XMM-Newton Status Report |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Howard Nye 12/04/99 03:12 PM To: Dietmar Heger/esoc/ESA@ESA, Jean Clavel/vilspa/ESA@ESA, Mauro Casale/vilspa/ESA@ESA, Ram=F3n Mu=F1oz/vilspa/ESA@ESA, Edmund Serpell/esoc/ESA@ESA, Jorge Fauste/vilspa/ESA@ESA, Neil Cheek/vilspa/ESA@ESA, Damien Texier/vilspa/ESA@ESA, Oscar Ojanguren/esoc/ESA@ESA, Daniel De Pablo/vilspa/ESA@ESA cc: Frank Dreger/esoc/ESA@ESA, Gottlob Gienger/esoc/ESA@ESA, Alan Smith/esoc/ESA@ESA, Hubert Barre/estec/ESA@ESA, Fabio Giannini/estec/ESA@ESA, Walter Flury/esoc/ESA@ESA Subject: XMM : Web Site to Monitor Solar Proton Levels Please find below E-mail from Robert Laine, recommending we routinely check the NOAA Space Environments Center web site (NOAA/SEC, http://sec.noaa.gov/) to monitor the level of potentially damaging solar protons. Dietmar : Please confirm that we will be checking this from the PC in the DCR and adding it to the routine Spacon tasks list Jean : I assume you will set this up on your side too ! Best regards Howard ------ Forwarded by Howard Nye/esoc/ESA on 04/12/99 15:05 -------------- Robert Laine 04/12/99 14:01 To: Howard Nye/esoc/ESA@ESA, Fabio Giannini/estec/ESA@ESA, Hubert Barre/estec/ESA@ESA cc: Fred Jansen/estec/ESA@ESA Subject: Chandra radiation protection Dear colleagues, please find attached a note from Chandra team. In point one it give the URL for proton warning. I think that ESOC should set a PC and hook it to that URL such that we can get the same warning as used on Chandra. Helios cleared the base OK on time. So we are next in line..."au suivant..." Regards --------- Forwarded by Robert Laine/estec/ESA on 04/12/99 13:53 ---------- "Steve O'Dell"on 04/12/99 02:36:35 To: fjansen@estsa2.estec.esa.nl, martin@smoker.msfc.nasa.gov, Robert Laine/estec/ESA cc: a.brinkman@sron.nl, mjlt@star.le.ac.uk, Steve.O'Dell@msfc.nasa.gov, rcameron@cfa.harvard.edu, tony.lavoie@msfc.nasa.gov Subject: Chandra radiation protection Dear Fred, You must be quite excited with the XMM launch only a week away. Good luck! I wanted to update you on what we are doing to protect the Chandra science instruments against radiation damage. You may already know most of this, but I wanted to be sure that you are aware of what we have learned. As you know, we believe that protons with energies of 0.1--0.5 keV caused the CTI degradation of the ACIS front-illuminated CCDs. It is possible that other weakly penetrating species (perhaps 0.4--2-MeV O+) could also produce some of this damage. However, we figure that if we protect the instruments against a high flux of protons, we also shall be protecting against a high flux of other potentially damaging species. (1) Protection against solar protons: We are using real-time data from the ACE (Advanced Composition Explorer) EPAM (Electron, Proton, and Alpha Monitor) detector, to warn of enhanced solar-proton radiation. ACE is in an L1 orbit, so it is about an hour upstream from the Earth. The real-time EPAM data (see attached Figure 1 below) cover 5 proton energy bands from about 0.05 MeV to 1.9 MeV; so, it is ideal for detecting potentially damaging solar protons. The NOAA Space Environments Center (NOAA/SEC, http://sec.noaa.gov/) provides near-real-time web and ftp access to these data. The Chandra X-ray Center (CXC) automatically checks these data every 5 minutes and alerts appropriate personnel if specified thresholds are exceeded. We then evaluate the data and trends to determine whether we should intervene to protect the science instruments. (2) Protection against magnetospheric protons: We are scheduling protection of the science instruments during transit of the "radiation belts". To do this, the Off-Line Software (OFLS) uses a simple de-centered magnetic-dipole model for predicting radiation-belt entry and exit. This simple model is NOT good enough. Based upon CXC analysis of data from the on-board EPHIN (Electron, Proton, and Helium Instrument; essentially identical to the detector on SOHO), we are now adding a 13-ks pad on either side of the radiation belt predicted by the model used by the OFLS. Thus, we believe that, at this time of year, we must protect the ACIS FI CCDs below about 70,000-km altitude. In fact, the ACIS FI CCDs experienced some additional damage (CTI degradation of about 2*10^-6) within the magnetosphere, but outside the "radiation belt". We thus realize that the de-centered dipole and the AP8MAX proton predictions are NOT good enough. There are regions outside the "radiation belt" --- e.g., transient events in the dawn-sector quasi-trapped region between geosynchronous orbit and the magnetopause (see attached Figure 2 below) and in the magnetotail --- in which the proton flux is high enough to produce significant degradation of the FI CCDs, especially when integrated over the life of the mission. Our current criteria (using the 13-ks pad or shutting down below 70,000-km altitude) is adequate for now; however, in the next few months, we need to develop a better model, in order to improve the observing efficiency and to predict magnetotail crossings (about a half-year away). (3) Autonomous safing As a back-up to intervention against solar protons and scheduled safing against magnetospheric protons, we are using the EPHIN as a radiation monitor to trigger autonomous safing of the instruments. In fact, all safing procedures, whether or not triggered by EPHIN, now include safing the science instruments. The following autonomous procedures safe the science instruments: (a) Retract gratings. (b) Translate focal-plane to midway between HRC and ACIS, to protect immediately against bright-object (sun) damage. (c) Power down ACIS camera boards. (d) Mostly close HRC door; power down anti-coincidence PMTs and ramp down MCP HV. (e) Translate focal-plane to mostly closed HRC so that ACIS is well hidden from HRMA. Regards, Steve -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Philippe Kletzkine 07/12/99 22:41 To: Robert Laine/estec/ESA@ESA, Roger Bonnet/esahq/ESA@ESA, Dina Bauer/esahq/ESA@ESA, John Credland/estec/ESA@ESA, Jean-Jacques Dordain/esahq/ESA@ESA cc: Hubert Barre/estec/ESA@ESA, Jan van Dooren/estec/ESA@ESA, Daniel de Chambure/estec/ESA@ESA, Howard Nye/esoc/ESA@ESA, Fred Jansen/estec/ESA@ESA, Andre Van Gaver/esahq/ESA@ESA, Jaap de Bijl/estec/ESA@ESA Subject: XMM Progress Update, J-3 XMM The spacecraft has been armed. Hardware-wise, it is in flight configuration i.e. all red tag items (not for flight) have been removed and all green tag items (to be installed for flight) have been installed. The last battery conditioning has been completed. Spacecraft purging is continuing. Launcher The launch vehicle has been armed. The fairing doors have been closed, after the spacecraft arming. Preparations for launch, particularly of the ground systems for the transfer to the launch zone scheduled on J-1, are on-going. No change of overall schedule. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fabio Giannini 12/13/99 02:21 PM To: Giorgio Bagnasco/estec/ESA@ESA, Daniel de Chambure/estec/ESA@ESA, Stefan Thuerey/estec/ESA@ESA, Robert Laine/estec/ESA@ESA, EPIC LUX Distribution List, Philippe Ferrando , A.Naber@sron.nl, M.Bremer@sron.nl, jat@mssl.ucl.ac.uk, J.W.A.den.Herder@sron.nl, L.Dubbeldam@sron.nl, Alain CROS , boer@cesr.fr, Fred Jansen/estec/ESA@ESA, Rudolf Much/estec/ESA@ESA, David Lumb/estec/ESA@ESA, Christian Erd/estec/ESA@ESA, Howard Huckle , Phil Smith , bertb@sron.nl, kom@mssl.ucl.ac.uk, mjlt@star.le.ac.uk, gev@ifctr.mi.cnr.it, clr@mpehp1.mpe-garching.mpg.de, Dietmar Heger/esoc/ESA@ESA, Alan Smith/esoc/ESA@ESA, Hubert Barre/estec/ESA@ESA, Mauro Casale/vilspa/ESA@ESA, Kate Adamson/vilspa/ESA@ESA, Jean Clavel/vilspa/ESA@ESA, Damien Texier/vilspa/ESA@ESA cc: Subject: All 3 EPIC are alive and well, UPDATE Update at 14:00 13-12-1999 : MOS2 CCD temp= -41C MOS1 CCD temp= -27C p-n CCD temp = -53C EPIC Radiators temp all at -110/-112 RGS1 & 2 CCDs temp = -26C As we are in a delta-V burn, the pitch is ~40Degc and we have sun on the OM door; temp +25C at the hinge. ERME temp stable +8/+10C. We will soon start the MOS1 and p-n ventings. Ciao, Fabio. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fabio Giannini 13/12/99 06:34 Hi there, Just finished the venting of MOS2 and the check on MOS1 and p-n. Everithing nominal: Bellow pressure MOS1= 4.44 bar Bellow pressure MOS2= 4.13 bar Pressure sensor MOS1= 7694mV (camera temp ~8C) Pressure sensor MOS2= 7460mV (camera temp ~5C) Pressure p-n (-0.1!!!) cal curve also pressure dependent, but it is probably OK). The CCD temperature for MOS 2 is already below the temperature in MOS1 (-30C). Tomorrow afternoon venting of MOS1 and p-n. Ciao, and good night. Fabio, Nicola, Maurizio, Reiner, Ed, Markus. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hubert Barre 12/12/99 14:33 To: Robert Laine/estec/ESA@ESA, Philippe Kletzkine/estec/ESA@ESA, Daniel de Chambure/estec/ESA@ESA, Uwe.Minne@dss.dornier.dasa.de, Guenter.Hampel@dss.dornier.dasa.de, Bernd.Koesters@dss.dornier.dasa.de, m.ransom@go-ariane.com cc: Nicole Lamoureux/estec/ESA@ESA, Isabelle Luthold/estec/ESA@ESA, Bernard Jackson/estec/ESA@ESA, Anders Elfving/estec/ESA@ESA, Anders Karlsson/estec/ESA@ESA, Daniele Stramaccioni/estec/ESA@ESA, Fabio Giannini/estec/ESA@ESA, Alan Smith/esoc/ESA@ESA, Howard Nye/esoc/ESA@ESA, Dietmar Heger/esoc/ESA@ESA Subject: XMM Operations Report at H0 + 48 Hours . This is my second personal report , to keep you all informed : At the time of writing , it is exactly 46 Hours and 40 Minutes since XMM has taken off from KOUROU . As of now ( H0 + 46 Hours , 40 Minutes , few Seconds ) : - XMM has passed the first Perigee , and is now at about 10,000 km above the Earth . - Both parts ( Delta-V1 & 2 ) of the first PRM ( Perigee Raise Maneuvre ) have been completed successfully , as planned . - The Perigee was actually raised from 826 km ( Initial virtual Perigee P-0 ) to 4891 km . ( The maneuvre was performed in the right direction and along the right vector ) . This Perigee P-1 took place at 12:32 UT this Sunday 12 Dec. 99 . - So far : some 1516 Tele-Commands have been sent from ground , NONE having been rejected on-board . - All sub-systems are Nominal , and all operating Units are on A-Side ( Prime Branch ) . The XMM Operations Team ( ESOC + ESTEC ( PX + TOS ) + DORNIER ) remains concentrated on the job . Salutations Amicales . - Hubert BARRE - 12 December 1999 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hubert Barre 14/12/99 07:54 To: Robert Laine/estec/ESA@ESA, Philippe Kletzkine/estec/ESA@ESA, Daniel de Chambure/estec/ESA@ESA, Uwe.Minne@dss.dornier.dasa.de, Guenter.Hampel@dss.dornier.dasa.de, Bernd.Koesters@dss.dornier.dasa.de, m.ransom@go-ariane.com cc: Nicole Lamoureux/estec/ESA@ESA, Isabelle Luthold/estec/ESA@ESA, Bernard Jackson/estec/ESA@ESA, Anders Elfving/estec/ESA@ESA, Anders Karlsson/estec/ESA@ESA, Daniele Stramaccioni/estec/ESA@ESA, Fabio Giannini/estec/ESA@ESA, Alan Smith/esoc/ESA@ESA, Howard Nye/esoc/ESA@ESA, Dietmar Heger/esoc/ESA@ESA Subject: XMM Operations Report at H0 + 88 Hours . For information , below is my personal report Nb. 03 , on 14 December 1999 : Counting from Lift-Off in KOUROU , XMM is now flying for 88 Hours . Short status report : - XMM has passed its second Apogee . - The second PRM ( Perigee Raise Maneuvre ) , carried out at Apogee 2 has been completed successfully , as planned . - The Perigee was actually raised from 4891 km ( Perigee P-1 ) to 6480 km . - This Perigee P-2 will be passed Today at 11:41 UT . - In total 2267 Tele-Commands have been executed on-board , NONE having been rejected . - All sub-systems are Nominal , and all operating Units are on A-Side ( Prime Branch ) . - Mirror Temperatures are monitored carefully , and regular updates to the MTCU Duty Cycles are being uplinked . - Although fully nominal , the Star Tracker behaviour is being analysed in details ( " The AOCS behaviour is so good , that we have to find specific point to maintain our neurones active " ) . - Right now , XMM is at an altitude of some 57'000 km and is gliding towards the earth at a speed of 2.55 km per second . The XMM Operations Team ( ESOC + ESTEC ( PX + TOS ) + DORNIER ) remains concentrated on the job . Since the operations are so smooth , We are thinking to relax a bit the shift plan ( 24 H per Day on call , but not necessarily on ESOC site at night , when operations are limited ) . Yesterday 13 December , our swedish colleagues offered the " Glugg " to celebrate Santa Lucia ( Have a look to the XMM Web pages ) . Salutations Amicales . - Hubert BARRE - 14 December 1999 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hubert Barre 15/12/99 17:09 To: Robert Laine/estec/ESA@ESA, Philippe Kletzkine/estec/ESA@ESA, Daniel de Chambure/estec/ESA@ESA, Uwe.Minne@dss.dornier.dasa.de, Guenter.Hampel@dss.dornier.dasa.de, Bernd.Koesters@dss.dornier.dasa.de, m.ransom@go-ariane.com, John Credland/estec/ESA@ESA, Jacques Durand/esahq/ESA@ESA cc: Nicole Lamoureux/estec/ESA@ESA, Isabelle Luthold/estec/ESA@ESA, Bernard Jackson/estec/ESA@ESA, Anders Elfving/estec/ESA@ESA, Anders Karlsson/estec/ESA@ESA, Daniele Stramaccioni/estec/ESA@ESA, Fabio Giannini/estec/ESA@ESA, Alan Smith/esoc/ESA@ESA, Howard Nye/esoc/ESA@ESA, Dietmar Heger/esoc/ESA@ESA Subject: XMM Operations Report at H0 + 120 Hours . For information , below is my personal report Nb. 04 , on 15 December 1999 : Counting from Lift-Off in KOUROU , XMM is now flying for 120 Hours and 47 Minutes . Short status report : - XMM has passed its third Apogee , at 11:13 UT Today . Apogee 3 altitude was 114'003 km . - The third PRM ( Perigee Raise Maneuvre ) , carried out at Apogee 3 has been completed successfully , as planned today , between 12:10 and 12:48 UT . - The predictions for this maneuvre are : - Delta-V = 23.92 m/s - Fuel Mass usage = 39.5 Kg - Perigee Altitude target = 7355 km . Those predictions will be verified by an Orbit Determination to be carried out in the next hours . - The Perigee 2 - before this maneuvre - was actually 6485 km . - In total 2627 Tele-Commands ( at 15:19 UT Today ) have been executed on-board , NONE having been rejected . This number includes 2 Time-Tagged Tele-Commands to command the RF antennae switch . - All sub-systems are Nominal , and all operating Units are on A-Side ( Prime Branch ) . - Mirror Temperatures are monitored carefully , and regular updates to the MTCU Duty Cycles are being uplinked . Today , a general meeting took place to optimise the timeline , based on the very successfull operations conducted up to now . A new schedule has been agreed concerning the opening of the Mirror Assemblies Doors ( MAD's ) on Friday 17 December , and then the Optical Monitor Door ( OMD ) on Saturday 18 December 1999 . The XMM Operations Team ( ESOC + ESTEC ( PX + TOS ) + DORNIER ) remains concentrated on the job . Since the operations are so smooth , the shift plan has been amended : 24 H per Day on call , working hours on ESOC site between 08:00 and 20:00 , plus as dictated by specific operations . Robert LAINE , the XMM Project Manager , is expected to visit ESOC and the Flight Control + Project Support Teams , here at ESOC , on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning . XMM / ARIANE 504 label is now added to the list of satellites operated by ESOC , on the large boards of the MCR ( Main Control Room ) . Salutations Amicales . - Hubert BARRE - 15 December 1999 - XMM Project Systems Engineering & Operations Manager -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi everybody, another good news for the XMM . today at 14:00 GMT the Optical Monitor door has been succesfully opened. The 3 mirror doors where also succesfully opened yesterday. Ciao, Fabio -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear all, Today, Sunday Dec. 19th, we switched on the Radiation Monitor. Everything went smooth and now ERMS is working as fine as possible. Tomorrow will be the perigee pass and belt crossing. For the moment space weather is rather quiet, according to ERMS: Count rates are about 1 - 3 c/s, depending on the energy band All parameters have been set to their nominal values. Merry Christmas Michel Boer, Alain Cros, Fabio Gianini, Mauro Casale, Stefan Thuerey, Hubert Barre -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PAYLOADS The EPIC Radiation Monitor was switched on at 11:14:58 (DOY 353). All parameters were within expected ranges; values for some key parameters are reported here below: Temperature of the detector: -26.9 C Temperature of the Electronics box: 7.5 C Voltage: 4.9 V Current: 195 +/- 35 mA The following operating modes were successfully entered and commissioned: Standby, Slow, Fast, Storage. All mode transitions were exercised and successfully executed with and without usage of the on board test generator. This was also the first time that the Science Telemetry Virtual Channel (VC-7) was activated; the VC-7 TM was properly processed in all instrument operating modes. At completion of the commissioning test program, the instrument on board parameters (e.g. high voltages, detection and warning flag thresholds) were set to their operational values and the instrument configured for Fast mode. Some further tuning of the on board parameters was required, namely for the Low Energy and High Energy discriminator thresholds, to minimize the noise level. Since the whole activity was conducted around apogee the first measured count rates were relatively small, typical values being in the range 1 - 3 cps for all seven energy bands. The Radiation Monitor commissioning activities, including fine tuning of the on board settings, was completed at 16:00. The instrument is currently operating in Fast mode (i.e. producing a set of seven count rates and three complete spectra over different energy ranges every 4 second); it will remain in this configuration during several revolutions for collection of radiation data.
[last update: 16 Dec 1999 by M. Bremer] |