STEREO Weekly Meeting Minutes for 2022-08-09 (Week 32) 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 31 (Aug 1-7) * On day 216 (Aug 4), during the DSS-25 support for Ahead, the transmitter was declared red due to a hardware problem. This anomaly resulted in the loss of 2.9 hours of real-time commanding and 2-way tracking data. See DR #G122934 for more information. * As of day 219 (Aug 7), all PLASTIC systems on Ahead 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 6.3 Gbits during this week. Week 32 (Aug 8-14) * Ahead has thirteen tracks during the week, all at 720 kbps, and overall covarege is nominal. * SECCHI will be making special observations of the star Betelgeuse between Aug 9-Sep 29, when it's in the HI-2 field-of-view. Week 33 (Aug 15-21) * Ahead has eleven tracks during the week, all at 720 kbps and overall coverage is nominal. Week 34 (Aug 22-28) * Ahead has twelve tracks during the week, all at 720 kbps, and overall coverage is nominal. * The twelfth battery discharge cycle will be carried out on Monday, Aug 22, starting at 18:00 UT. * The 63rd SECCHI stepped calibration roll maneuver will be carried out on Tuesday, Aug 23, starting at 02:20 UT. * The 149th momentum dump on Ahead will be carried out on Wednesday, Aug 24, with ignition at 20:00 UT. * The IMPACT/HET team needs to send some real time commands to their instrument. Sometime during weeks 34 or 35, they would like to make sure their GSE is still working. Week 35 (Aug 29-Sep 4) * Ahead has twelve tracks during the week, all at 720 kbps, and overall coverage is nominal. ESA Malague tracks have been added on Tuesday, Aug 30, Thursday, Sep 1, and Friday, Sep 2. The total number of tracks has been increased from 9 to 12 to clear up a shortage toward the end of the week. * Artemis I is scheduled to launch on Aug 29. Launch contingency plans for telemetry coverage are still being made. * Parker Solar Probe will have a perihelion pass between Sep 2-11. * Solar Orbiter will fly by Venus on Sep 4. Week 36 (Sep 5-11) * Ahead has ten tracks during the week, all at 720 kbps, and overall coverage is nominal. * Monday, Sep 5, is Labor Day, which is an APL holiday. Week 37 (Sep 12-18) * Ahead has eleven tracks during the week, all at 720 kbps, and overall coverage is nominal. COORDINATED OBSERVATIONS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 32: M Aug 08 (220) T Aug 09 (221) Ahead: SECCHI HI-2 Betelgeuse observations, 20-22 UT W Aug 10 (222) T Aug 11 (223) F Aug 12 (224) S Aug 13 (225) S Aug 14 (226) Notes: * Betelgeuse in HI-2 field-of-view, Aug 9-Sep 29. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 33: M Aug 15 (227) T Aug 16 (228) Ahead: SECCHI HI-2 Betelgeuse observations, 20-22 UT (TBC) W Aug 17 (229) T Aug 18 (230) F Aug 19 (231) S Aug 20 (232) S Aug 21 (233) Notes: * Betelgeuse in HI-2 field-of-view, Aug 9-Sep 29. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 34: M Aug 22 (234) Ahead: Battery discharge cycle, 18:00 UT T Aug 23 (235) Ahead: SECCHI stepped calibration roll, 02:20 UT Ahead: SECCHI HI-2 Betelgeuse observations, 20-22 UT (TBC) W Aug 24 (236) Ahead: Momentum dump, 20:00 UT T Aug 25 (237) F Aug 26 (238) S Aug 27 (239) S Aug 28 (240) Notes: * Betelgeuse in HI-2 field-of-view, Aug 9-Sep 29. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 35: M Aug 29 (241) T Aug 30 (242) Ahead: SECCHI HI-2 Betelgeuse observations, 20-22 UT (TBC) W Aug 31 (243) T Sep 01 (244) F Sep 02 (245) S Sep 03 (246) S Sep 04 (247) Solar Orbiter Venus flyby Notes: * Betelgeuse in HI-2 field-of-view, Aug 9-Sep 29. * Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass, Sep 2-11. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 36: M Sep 05 (248) Labor Day T Sep 06 (249) Ahead: SECCHI HI-2 Betelgeuse observations, 20-22 UT (TBC) W Sep 07 (250) T Sep 08 (251) F Sep 09 (252) S Sep 10 (253) S Sep 11 (254) Notes: * Betelgeuse in HI-2 field-of-view, Aug 9-Sep 29. * Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass, Sep 2-11. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scheduled activities for Week 37: M Sep 12 (255) T Sep 13 (256) W Sep 14 (257) T Sep 15 (258) F Sep 16 (259) S Sep 17 (260) S Sep 18 (261) Notes: * Betelgeuse in HI-2 field-of-view, Aug 9-Sep 29. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Upcoming events: Behind events are contingent on recovering the spacecraft. 2022: * Aug 9-Sep 29 Betelgeuse in HI-2 field-of-view * Sep 2-11 Parker Solar Probe perihelion pass * 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