Stardust Status Report August 2, 2002
There was one Deep Space Network tracking pass, and a NSP (Network
Simplication Project) track reported last week. All subsystems are
performing normally. Analysis of the data from last week indicated
that the NSP test of the radiometric and telemetry data was very successful.
Commands to deploy the aerogel grid were tested in the Spacecraft Test
Laboratory on July 25th. These commands also move the spacecraft to
the new interstellar collection position. As the commands simulated the
spacecraft moving to the new position, an attitude controller fault was
detected. This made the simulated spacecraft enter a safe mode. Analysis
revealed that a configuration file providing the new position was
corrupted. A new configuration file was built and the test repeated without
any errors.
Since the corrupted file was not understood until after a regularly
scheduled track, the command files were not sent to the spacecraft at the
time originally planned. An additional communications pass is scheduled,
and the command files will be transmitted to the spacecraft.
For more information on the Stardust mission — the first ever comet sample
return mission — please visit the Stardust home page:
