ESA Venus Express Status Report No. 59 Routine Science Operations
03 Jan 2007 14:28
Report for Period 17 December to 30 December 2006
During the reporting period the mission operations have been conducted according to the plan.
The table below shows a chronology of the main activities in the reporting period:
| MET (Day) | Date | DOY | VPER# | Main Activity |
| 404 | 17/12/06 | 351 | 240 | Routine Missions Operations |
| 405 | 18/12/06 | 352 | 241 | Routine Missions Operations |
| 406 | 19/12/06 | 353 | 242 | Routine Missions Operations |
| 407 | 20/12/06 | 354 | 243 | Routine Missions Operations |
| 408 | 21/12/06 | 355 | 244 | Routine Missions Operations |
| 409 | 22/12/06 | 356 | 245 | Routine Missions Operations |
| 410 | 23/12/06 | 357 | 246 | Routine Missions Operations. Temperatures of VIRTIS M-RAD measured above expectations |
| 411 | 24/12/06 | 358 | 247 | Routine Missions Operations |
| 412 | 25/12/06 | 359 | 248 | Routine Missions Operations |
| 413 | 26/12/06 | 360 | 249 | Routine Missions Operations |
| 414 | 27/12/06 | 361 | 250 | Routine Missions Operations |
| 415 | 28/12/06 | 362 | 251 | Routine Missions Operations |
| 416 | 29/12/06 | 363 | 252 | Routine Missions Operations |
| 417 | 30/12/06 | 364 | 253 | Routine Missions Operations |
At the end of the last Cebreros pass in the reporting period (DOY 364, 18:00z) Venus Express was orbiting Venus at 243 million kilometres from the Earth. The one-way signal travel time was 811 seconds.
Payload Activities
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
USO was enabled to observe occultations on DoY 351, 352, 359 and 361.
VIRTIS
The instrument is regularly operated as part of the routine plan.
On 23 December, at 07:40 UT, a marginal violation of the high hard limit of the M-RAD temperature was detected. The temperature was back within soft limits 10 minutes later.
VMC
The instrument is regularly operated as part of the routine plan.
Mission Planning
Short Term Planning
Planning of STP034 and STP035 were completed on 20 December 2006.
Pre-checks of POR for STP036 and STP037 were successfully completed on the previous planning period.
Long Term Planning
EVTU was updated to include all OCMs planned up to 22 November 2007 (DOY 326; orbit 580).
MPEF was extended up to orbit 500 (3 September 2007).
FECSv22 and BRFv11 were generated, they cover the quadrature in May/June 2007.
Future Milestones
The definition of operations during quadrature is on-going; the next quadrature phase will start in May 2007.
