Terra Weekly Mission Status Update January 10 – 16, 2003

The Terra spacecraft is operating nominally. All instruments are in science mode.

Five out of six of the planned MODIS calibration yaw maneuvers were successfully completed as of January 16. The final maneuver was not completed because of a scheduling error for Doppler compensation for the specific TDRSS contact. Because of this it was not possible to reconfigure in time to execute the commands to clear on-board inhibit ID’s which are set for the commands in the Absolute Time Command load as part of the standard procedure for executing this operation. The decision to schedule an additional yaw maneuver to compensate for the loss of this one will be made later in the week pending analysis by the MODIS team of the results of the maneuvers to date.

The Terra MODIS Direct Broadcast X-band system continues to provide maximum coverage over Australia as a result of an extension of the modified procedure (negotiated with JPL by ESMO) for X-band ON/OFF cycling operations related to potential RFI over the Canberra Deep Space Network site. MODIS Direct Broadcast data are directly supporting Australian summer dry season fire fighting operations through incorporation with other data into the SENTINEL system for hot spot detection instituted by CSIRO in Australia.

TERRA PLANS:

• The ASTER shortwave infrared capillary pumped heat transport system (SWIR CPHTS) set point will be adjusted from 15.5 to 14 degrees C on Monday, Jan. 20, 2003.
• The next lunar roll for MODIS calibration will be conducted on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2003.