Month seventeen. Several scientist have reported that there seems to be a greenish blue aura around several parts of the ship. I've only noticed it around the X panels. They are only operating at 96.43% of projected efficiency. Efficiency has been dropping .48% a month since for the last seven months.
Month twenty-three. We're now 1,464,000 Km below the solar plane and tomorrow we'll restart the ion drive to drop back into Saturn's orbit. The calculations on the power output of the Gamma solar panels was right on. However the X-ray panels are only putting out 88% of projected efficiency. Every component is working within design parameters. The only difference is the X-ray frequency spread. It's on the upper end of the frequency range for the panels. Sent another report back for them to ponder along with all sensor readings. The greenish blue aura now covers the all parts of the ships exterior except the transmission dishes and antenna. Analysis of all frequencies from X-ray down to infrared fail to answer the reason for the aura. Radiation levels within the ship remain within safe parameters. Twenty-three months seems like nothing when I look back, but it drug out so slowly.
Month twenty-three plus seventeen days. Communications reports that Earth ground stations report a reversal in the doppler shift of our communications. They are now transmitting a timing signal that we are to relay back.
Month twenty-three plus twenty days. Ground stations report that we are either decelerating at three time the maximum the ion drive is capable of or we are traveling back in time at a rate of one second for every 9 hours their time.