ESA Venus Express Status Report No. 66 – Mission Update
19 Feb 2007 10:54
Report for Period 11 February to 18 February 2007
During the reporting period the mission operations have been conducted according to the plan. Science operations have been nominal. Radio science activities with the New Norcia ground station have been conducted as planned.
The table below shows a chronology of the main activities in the reporting period:
| MET (Day) | Date | DOY | VPER# | Main Activity |
| 460 | 11/02/07 | 042 | 296 | Routine Mission Operations |
| 461 | 12/02/07 | 043 | 297 | Routine Mission Operations |
| 462 | 13/02/07 | 044 | 298 | Routine Mission Operations |
| 463 | 14/02/07 | 045 | 299 | Routine Mission Operations |
| 464 | 15/02/07 | 046 | 300 | Routine Mission Operations |
| 465 | 16/02/07 | 047 | 301 | Routine Mission Operations |
| 466 | 17/02/07 | 048 | 302 | Routine Mission Operations |
At the end of the last Cebreros pass in the reporting period (DOY 048, 17:00z) Venus Express was orbiting Venus at 217 million km from the Earth. The one-way signal travel time was 723 seconds.
Payloads
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
This instrument is OFF and is not operated.
SPICAV
The instrument is regularly operated as part of the routine plan.
VeRa
Nothing to report.
VIRTIS
Nominal operation of VIRTIS continue.
VMC
Other than a small data anomaly the instrument continued being regularly operated as part of the routine plan.
Future Milestones
VIRTIS movie passes are scheduled for the second week of April (DOY 98-101). Planning of science operations during this event is currently ongoing. The definition and testing of operations during quadrature is on-going; the next quadrature phase will start in May 2007.
