Venus Express Update - August 15, 2006

http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=39822

No. 40 - Science Operations
Venus Express
European Space Agency
15 Aug 2006

Report for Period 6 August to 12 August 2006

During the reporting period the mission operations have been conducted
according to the plan. The ground and the space segment performance
have
been nominal.

The table below shows a chronology of the main activities in the
reporting period:

MET Date DOY VPER# Main Activity
(Day)
271 06/08/06 218 107 Routine science operations
272 07/08/06 219 108 Update of Gyro Alignment
Routine science operations
273 08/08/06 220 109 Routine science operations
274 09/08/06 221 110 Routine science operations
275 10/08/06 222 111 IMP Swap from A to B
Routine science operations
276 11/08/06 223 112 Routine science operations
277 12/08/06 224 113 Routine science operations

At the end of the last Cebreros pass in the reporting period on DOY
224,
Venus Express was orbiting Venus at 237 million km from the Earth. The
one-way signal travel time was 789 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
The instrument is currently OFF and is not included in the routine
planning. Next PFS tests in Venus pointing attitude are planned for the
first 4 orbits of MTP 6 (24-27 September 2006)

SPICAV
The instrument is regularly operated as part of the routine plan.

VeRA
The USO is nominally powered but muted. Occultation observations with
the USO un-muted took place on DOY 218, 220 and 223.

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
The planning of STP015 was completed on time. The pre-check of POR for
STP016 did not reveal any anomaly.

Medium Term Planning
The planning of MTP-06 was completed successfully. MTP-06 does not
include the conjunction operations; a specific plan will be generated
for that period.

Future Milestones

Trajectory correction manoeuvres will be performed on 2006-230 and
2006-236.

Throughout the next week short term planning activities for CP16 will
be
completed, and the pre-checks of the CP17 will be performed. The
processing of MTP6 inputs will continue.

An operational strategy for the upcoming solar conjunction phase in
October/November 2006 will be developed throughout the coming weeks.

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