Press Release

NEAR Mission Status Reports

By SpaceRef Editor
November 16, 1999
Filed under

NEAR Mission Status Reports – http://near.jhuapl.edu

MISSION OPERATIONS:

The NEAR spacecraft continued to operate nominally in Operational Mode with Flight Computer #1 and Attitude Interface
Unit #2 in control. NEAR continues to Sun-point (GS-5). All instruments remained “ON” during this week.

NEAR is presently 161,177.2 Km from Eros (100150.7 miles).

Upcoming Spacecraft Activities:

The following are operationally significant activities planned for October-December time frame:

Nov 15 New momentum bias vector will be loaded to bias momentum prior to TCM 21

Nov 15 An RF ranging test on the FBA will be conducted

Dec 6 TCM 21 – test of TCM 20 “fix”

Dec 15 Flight Test of Rendezvous Sequence

Dec 17 NLR/MSI Co-Timing Test

Dec 20 MSI/SDC Flight Throughput Test

SpaceRef staff editor.