During the last 24 hours Chandra passed through the radiation belts with ACIS at the focal point. The next load containing the coordinated observation of HR1099 was uplinked and began operating upon exit from the belts at 2.30PM 9/14. During the communication pass after belt exit it was noted that the High Energy Transmission Grating had not been inserted by the daily load and the cause was traced to two software flags that required re-setting at the same time as the MCE had been turned off manually on 9/13. Following assessment, the grating was re-inserted prior to the start of coordinated observation with Hubble which began as scheduled. This observation will continue for the next 2 days.
Assessment of the ACIS energy resolution degradation continued and measurements with ACIS of the calibration source are now planned on either side of the radiation belts for future passages. A test to operate the CCD's at the intermediate temperature of -60 deg C is under discussion.
Preparations are near completion for the start of the first eclipse season on 9/17. A software patch to set power constants in the flight software to appropriate values was uplinked on 9/14.
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