No. 40 - Science Operations Venus Express European Space Agency 15 Aug 2006
Report for Period 6 August to 12 August 2006
During the reporting period the mission operations have been conducted according to the plan. The ground and the space segment performance have been nominal.
The table below shows a chronology of the main activities in the reporting period:
MET Date DOY VPER# Main Activity (Day)
271 06/08/06 218 107 Routine science operations
272 07/08/06 219 108 Update of Gyro Alignment - Routine science operations
273 08/08/06 220 109 Routine science operations
274 09/08/06 221 110 Routine science operations
275 10/08/06 222 111 IMP Swap from A to B - Routine science operations 276 11/08/06 223 112 Routine science operations
277 12/08/06 224 113 Routine science operations
At the end of the last Cebreros pass in the reporting period on DOY 224, Venus Express was orbiting Venus at 237 million km from the Earth. The one-way signal travel time was 789 seconds.
Payload Activities
ASPERA The instrument is regularly operated as part of the routine plan.
MAG The instrument is regularly operated as part of the routine plan.
PFS The instrument is currently OFF and is not included in the routine planning. Next PFS tests in Venus pointing attitude are planned for the first 4 orbits of MTP 6 (24-27 September 2006)
SPICAV The instrument is regularly operated as part of the routine plan.
VeRA The USO is nominally powered but muted. Occultation observations with the USO un-muted took place on DOY 218, 220 and 223.
VIRTIS The instrument is regularly operated as part of the routine plan.
VMC The instrument is regularly operated as part of the routine plan.
Mission Planning
Short Term Planning The planning of STP015 was completed on time. The pre-check of POR for STP016 did not reveal any anomaly.
Medium Term Planning The planning of MTP-06 was completed successfully. MTP-06 does not include the conjunction operations; a specific plan will be generated for that period.
Future Milestones
Trajectory correction manoeuvres will be performed on 2006-230 and 2006-236.
Throughout the next week short term planning activities for CP16 will be completed, and the pre-checks of the CP17 will be performed. The processing of MTP6 inputs will continue.
An operational strategy for the upcoming solar conjunction phase in October/November 2006 will be developed throughout the coming weeks.