Status Report

Genesis Mission Status Update February 3, 2003

By SpaceRef Editor
February 8, 2003
Filed under , ,
Genesis Mission Status Update February 3, 2003
genesis

The Genesis spacecraft continues its mission and is in overall good
health, collecting solar wind material expelled from the Sun.

Genesis team members are analyzing telemetry from the Jan. 28
concentrator rejection grid test. The Genesis concentrator grid
carries a positive charge in order to deflect hydrogen ions while
allowing heavier oxygen ions to pass through. That concentrates
oxygen, in proportion to hydrogen, reaching the collector tile. The
concentrator rejection test indicated a very slight drop in the
concentrator grid’s maximum voltage, from 2100 volts to 2080 volts.

Genesis team members are also putting the finishing touches to the
inflight program that will be uplinked for the Feb. 4 stationkeeping
maneuver. This maneuver, or burn, will tweak the spacecraft’s
trajectory around the Lagrange 1 point of gravitational stability
between Earth and the Sun. The burn will employ the spacecraft’s
small hydrazine thrusters and alter Genesis’ velocity by all of
1.77 meter per second (3.96 miles per hour).

Genesis Vital Statistics:

  • 535 days since launch.
  • 434 days to planned completion of solar particle collection.
  • o592 days to Genesis return to Earth.

SpaceRef staff editor.