STEREO Weekly Meeting Minutes for 2022-03-15 (Week 11) ANNOUNCEMENTS ------------- * None INSTRUMENT and SPACECRAFT STATUS -------------------------------- * Ahead is operating nominally. PLASTIC is in operational mode, but with a moderately higher than normal 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 10 (Mar 7-13) * On day 067 (Mar 8), DSS-25 successfully conducted a Return-To-Service (RTS) engineering demo track with Ahead. The purpose was to verify X-band Telemetry, Tracking and Command operations after the completion of the X-Band Exciter Replacement. The MOC successfully received real-time telemetry and sent four commands. * On day 067 (Mar 8), the MOPs team successfully conducted the eleventh battery discharge event on Ahead at 1705z to redistribute the electrolytes within the nickel hydrogen battery cells. * As of day 072 (Mar 13), all PLASTIC systems are behaving well, except there is a moderate background count rate, which the team is continuing to monitor. * The average daily science data return for Ahead was 7.1 Gbits during this week. Week 11 (Mar 14-20) * Ahead has thirteen passes during the week, and overall coverage is nominal. There are twelve passes at 720 kbps, and one at 480 kbps. * Solar Orbiter Remote Sensing Window 2 runs from Mar 17-26, days 76-85. Week 12 (Mar 21-27) * Ahead has eleven passes during the week, and overall coverage is nominal. There are eight passes at 720 kbps, and three at 480 kbps. * The 145th momentum dump is scheduled for Tuesday, Mar 22, with ignition at 19:45 UT. * Solar Orbiter Remote Sensing Window 3 runs from Mar 27 to Apr 5, days 86-95. Week 13 (Mar 28-Apr 3) * Ahead has fourteen tracks during the week, all at 720 kbps, and overall coverage is nominal. * The signal strength has improved to the point where all DSN 34 meter station tracks can be held at 720 kbps for the next 2-3 years. The ESA stations are already operating at 720 kbps. For New Norcia, this requires that the elevation be above 15 degrees. Week 14 (Apr 4-10) * Ahead has fourteen tracks during the week, all at 720 kbps, and overall coverage is nominal. Week 15 (Apr 11-17) * Ahead has eleven tracks during the week, all at 720 kbps, and overall coverage is nominal. Week 16 (Apr 18-24) * Ahead has eleven tracks during the week, all at 720 kbps, and overall coverage is nominal. Other * The SSMO and Project Scientist team met yesterday (Mar 14) to discuss the possible use of an Earth flyby to alter the orbit for possible science opportunities. An possible change in orbit would not affect the main mission, and this work will be carried within the existing budget. COORDINATED OBSERVATIONS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 11: M Mar 14 (073) T Mar 15 (074) W Mar 16 (075) T Mar 17 (076) Start of Solar Orbiter Remote Sensing Window 2 F Mar 18 (077) S Mar 19 (078) S Mar 20 (079) Notes: * Solar Orbiter Remote Sensing Window 2, Mar 17-26 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 12: M Mar 21 (080) T Mar 22 (081) Ahead: Momentum dump, 19:45 UT W Mar 23 (082) T Mar 24 (083) F Mar 25 (084) S Mar 26 (085) End of Solar Orbiter Remote Sensing Window 2 S Mar 27 (086) Start of Solar Orbiter Remote Sensing Window 3 Notes: * Solar Orbiter Remote Sensing Window 2, Mar 17-26 * Solar Orbiter Remote Sensing Window 3, Mar 27-Apr 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 13: M Mar 28 (087) T Mar 29 (088) W Mar 30 (089) T Mar 31 (090) F Apr 01 (091) S Apr 02 (092) S Apr 03 (093) Notes: * Solar Orbiter Remote Sensing Window 3, Mar 27-Apr 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 14: M Apr 04 (094) T Apr 05 (095) End of Solar Orbiter Remote Sensing Window 3 W Apr 06 (096) T Apr 07 (097) F Apr 08 (098) S Apr 09 (099) S Apr 10 (100) Notes: * Solar Orbiter Remote Sensing Window 3, Mar 27-Apr 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 15: M Apr 11 (101) T Apr 12 (102) W Apr 13 (103) T Apr 14 (104) F Apr 15 (105) S Apr 16 (106) S Apr 17 (107) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 16: M Apr 18 (108) T Apr 19 (109) W Apr 20 (110) T Apr 21 (111) F Apr 22 (112) S Apr 23 (113) S Apr 24 (114) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Upcoming events: Behind events are contingent on recovering the spacecraft. 2022: * Apr 27-30 Comet PANSTARRS in COR2-A field-of-view * May 28-Jun 7 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * Sep 2-11 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * Sep 4 Solar Orbiter Venus flyby * Dec 7-16 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass 2023: * Jan 3 Solar Orbiter Mercury transit * Mar 13-23 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * Apr 16 Solar Orbiter Venus occultation * May 5 Behind: Mercury transit * Jun 17-27 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * Jun 27 Solar Orbiter Mercury transit * 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: * Feb 18 Solar Orbiter Venus flyby * Mar 19-27 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * Apr 7 Ahead: Mercury transit * Jun 15-24 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass 2026: * Dec 24 Solar Orbiter Venus flyby 2027: * Feb 1 Behind: Mercury transit 2028: * Mar 18 Solar Orbiter Venus flyby 2029: * Jun 10 Solar Orbiter Venus flyby * Jun 30 Ahead: Mercury transit 2030: * Sep 3 Solar Orbiter Venus flyby