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Mission Status 2010
Tim Larson Stardust Spacecraft Team
August 18, 2010
The spacecraft is healthy and in cruise mode following the downlink of all the Navcam calibration images taken last week. The initial testing of the encounter sequence is under way in preparation for the encounter with comet Tempel 1 in February 2011. A joint meeting of the EPOXI and Stardust-NExT science teams was held on August 12 and 13 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. This meeting focused the teams on what was learned from the previous flyby of Tempel 1 in 2005 and predicting what will be observed at Hartley 2 and the revisit of Tempel 1.
August 11, 2010
The spacecraft is healthy. It is completing the Navcam noise calibration imaging this week after a bake-out conducted on Monday. After transmitting these images to the ground, the spacecraft will return to normal cruise mode. Its encounter with comet Tempel 1 is planned for February 2011.
August 4, 2010
The spacecraft is in cruise mode and all subsystems are healthy after executing TCM 29A on August 3. This 0.77m/s maneuver was executed exactly as planned, and the navigation team will continue to use the tracking data of the next several days to assess the current spacecraft trajectory. Sequences were uploaded to the spacecraft to initiate a Navcam calibration activity that will begin on August 6. This will generate information on the image noise and its dependence on camera on time and contamination status. This data will be used to finalize the Tempel 1 approach imaging plans.
July 28, 2010
The spacecraft is functioning well, and will execute a TCM next week, on August 3rd. This 0.77 m/s maneuver will adjust the trajectory for the Tempel 1 encounter in February 2011. A test will be conducted on the Navcam the following week to characterize the image noise as a function of camera on time and bake-out conditions. This will help the team determine the best strategies for the approach imaging and optical navigation campaign..
July 21, 2010
The spacecraft is operating nominally, and is in cruise mode. The team is preparing for a TCM on August 3, and a Navcam noise calibration beginning the following week.
July 14, 2010
The spacecraft is cruising toward comet Tempel 1. The spacecraft is currently operating on Side B, as planned, and all subsystems are healthy. The team is preparing for TCM29a, planned for August 3, that will fine tune the spacecraft's trajectory as it heads towards its February comet encounter. That will be followed by a Navcam calibration activity that will characterize the image noise as a function of camera on time and bake-out status.
