Cassini Weekly Significant Events for 07/06/00 – 07/12/00
The most recent spacecraft telemetry was acquired from the
Goldstone tracking station on Wednesday, 07/12. The Cassini spacecraft is in an excellent state of health and is operating normally. The speed of the spacecraft can be viewed on the "Where is Cassini Now?" web page ( "http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cassini/today/" )
Activities for the C20 sequence included a reload of the Quiet Test Instrument Expanded Blocks (IEB) for the Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS), real-time commanding to change the thresholds for the Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA), uplink and execution of an absolute timed mini-sequence to power on Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS) electronics, clearing of the Attitude and Articulation Control Subsystem (AACS) High-water Marks, a Reaction Wheel Assembly momentum unload, powering off of the Radio Science Ka transmitter, reset of the Fault Protection Log Pointer, and a Flight Software Memory Load Partition Repair. After the last activity, C20 deregistered on board the spacecraft.
A final Sequence Approval Meeting was held this week for the C21 sequence. Following this, the sequence was uplinked and activated on board the spacecraft. Activities this week include load of Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) IEBs and RPWS memory clear, updates to AACS off Sun constraints, reaction wheel rates and acceleration, a reaction wheel momentum unload, clearing of AACS high water marks, and the start of the Magnetospheric Imaging Instrument (MIMI) functional test.
The Subsequence Generation Phase Sequence Change Request (SSG SCR) Approval Meeting was held this week for the C22 sequence.
The Spacecraft Office (SCO) held a delta flight software readiness review in preparation for the uplink of the V7 version of the Command Data System (CDS) flight software. Progress to date has been on schedule as have been all required activities for a successful uplink and checkout beginning in late July. The review identified some additional tasks that will be easily accommodated in the time remaining.
The Satellite Orbiter Science Team met to discuss science plans for the targeted icy satellite flybys during Saturn tour. They are working to develop a plan for the closest-approach period during flybys of Enceladus (3 times), Dione, Rhea, Iapetus, and Hyperion, as well as Phoebe (which occurs before Saturn Orbit Insertion in 2004). The team has decided to meet again in September to continue discussions.
The Cassini Mission Plan has been updated to reflect plans for the Jupiter encounter late this year. An electronic copy of the new version "L" was posted on the Cassini Electronic Library (CEL), and hardcopies are being delivered to designated prime recipients.
The Orbiter Cruise Activity Handbook (OCAH) has been officially retired as a result of the implementation of an electronic means of tracking activity requests. Activities listed that were not fully completed by the designated date have been carried over to Appendix "O" in the Mission Plan. The final version of the OCAH will remain on the CEL as an historical reference.
Cassini Outreach gave a summary of the program and presented classroom activities to twenty-four kindergarten through sixth grade teachers and an administrator at a NASA Educator Workshop, and are participating in a one week JPL display at the World Stamp Expo in Anaheim. Over 100,000 attendees are expected.
Cassini Outreach
Cassini Mission to Saturn and Titan
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
California Institute of Technology
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
