ESA Venus Express Status Report No. 63 – Earth Occultation Observations
31 Jan 2007 09:47
Report for Period 21 January to 27 January 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 |
| 439 | 21/01/07 | 021 | 275 | Routine Mission Operations |
| 440 | 22/01/07 | 022 | 276 | Routine Mission Operations |
| 441 | 23/01/07 | 023 | 277 | Routine Mission Operations |
| 442 | 24/01/07 | 024 | 278 | Routine Mission Operations |
| 443 | 25/01/07 | 025 | 279 | Routine Mission Operations; TM bitrate change |
| 444 | 26/01/07 | 026 | 280 | Routine Mission Operations |
| 445 | 27/01/07 | 027 | 281 | Routine Mission Operations |
At the end of the last Cebreros pass in the reporting period (DOY 027, 17:00z) Venus Express was orbiting Venus at 229 million km from the Earth. The one-way signal travel time was 763 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
The USO has been unmuted on DoY 022, 024 and 026 to conduct the planned Earth occultation observations.
VIRTIS
The instrument is regularly operated as part of the routine plan.
VMC
The instrument is regularly operated as part of the routine plan.
Mission Planning
Short Term Planning
Operations of STP038 were executed successfully and the planning of STP039 was completed in time.
Long Term Planning
At the VMOC-VSOC planning telecom, it was decided that a new FECS will be produced this week, with updated pass times, and a new definition of the ‘Start Dump’ event (the current 3000 second margin will be substantially reduced). The FECS file, contains the list of the downlink and radio science opportunities from the available ground stations.
Future Milestones
The definition and testing of operations during quadrature is on-going; the next quadrature phase will start in May 2007.
