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No. 155 - Downlinking of images and abbreviated solar array test

No. 155 - Downlinking of images and abbreviated solar array test

Report for the period 24 March to 17 April 2011This report covers 25 days of Rosetta mission operations. The main activities were the downlinking of images acquired by OSIRIS and the navigation cameras during the previous reporting period and an abbreviated test of the solar arrays.

The target comet and the sky that will be seen during the approach phase in summer 2014 were imaged with OSIRIS and the navigation cameras during the previous reporting period, in preparation for the science mission. These images were downlinked during the current reporting period. On 31 March, an abbreviated solar arrays test was conducted at a Sun distance of around 4.195 AU; the test confirmed the performance of the updated model. The spacecraft is currently in active cruise mode and is navigating towards the point where it will enter the hibernation phase.

During the reporting period, mission operations were conducted using the ESA New Norcia (NNO) ground station.

Main activities during reporting period

DoY Date Pass Activity
089 30-Mar-2011 NNO 2591 Monitor
090 31-Mar-2011 NNO 2592 Solar arrays test
092 2-Apr-2011 NNO 2594 Monitor
094 4-Apr-2011 NNO 2596 Monitor
096 6-Apr-2011 NNO 2598 Monitor
097 7-Apr-2011 NNO 2599 Monitor
099 9-Apr-2011 NNO 2601 Monitor
101 11-Apr-2011 NNO 2603 Monitor
103 13-Apr-2011 NNO 2605 Monitor
104 14-Apr-2011 NNO 2606 Monitor
106 16-Apr-2011 NNO 2608 Monitor

DoY = Day of year

At the end of the reporting period on 17 April, Rosetta was 492.56 million kilometres from Earth (3.29 AU); one-way signal travel time was 1643 seconds (27 minutes 23 seconds). The distance from the Sun was 638.18 million kilometres (4.26 AU).

Spacecraft

Payload Status
ALICE The instrument is currently OFF.
CONSERT The instrument is currently OFF.
COSIMA The instrument is currently OFF.
GIADA The instrument is currently OFF.
MIDAS The instrument is currently OFF.
MIRO The instrument is currently OFF.
OSIRIS The instrument is currently OFF.
ROSINA The instrument is currently OFF.
RPC The instrument is currently OFF.
RSI The USO is ON/muted since 3 February 2010 (DoY 032/2010).
VIRTIS The instrument is currently OFF.
Lander (Philae) The instrument is currently OFF.
SREM The instrument is ON with standard settings since 3 February 2010 (DoY 032/2010).

Future Milestones

The spacecraft is now cruising towards the point where it can safely enter the hibernation phase and is going through an opposition phase; no impact on operations is expected because of this.

In view of the anomalous acceleration during the observations in the previous reporting period, a slew manoeuvre to the relevant attitude is planned for 28 April to ensure that this event is not linked to a permanent condition and is most likely due to outgassing of deposits from the rendezvous manoeuvre thruster firings.

Summary of upcoming events:

  • 28 April 2011: Slew to outgassing attitude for verification
  • 2 May 2011: Batteries discharge for solar arrays test
  • 11 May 2011: Solar arrays test at 4.35 AU
  • 20 May 2011: End of opposition phase
  • 23 May 2011: Spacecraft configuration for low power conditions
  • 08 June 2011: Hibernation entry

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Legal disclaimer
This report is based on the ESOC mission operations report, WOR #155. Please see the copyright section of the legal disclaimer (linked from the home page http://sci.esa.int) for terms of use.

Last Update: 1 September 2019
19-Mar-2024 08:24 UT

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