STEREO Weekly Meeting Minutes for 2021-01-12 (Week 2) ANNOUNCEMENTS ------------- * None. INSTRUMENT and SPACECRAFT STATUS -------------------------------- * Ahead is operating nominally. PLASTIC is in operational mode, but with a high background rate. * 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 01 (Jan 4-10) * On day 008 (Jan 8), during the DSS-65 support for Ahead, the downlink receiver could not lock to telemetry for the entire track, due to a severe snowstorm. This anomaly resulted in the loss of 3.5 hours of real-time telemetry, ranging, and SSR data. Since the command uplink was available, the MOPs team disabled the SSR playback, and repositioned the SSR pointers during the track. Some of the affected SSR data was recovered during the subsequent DSS-74 track. See DR #M113024 for more information. * On day 009 (Jan 9), during the DSS-63 support for Ahead, DSN cancelled the track because the antenna was stowed for a severe snowstorm. DSN moved the support to DSS-26 at 1915z to allow MOPs to finish the downlink and uplink activities. This anomaly resulted in the loss of 2.5 hours of real-time commanding, telemetry, ranging, and SSR data. See DR #M113040 for more information. * On day 010 (Jan 9), during the DSS-83 (ESA Cebreros) support for Ahead, the downlink receiver could not lock to telemetry until 1444z, due to a severe snowstorm. The command uplink sweep was delayed until 1537z, due to a configuration issue. The SWAVES POC commands scheduled for uplink on day 010 failed due to the uplink issue. This anomaly resulted in the loss of 3.25 hours of real-time commanding, telemetry, ranging, and SSR data. The commands were successfully uploaded today, Jan 12, in time for their initial execution on Jan 13. * On day 010 (Jan 10), during the DSS-63 support for Ahead, DSN cancelled the track because the antenna was stowed after the severe snowstorm until maintenance can arrive on-site to assess and approve the equipment is satisfactory for operations. This anomaly resulted in the loss of 4 hours of real-time commanding, telemetry, ranging, and SSR data. See DR #M113058 for more information. * On day 009 (Jan 9), SECCHI SSR Partition 19 on Ahead reached 100% full at 0318z for 10 minutes (0328z). This was caused by the SSR pointer repositioning during DSS-65 track on day 008 to recover data lost during that tracks. * As of day 010 (Jan 10), all PLASTIC systems on Ahead are behaving well, except there is a high background count rate, which the team is continuing to monitor. * The average daily science data return for Ahead was 4.7 Gbits during this week. * The MOC expressed their thanks to those on the team who worked to address the downlink issues. * The SSC asked whether any of the telemetry missing from the last few days are delayed. The answer was that any missing telemetry from Jan 8-11 can be considered lost, but that the situation starting today, Jan 12, is a fresh start. * The SSC also remarked that less data was missing from SECCHI than from the other instruments. The MOC responded that they know SECCHI filled their partition at one point, but they don't have the housekeeping to know if other instruments reached 100% full at any time. Week 02 (Jan 11-17) * Ahead now has thirteen tracks during the week, and overall coverage should be nominal, depending on when the Madrid stations come back on line. There are ten passes at 720 kbps, and three at 480 kbps. * Stations were added to ameliorate the issues with those in Spain. The Madrid stations were red as of this morning. The planned station 63 pass at 19:00 today (Jan 12) is considered unlikely to happen. It's not known when the Madrid stations will be back in operation. The maintenance crew has not yet arrived on site. * The station 54 pass yesterday (Jan 11) was cancelled, which resulted in the cancellation of the momentum dump. This momentum dump is now tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, Jan 19 at 16:30 UT. The dump typically takes about 3 minutes. The MOC is waiting for confirmation from PLASTIC that they can accommodate the new date. SECCHI has already indicated that they can. Once the date is confirmed, a new weekly schedule will be produced. The best times for uploading the necessary commands are the New Norcia passes on Thursday and Saturday, as the Friday pass can't be guaranteed. The commands can be preloaded. * There was an ESA Cebreros pass this morning which was done through a blind acquisition, and the MOC was able to upload commands. A station 25 pass today was negotiated with the Osiris mission. There's a Canberra pass tomorrow (Jan 13) in addition to the station 63 pass that might not happen. A New Norcia pass was added on Thursday, Jan 14 to augment the later station 63 pass. There's a Canberra pass on Friday, Jan 15, and a New Norcia pass on Saturday, Jan 16, along with the station 16 passes both days. Station 14 will be back in operation on Sunday, Jan 17, and Ahead has a pass with station 14 early on that morning. Week 03 (Jan 18-24) * Ahead has nine passes during the week, and overall coverage is nominal. There are five passes at 720 kbps, and four at 480 kbps. Only one of the passes uses Madrid, on Sunday, and the rest are Goldstone passes. * Monday, Jan 18, is Martin Luther King Day, which is an APL holiday. * An ESA Cebreros pass is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan 19. * The momentum dump originally scheduled for Jan 11 is tentatively rescheduled for Tuesday, Jan 19, with ignitition at 16:30. * The Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass period ends on Saturday, Jan 23. * A return-to-service pass for station 43 is scheduled for Saturday, Jan 23. There will be no instrument commanding or SSR playback during this pass. Week 04 (Jan 26-31) * Ahead has ten passes during the week, and overall coverage is nominal. There are seven passes at 720 kbps, and three at 480 kbps. An ESA New Norcia pass is scheduled for Thursday, Jan 28. Week 05 (Feb 1-7) * Ahead has nine passes during the week, and overall coverage is nominal. There are seven passes at 720 kbps, and two at 480 kbps. * Solar Orbiter will be running a Remote Sensor Synoptics campaign Feb 1-19. Week 06 (Feb 8-14) * Ahead has ten passes during the week, and overall coverage is nominal. There are eight passes at 720 kbps, and two at 480 kbps. ESA Cebreros passes are scheduled for Monday, Feb 8, and Tuesday, Feb 9. Week 07 (Feb 15-21) * Ahead has eleven passes during the week, and overall coverage is nominal. There are nine passes at 720 kbps, and two at 480 kbps. * The 135th momentum dump is scheduled for Monday, Feb 15, with ignition at 19:00 UT. * Solar Orbiter Remote Sensor Checkout Window 2 runs Feb 20-25. COORDINATED OBSERVATIONS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 02: M Jan 11 (011) T Jan 12 (012) W Jan 13 (013) Start of Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass T Jan 14 (014) F Jan 15 (015) Ahead: EUVI 171A Deep Field, COR2 deep field S Jan 16 (016) Ahead: EUVI 171A Deep Field, COR2 deep field S Jan 17 (017) Ahead: EUVI 171A Deep Field, COR2 pB series only Notes: * Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass, Jan 13-23. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 03: M Jan 18 (018) Martin Luther King Day Ahead: EUVI 171A Deep Field, COR2 pB series only T Jan 19 (019) Ahead: Momentum dump, 16:30 UT (TBC) W Jan 20 (020) T Jan 21 (021) F Jan 22 (022) S Jan 23 (023) Ahead: Return-to-service pass with station 43 End of Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass S Jan 24 (024) Notes: * Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass, Jan 13-23. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 04: M Jan 25 (025) T Jan 26 (026) W Jan 27 (027) T Jan 28 (028) F Jan 29 (029) S Jan 30 (030) S Jan 31 (031) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 05: M Feb 01 (032) Start of Solar Orbiter Remote Sensor Synoptics T Feb 02 (033) W Feb 03 (034) T Feb 04 (035) F Feb 05 (036) S Feb 06 (037) S Feb 07 (038) Notes: * Solar Orbiter Remote Sensor Synoptics, Feb 1-19 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 06: M Feb 08 (039) T Feb 09 (040) W Feb 10 (041) T Feb 11 (042) F Feb 12 (043) S Feb 13 (044) S Feb 14 (045) Notes: * Solar Orbiter Remote Sensor Synoptics, Feb 1-19 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 07: M Feb 15 (046) Ahead: Momentum dump, 19:00 UT T Feb 16 (047) W Feb 17 (048) T Feb 18 (049) F Feb 19 (050) End of Solar Orbiter Remote Sensor Synoptics S Feb 20 (051) Parker Solar Probe Venus flyby Start of Solar Orbiter Remote Sensor Checkout Window 2 S Feb 21 (052) Notes: * Solar Orbiter Remote Sensor Synoptics, Feb 1-19 * Solar Orbiter Remote Sensor Checkout Window 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Upcoming events: Behind events are contingent on recovering the spacecraft. 2021: * Feb 20-25 Solar Orbiter Remote Sensor Checkout Window 2 * Mar 21-24 Solar Orbiter Remote Sensor Checkout Window 3 * Apr 21-28 Solar Orbiter Remote Sensor Synoptics * Apr 25-May 4 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * May 13-Jul 15 Betelgeuse visible in SECCHI HI2 with 180 degree roll * Aug 5-15 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * Oct 16 Parker Solar Probe Venus flyby * 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 * Aug 21 Parker Solar Probe Venus flyby * 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 * Nov 6 Parker Solar Probe Venus flyby, in HI2-A field-of-view * 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