found a strong concentration of
binaries among low-inclination Classicals, a possible size cutoff to
binaries among the Centaurs, an apparent preference for nearly equal
mass binaries, and a strong increase in the number of binaries at
small separations. We propose to continue this successful program in
Cycle 16; we expect to discover at least 13 new binary systems,
targeted to subgroups where these discoveries can have the greatest
impact.

WFPC2 11302

WFPC2 CYCLE 16 Standard Darks - Part III

This dark calibration program obtains 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.

WFPC2 11793

WFPC2 Cycle 16 Internal Monitor

This calibration proposal is the Cycle 15 routine internal monitor for
WFPC2, to be run weekly to monitor the health of the cameras. A
variety of internal exposures are obtained in order to provide a
monitor of the integrity of the CCD camera electronics in both bays
(both gain 7 and gain 15 -- to test stability of gains and bias
levels), a test for quantum efficiency in the CCDs, and a monitor for
possible buildup of contaminants on the CCD windows. These also
provide raw data for generating annual super-bias reference files for
the calibration pipeline.

WFPC2 11944

Binaries at the Extremes of the H-R Diagram

We propose to use HST/Fine Guidance Sensor 1r to survey for binaries
among some of the most massive, least massive, and oldest stars in our
part of the Galaxy. FGS allows us to spatially resolve binary systems
that are too faint to observe using ground-based, speckle or optical
long baseline interferometry, and too close to resolve with AO. We
propose a SNAP-style program of single orbit FGS TRANS mode
observations of very massive stars in the cluster NGC 3603, luminous
blue variables, nearby low mass main sequence stars, cool subdwarf
stars, and white dwarfs. These observations will help us to (1)
identify systems suitable for follow up studies for mass
determination, (2) study the role of binaries in stellar birth and in
advanced evolutionary states, (3) explore the fundamental properties
of stars near the main sequence-brown dwarf boundary, (4) understand
the role of binaries for X-ray bright systems, (5) find binaries among
ancient and nearby subdwarf stars, and (6) help calibrate the white
dwarf mass - radius relation.

WFPC2/ACS/SBC 11957

Hubble Investigation of Asteroid 21 Lutetia in Support of the Rosetta
Mission Flyby

The Rosetta mission is gearing up for a flyby encounter with the
large, main belt asteroid 21 Lutetia, with closest approach on 2010
June 10. The next opposition, on 2008 December 1, is our last
opportunity to make observations in time to affect the planning of the
Rosetta program. We request a total of 5 orbits of Hubble observing
time (2 using ACS/SBC and 3 using WFPC2) to characterize the UV albedo
of Lutetia, to search for any dust debris near the main body, and to
perform a deep search for companions. Even one orbit of Hubble time
would provide valuable data for planning the Rosetta-Alice ultraviolet
spectrometer observations, and 2 orbits are sufficient to characterize
the far-UV albedo, but a 5-orbit program provides a richer scientific
investigation with potentially much broader implications, both
scientifically and for Rosetta planning.

FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary
reports of potential non-nominal performance that will be
investigated.)

HSTARS: (None)

COMPLETED OPS REQUEST:
18371-2 NCS Restart and Cooldown @ 351/19:36z

COMPLETED OPS NOTES:
1761-1 Adjust NCC TBA Inlet Pressure Limit @352/00:41z
1762-0 Adjust NCC Compressor Computed Slip limit @352/01:49z

************************ SCHEDULED***** SUCCESSFUL
FGS GSacq******************* 11************* 11
FGS REacq******************** 01************* 01
OBAD with Maneuver**** 22************* 22

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS:

NCC Compressor Restart Was Successful:

At 351/19:04z, NCS began cooling NICMOS in preparation for its' return
to science.