During the last 24 hours Chandra passed through its first eclipse successfully and initial assessments of real-time data indicate that the performance of the power system was very close to predictions. The eclipse was through the Earth's penumbra and lasted for 14 minutes.
An ACIS calibration measurement was completed prior to radiation zone entry and the SIM was moved to place ACIS in the focus for radiation passage. The spacecraft has continued to operate nominally.
The next load (P15) is planned to start at approx 6PM 9/17 following a post radiation zone ACIS calibration measurement. The team is developing an ACIS diagnostic load targeted at uplink on 9/18. The P15 load had been planned for uplink during an earlier pass however a re-build was required following review overnight. The new loads were checked to ensure that Chandra will not slew across a recently identified very bright transient X-ray source (approx 12 times the Crab Nebulas strength). A source of this strength may damage the focal plane detector.
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