Work on the x-ray background continues, with two sets of observations exceeding a million seconds being prepared for release. The Project survived a few technical problems discovered after the last Newsletter. Fortunately, as has been the case with this extremely robust observatory, the impact to performance has been minimal. Guided by improved understanding and extensive monitoring of the radiation environment, operating procedures have kept additional degradation of the FI CCDs to acceptable levels. A mechanical problem with the microswitches that sense whether the HETG is inserted or retracted has been resolved, and has no direct impact on scientific performance.
Discoveries continue at a rapid pace.
It doesn't get much better than this.