ESA Venus Express Status Report No. 34 – Ongoing Science Operations
03 Jul 2006 09:56
Report for Period 25 June to 1 July 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 (Day) | Date | DOY | VPER# | Main Activity |
| 229 | 25/06/06 | 176 | 65 | Routine science operations |
| 230 | 26/06/06 | 177 | 66 | Routine science operations |
| 231 | 27/06/06 | 178 | 67 | Routine science operations |
| 232 | 28/06/06 | 179 | 68 | Routine science operations |
| 233 | 29/06/06 | 180 | 69 | Routine science operations |
| 234 | 30/06/06 | 181 | 70 | Routine science operations |
| 235 | 01/07/06 | 182 | 71 | Routine science operations |
At the end of the last Cebreros pass in the reporting period (DOY 182, 14:00) Venus Express was orbiting Venus at 206 million km from the Earth. The one-way signal travel time was 690 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 is powered but unmuted. Next operations are foreseen in a few weeks when the Earth occultation season starts.
VIRTIS
The instrument is regularly operated as part of the routine plan.
A number of results from the instrument obtained durting the capture orbit have been released.
VMC
The instrument is regularly operated as part of the routine plan.
Ground Segment
During the reporting period Venus Express has been supported by daily passes with Cebreros.
Future Milestones
Operations for the next weeks have been duly planned and the routine science phase will continue according to the plan. Activities of Medium Term Planning 003 will start now with great focus on the Earth occultations season that starts on 11 July and will continue till the end of August. Several radio science observations have been scheduled for this time frame.
The updated spacecraft attitude constraints are being reviewed in view of a further optimisation of the science planning. This activity targets to have them operational for the activities of Medium Term Planning 8 i.e. the 4th quarter of 2006.
