23 May 2007 14:34

Operations and Archiving

The European Payload Operation System (EPOS) co-ordinates the operations for the seven European instruments on TC-1 and TC-2 and is running smoothly. Data are acquired using the VILSPA 2 ground station in Spain and both Beijing and Shanghai stations in China.

In October 2007, TC-1 will stop operating (re-entry in the Earth's atmosphere). The Chinese have confirmed the intention to still operate the second Double Star spacecraft, TC-2, after that time. From ESA side, operations of TC-2 will be much simpler since it will involve operating 2 instruments instead of 8 and VIL-2 would no longer be needed since there is less data to download. The one thing, however, that is to be awaited is that TC-2 goes successfully through the hot temperatures next summer.

Science Highlights

As of April 2007, 591 papers have been published in the refereed literature using Double star and Cluster data. A special issue of Journal of Geophysical Research is in preparation with results from Double Star and Cluster. The deadline for manuscript submission is end June 2007.