Status Report

Stardust Status Report September 21, 2001

By SpaceRef Editor
September 21, 2001
Filed under , ,

There was one Deep Space Network (DSN) tracking pass in the past week. All
subsystems onboard the spacecraft are performing normally.

Currently, STARDUST is 2.3 Astronomical Units from the Sun and is
continually moving further out. The solar panel usage is at approximately
83% when communicating; therefore the spacecraft has sufficient power from
the panels to communicate continuously if needed. Within the next month when
the spacecraft is its furthest distance from the Sun, the solar panel usage is
expected to reach 100% while communicating, and the battery will be used to supply the
additional power needed. At this time our communications will be limited to
about 2 hours before the battery would need to be re-charged.

For more information on the Stardust mission — the first ever
comet sample return mission — please visit the Stardust home page:

http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov

SpaceRef staff editor.