Cassini Significant Events
09/03/08 - 09/09/08
The most recent spacecraft telemetry was acquired on Sept. 9 from the
Deep Space Network tracking complex at Madrid, Spain. The Cassini
spacecraft is in an excellent state of health and all subsystems are
operating normally.
Information on the present position and speed of the Cassini spacecraft
may be found on the "Present Position" page at:
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/operations/present-position.cfm.
Wednesday, Sept. 3 (DOY 247):
The minimum Sun-Earth-Probe (SEP) angle of 1.67 deg occurred
today. This is solar conjunction, and is the time of greatest
interference from the Sun on Cassini's telecommunications link. The
SEP angle will now increase over the next five days until the angle
reaches 5 degrees and conjunction officially ends. Until that time,
Spacecraft Operations (SCO) will continue collecting statistics on
commanding capability and interference levels. Radio Science (RSS) has
been performing the annual RSS solar corona characterization experiment
since Aug. 26. This experiment will continue until Sept.
15.
A non-targeted flyby of Methone occurred today.
The Spacecraft Office Engineering Activities Review for S49 occurred
today. At this meeting the spacecraft team reviews all engineering
activities to be performed during that sequence.
Friday, Sept. 5 (DOY 249):
Cassini has detected two new ring arcs around Saturn co-orbiting with
the tiny moons Anthe and Methone, previously discovered by Cassini during
its primary mission. This is further evidence that most of the
planet's small, inner moons orbit within partial or complete rings.
Findings like these help scientists to understand how the orbits of the
bodies and ring material in a planetary system are configured by their
mutual gravitational resonances. For the full story link to:
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/sig-event-details.cfm?newsID=869
Today Cassini begins to come out of Solar Conjunction as the SEP angle
climbs out of the "loss of telemetry zone" of less than 2
degrees. A playback of Magnetospheric and Plasma Science (MAPS)
data recorded during conjunction is scheduled as soon as telemetry is
re-established today.
Sunday, Sept. 7 (DOY 251):
With the SEP angle now past the 3 degree mark, the Cassini Plasma
Spectrometer (CAPS) begins the first non-Earth pointed science data
acquisition with a slew to an orientation favorable for collecting
magnetospheric data. This is followed by an on-going Imaging
Science (ISS) campaign to further deduce the orbits of some of the
lesser-known satellites of Saturn. The day ends with a Visual and
Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) and Composite Infrared Spectrometer
(CIRS) investigation of the unlit side of Saturn's rings.
Monday, Sept. 8 (DOY 252):
A project-wide Operational Readiness Test (ORT) is set to begin today
and run for the next three days. The purpose of the test is to
train new flight team members in anomaly response and identify areas
where the process may be improved.
Commanding began today for S44 with the uplink of five Instrument
Expanded Block (IEB) files. Uplink Operations has verified that all the
files have been properly registered on-board the spacecraft. An
additional IEB will be uplinked tomorrow, the background sequence will go
up on Sept. 11, and the sequence will begin execution on Saturday, Sept
13.
Tuesday, Sept. 9 (DOY 253):
VIMS continues its search for auroras in Saturn's north polar region
today. Simultaneously, the MAPS instruments will directly sample
the magnetic and plasma environment surrounding Saturn as Cassini crosses
the magnetic field lines feeding auroral activity. The day ends
with a joint Optical Remote Sensing (ORS) campaign of the moon
Tethys.
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