No. 170 - Commissioning of RCS B branch
The firing of all RCS B-side thrusters during reaction wheel off-loadings used for validation was confirmed and the performance was exactly as predicted.
The table below shows a chronology of the main activities:
| MET (Day) | Date | DOY | Main Activity |
| 1188 | 08/02/09 | 039 |
Communications pass over Cebreros |
| 1189 | 09/02/09 | 040 |
Communications pass over Cebreros. |
| 1190 | 09/02/09 | 041 |
Communications pass over Cebreros |
| 1191 | 10/02/09 | 042 |
Communications pass over Cebreros |
| 1192 | 12/02/09 | 043 |
Communications pass over Cebreros. |
| 1193 | 13/02/09 | 044 |
Communications pass over Cebreros |
| 1194 | 14/02/09 | 045 |
Communications pass over Cebreros |
At the end of the last Cebreros pass in the reporting period (DOY 045) Venus Express was orbiting Venus at 68.6 million km from the Earth. The one-way signal travel time was 230 seconds.
Payload Activities
ASPERA
The instrument was regularly operated as part of the routine plan.
MAG
The instrument was regularly operated as part of the routine plan.
PFS
The instrument was not operated during the reporting period.
SPICAV
The instrument was regularly operated as part of the routine plan.
VeRA
No measurements were taken during the reporting period.
VIRTIS
VIRTIS was operated in the visual channels only.
VMC
The instrument was regularly operated as part of the routine plan.
Future Milestones
- The third test of the VIRTIS M-cooler is planned for 20 February 2009.
- Preparation for next gravity observation campaign with the Canberra ground station CAN43 on 15 April 2009.
- Battery Deep Discharge Test is planned for 22 April 2009.
- Start of next (outbound) quadrature phase on 29 May 2009.
- Swap of high gain antenna (HGA) from HGA2 to HGA1 on 8 June 2009.
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This report is based on the ESOC mission operations report, MOR #170. Please see the copyright section of the legal disclaimer (bottom of this page) for terms of use.