STEREO Weekly Meeting Minutes for 2018-10-23 (Week 43) 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. * Four years after the initial loss of communications anomaly with the Behind observatory, NASA has directed to cease periodic recovery operations with the last support on October 17, 2018. DISCUSSION AND OPERATIONS CONSTRAINTS ------------------------------------- Week 42 (Oct 15-21) * On day 289 (Oct 16), the DSS-43 support for Ahead was downlink only as the transmitter was unavailable for the duration of the support due to a failed X-Band waveguide cooling system. This anomaly resulted in the loss of 1.75 hours of commanding and two-way tracking data. All the SSR data were received. See DR# C113704 for more information. * On day 290 (Oct 17), the DSS-43 support for Ahead was downlink only again as the transmitter continued to be unavailable. To prevent a soft command loss timeout and load instrument commands, ESA Malargue (DSS-84) was available to provide the uplink during the DSS-43 support. This anomaly resulted in the loss of 2 hours of two-way tracking data. All the SSR data were received. See DR# C113708 for more information. * On day 292 (Oct 19), the second acceptance test of the CCSDS SLE bluebook version 4 software update between the Ahead MOC with ESA, using DSS-83 (Cebreros) was conducted. SLE binds were unsuccessful and further testing is scheduled next week. * On day 292 (Oct 19), fine pointing on Ahead was lost intermittently beginning at 0335z through 0635z. The wheel speed avoidance algorithm failed to find a solution which resulted in two reaction wheels operating at low speeds for three hours. These transients can occur with no gyro operations and are not indicative of any problem with the spacecraft G&C. * On day 294 (Oct 21), the SWAVES SSR science partitions on Ahead reached 100% full at 2153z for 49 minutes. * The average daily science data return for Ahead was 4.3 Gbits during this week. * On day 288 (Oct 15), during a 3 hour 4 kHz battery recovery search pattern support for Behind with DSS-14, 320 commands were transmitted during the support. All 7 points on the pattern were covered twice. * On day 289 (Oct 16), during a 3 hour 4 kHz carrier recovery search pattern support for Behind with DSS-63, 320 commands were transmitted during the support for carrier recovery. No carrier was detected by the DSN station. All 7 points on the pattern were covered twice. Three commands must be received sequentially to power on the transmitter. * On day 290 (Oct 17), during a 3 hour 4 kHz carrier recovery search pattern support for Behind with DSS-63, 320 commands were transmitted during the support for carrier recovery. No carrier was detected by the DSN station. All 7 points on the pattern were covered twice. Three commands must be received sequentially to power on the transmitter. This was the last scheduled recovery support. Week 43 (Oct 22-28) * The IMPACT/SEP team will be reloading calibration tables later today (Oct 23). * Thursday, Oct 25, is the 12th anniversary of the launch of STEREO. * The third SLE test (second with the DSN) is scheduled for Thursday, Oct 25. * Ahead has eleven 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 three 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. * SECCHI will be taking deep exposures with COR2 to support the first perihelion pass of Parker Solar Probe, from Saturday, Nov 3 to Tuesday, Nov 6. * Daylight savings time in the US ends on Sunday, Nov 4. * Ahead has nine passes during the week, and overall coverage is nominal. There are four passes at 720 kbps, three at 360 kbps, and two at 160 kbps, including an ESA Cebreros pass on Monday. Week 45 (Nov 5-Nov 11) * SECCHI COR2 deep exposures in support of the first perihelion pass of Parker Solar Probe continues through Tuesday, Nov 6. * Ahead has thirteen passes during the week and overall coverage is nominal. There are three passes at 720 kbps, two at 360 kbps, two at 240 kpbs and six at 160 kbps, including ESA supports with New Norcia (Tuesday and Friday), and Cebreros (Friday). Week 46 (Nov 12-18) * Ahead reaches perihelion on Nov 12. * The 114th momentum dump is scheduled for Monday, Nov 12, with ignition at 14:30 UT. This will be the 33rd dump without using the gyros. The dump was moved from the original date of Nov 7 at the request of the SECCHI team to avoid conflicts with the first Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass. The momentum dump will be conducted during an ESA Cebreros pass. * Ahead has eleven passes during the week, and overall coverage is nominal. There are five passes at 720 kbps, three at 360 kbps, and three at 160 kbps, including ESA Cebreros passes on Monday and Tuesday. Week 47 (Nov 19-25) * Thursday, Nov 22, is Thanksgiving. Both Thursday and Friday are holidays at APL. * Ahead has eleven passes during the week, and overall coverage is nominal. There are four passes at 720 kbps, one at 360 kbps, three at 240 kbps, and three at 160 kbps, including ESA Cebreros passes on Wednesday and Friday. Week 48 (Nov 26-Dec 2) * Chanukah starts on Dec 2, and runs though Dec 10. * Ahead has nine passes during the week, and overall coverage is nominal. There are four passes at 720 kbps, four at 360 kbps, and one at 160 kbps. Week 49 (Dec 3-9) * Ahead has nine passes during the week, and overall coverage is nominal. There are four passes at 720 kbps, three at 360 kbps, and two at 240 kbps. COORDINATED OBSERVATIONS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 Ahead: Interface test track with DSN 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) SECCHI COR2 deep exposure campaign for Parker Solar Probe (TBC) 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) 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 Ahead: Momentum dump, 14:30 UT T Nov 13 (317) W Nov 14 (318) T Nov 15 (319) F Nov 16 (320) S Nov 17 (321) S Nov 18 (322) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 47: M Nov 19 (323) T Nov 20 (324) W Nov 21 (325) T Nov 22 (326) Thanksgiving F Nov 23 (327) S Nov 24 (328) S Nov 25 (329) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 48: M Nov 26 (330) T Nov 27 (331) W Nov 28 (332) T Nov 29 (333) F Nov 30 (334) S Dec 01 (335) S Dec 02 (336) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 49: M Dec 03 (337) T Dec 04 (338) W Dec 05 (339) T Dec 06 (340) F Dec 07 (341) S Dec 08 (342) S Dec 09 (343) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Upcoming events: Behind events are contingent on recovering the spacecraft. 2019: * Mar Ahead: Switch downlink rate to 240 kbps for 34 meter * Mar 31-Apr 10 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * Apr Behind: Switch downlink rate to 240 kbps for 34 meter * Aug 28-Sep 7 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * Nov 4 Ahead: Close approach of Parker Solar Probe 2020: * Jan 24-Feb 4 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * 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 * Jun 2-13 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * Sep Ahead: Switch downlink rate to 480 kbps for 34 meter * Sep 22-Oct 2 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass 2021: * Jan 13-23 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * Apr 25-May 4 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * Jul Behind: Switch downlink rate to 720 kbps for 34 meter * Aug Ahead: Switch downlink rate to 720 kbps for 34 meter * Aug 5-15 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * Nov 17-26 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass 2022: * Feb 21-Mar 2 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * May 28-Jun 7 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * Sep 2-11 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * Dec 7-16 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass 2023: * Mar 13-23 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * May 5 Behind: Mercury transit * Jun 17-27 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * Jul 17 Behind: Closest approach to Earth * Aug 13 Ahead: Closest approach to Earth * Sep 23-Oct 3 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * Dec 25-Jan 3 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass 2024: * Mar 26-Apr 4 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * Jun 26-Jul 5 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * Sep 26-Oct 5 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * Dec 20-29 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass 2025: * Mar 19-27 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * Apr 7 Ahead: Mercury transit * Jun 15-24 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass 2026: 2027: * Feb 1 Behind: Mercury transit 2028: 2029: * Jun 30 Ahead: Mercury transit