ESA Venus Express Status: First Week of Routine Phase
12 Jun 2006 13:30
Report for Period 04 June to 10 June 2006
All activities of Venus Express’s first week of the routine phase have been executed as planned without any problem. The performance of the space and the ground segment has been nominal during the reporting period. The planning cycle proceeds in its activities and according to the plan.
The table below shows a chronology of the main activities in the reporting period:
| MET (Day) | Date | DOY | VPER# | Main Activity |
| 208 | 04/06/06 | 155 | 44 | Routine science operations |
| 209 | 05/06/06 | 156 | 45 | Routine science operations |
| 210 | 06/06/06 | 157 | 46 | Routine science operations |
| 211 | 07/06/06 | 158 | 47 | Routine science operations |
| 212 | 08/06/06 | 159 | 48 | Routine science operations |
| 213 | 09/06/06 | 160 | 49 | Routine science operations |
| 214 | 10/06/06 | 161 | 50 | Routine science operations |
At the end of the last Cebreros pass in the reporting period (DOY 161, 14:00) Venus Express was orbiting Venus at 187 million km from the Earth. The one-way signal travel time was 624 seconds.
Payload Activities
ASPERA
The instrument is regularly operated.
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. Any further attempt to move the scanner is now suspended until further notice.
SPICAV
The instrument is regularly operated as part of the routine plan.
VeRA
The USO has been un-muted in the night between DoY 159 and 160 to perform the first Occultation observation – no actual occultation took place. All spacecraft and ground segment configuration activities went according to the plan and the “open loop” data could be recorded at the station and delivered to the ESO dedicated archive. They are now being retrieved by the PI team for further processing.
VIRTIS
The instrument is regularly operated as part of the routine plan.
VMC
The instrument is regularly operated as part of the routine plan. Sun avoidance is routinely checked manually.
Future Milestones
The phasing-in of the routine planning process is formally completed even though some problems are still affecting it. Medium Term Planning 2 has started on 4 June and will be completed by 1 July after four weeks of activities. The next milestone for the mission is the preparation of the Mission Commissioning Results Review to be held end of June. was orbiting Venus at 187 million km from the Earth. The one-way signal travel time was 624 seconds.
