STEREO Weekly Meeting Minutes for 2018-10-02 (Week 40) ANNOUNCEMENTS ------------- * Four years after the initial loss of communications anomaly with Behind observatory, NASA has directed to cease periodic recovery operations with the last support on October 17, 2018. Additional information can be found at: https://stereo-ssc.nascom.nasa.gov/behind_status.shtml INSTRUMENT and SPACECRAFT STATUS -------------------------------- * Ahead is operating nominally on the main lobe of the high gain antenna. Recovery continues for the IMPACT and PLASTIC instruments due to the power consumption anomaly on Sep 23. * Behind has transitioned to a monthly schedule to attempt to recover the spacecraft. DISCUSSION AND OPERATIONS CONSTRAINTS ------------------------------------- Week 39 (Sep 24-30) * On day 270 (Sep 27), during the DSS-83 support (ESA Cebreros) for Ahead, initial receipt of real-time telemetry and commanding were delayed 2.25 hours due to a network connectivity issue between ESA and the DSN. This anomaly resulted in the loss of 2.25 hours of commanding and real-time telemetry. While all SSR data was received, some data on days 269 and 270 was received late and is being reprocessed. * On day 270 (Sep 27), the first acceptance test of the CCSDS SLE bluebook version 4 software update between the Ahead MOC with DSN (DTF-21) was conducted. Monitor data from the DSN was received, however, configuration issues in the MOC prevented further testing. The MOC is currently using version 1. * Continuing with the recovery from the IMPACT IDPU/MAG high power consumption anomaly that occurred on Ahead on day 266 (Sep 23): - On day 267 (Sep 24), the IMPACT IDPU/MAG and SWEA/STE power services were turned on at 1822z and 1909z respectively. - On day 268 (Sep 25), the IMPACT SEP/SEPT and the PLASTIC instrument power services were turned on at 1754z and 1803z respectively. At 2045z, the IMPACT MAG, SWEA, and STE instruments resumed science data collection. - On day 270 (Sep 27), IMPACT SIT and HET instruments resumed science data collection at 1620z. PLASTIC has reconfigured the PAC to 15kV, and started MCP high voltage bias turn on. They plan to complete high voltage ramp up on days 275 and 276. * The average daily science data return for Ahead was 4.6 Gbits during this week. * The SSC reports that there was a problem over the last two weeks with ingesting processed science data from NRL. This problem has now been resolved. Week 40 (Oct 1-7) * The 113th momentum dump was carried out successfully today during an ESA Malargue support. * Wednesday, Oct 3rd, a test track on ESA Malargue is scheduled for 4 hours to test the Ahead MOC transition to CCSDS SLE bluebook version 4. * Ahead has eleven passes during the week, and overall coverage is nominal. There are six passes at 720 kbps, two at 360 kbps, and three at 160 kbps. This includes 4.25 hours of ESA New Norcia coverage on Tuesday and the momentum dump on ESA Malargue on Tuesday for 4.25 hours. * There are no recovery passes for Behind during the week. Week 41 (Oct 8-14) * Ahead has eleven passes during the week, and overall coverage is nominal. There are six passes at 720 kbps, two at 360 kbps, one at 240 kbps, and two at 160 kbps. This includes ESA Cebreros passes on Monday and Thursday. * There are no recovery passes for Behind during the week. * Oct 12th Behind reaches perihelion. Week 42 (Oct 15-21) * Wednesday, October 17th, the second SLE bluebook version 4 test between ESA Cebreros and the MOC will be carried out for 4 hours. * Ahead has nine passes during the week, and overall coverage is nominal. There are four passes at 720 kbps, two at 360 kbps, and three at 160 kbps. This includes an ESA Cebreros pass on Thursday October 18th. * Search pattern recovery passes for Behind are scheduled for Monday, Oct 15th (battery), and on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 16th and 17th (both carrier). Until further notice, these are the last recovery attempts for Behind. Week 43 (Oct 22-28) * Thursday, Oct 25, is the 12th anniversary of the launch of STEREO. * Ahead has ten passes during the week, and overall coverage is nominal. There are four passes at 720 kbps, two at 360 kbps, two at 240 kbps, and two at 160 kbps. This includes an ESA Cebreros pass on Friday. Week 44 (Oct 29-Nov 4) * The 45th SECCHI stepped calibration roll is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct 30, starting at 6:10 UT. This will be the perihelion roll. System momentum is expected to be 4 N-m-s. This will be the 14th roll without using the gyros. * Daylight savings time in the US ends on Sunday, Nov 4. * Ahead has eight passes during the week, and overall is nominal. There are four passes at 720 kbps, three at 360 kbps, one at 160 kbps. Week 45 (Nov 5-Nov 11) * The 114th momentum dump is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov 7, with ignition at 13:30 UT. This will be the 33rd dump without using the gyros. * Ahead has thirteen passes during the week. Overall coverage is now nominal with the addition of four ESA supports with New Norcia (Tuesday and Friday), Malargue (Wednesday), and Cebreros (Friday). There are three passes at 720 kbps, two at 360 kbps, one at 240 kpbs and seven at 160 kbps. * There are no recovery passes for Behind during the week. Week 46 (Nov 12-18) * Ahead reaches perihelion on Nov 12. * Ahead has ten passes during the week, and overall coverage is nominal. There are five passes at 720 kbps, three at 360 kbps, and two at 160 kbps. COORDINATED OBSERVATIONS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 40: M Oct 01 (274) T Oct 02 (275) Ahead: Momentum dump, 15:30 UT W Oct 03 (276) Ahead: Interface test track with ESA Malargue T Oct 04 (277) F Oct 05 (278) S Oct 06 (279) S Oct 07 (280) Notes: * Recovery of IMPACT and PLASTIC continues during the week. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 41: M Oct 08 (281) T Oct 09 (282) W Oct 10 (283) T Oct 11 (284) F Oct 12 (285) S Oct 13 (286) S Oct 14 (287) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 42: M Oct 15 (288) Behind: Recovery track, DSN 14 (search pattern, battery) T Oct 16 (289) Behind: Recovery track, DSN 43 (search pattern, carrier) W Oct 17 (290) Behind: Recovery track, DSN 43 (search pattern, carrier) Ahead: Interface test track with ESA Cebreros T Oct 18 (291) F Oct 19 (292) S Oct 20 (293) S Oct 21 (294) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 43: M Oct 22 (295) T Oct 23 (296) W Oct 24 (297) T Oct 25 (298) 12th STEREO launch anniversary F Oct 26 (299) S Oct 27 (300) S Oct 28 (301) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 44: M Oct 29 (302) T Oct 30 (303) Ahead: SECCHI stepped calibration roll, 6:10 UT W Oct 31 (304) T Nov 01 (305) F Nov 02 (306) S Nov 03 (307) S Nov 04 (308) SECCHI COR2 deep exposure campaign for Parker Solar Probe (TBC) Daylight savings time ends in the US ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 45: M Nov 05 (309) SECCHI COR2 deep exposure campaign for Parker Solar Probe (TBC) T Nov 06 (310) SECCHI COR2 deep exposure campaign for Parker Solar Probe (TBC) W Nov 07 (311) Ahead: Momentum dump, 13:30 UT T Nov 08 (312) F Nov 09 (313) S Nov 10 (314) S Nov 11 (315) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 46: M Nov 12 (316) Ahead: Perihelion T Nov 13 (317) W Nov 14 (318) T Nov 15 (319) F Nov 16 (320) S Nov 17 (321) S Nov 18 (322) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Upcoming events: Behind events are contingent on recovering the spacecraft. 2019: * Mar Ahead: Switch downlink rate to 240 kbps for 34 meter * Apr Behind: Switch downlink rate to 240 kbps for 34 meter * Nov 4 Ahead: Close approach of Parker Solar Probe 2020: * May Behind: Switch downlink rate to 360 kbps for 34 meter * Jun Ahead: Switch downlink rate to 360 kbps for 34 meter * Jun Behind: Switch downlink rate to 480 kbps for 34 meter * Sep Ahead: Switch downlink rate to 480 kbps for 34 meter 2021: * Jul Behind: Switch downlink rate to 720 kbps for 34 meter * Aug Ahead: Switch downlink rate to 720 kbps for 34 meter 2022: 2023: * May 5 Behind: Mercury transit * Jul 17 Behind: Closest approach to Earth * Aug 13 Ahead: Closest approach to Earth 2024: 2025: * Apr 7 Ahead: Mercury transit 2026: 2027: * Feb 1 Behind: Mercury transit 2028: 2029: * Jun 30 Ahead: Mercury transit