Cassini Significant Events
10/22/08 - 10/28/08
The most recent spacecraft telemetry was acquired on Oct. 28 from the
Deep Space Network tracking complex at Canberra, Australia. 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, October 22 (DOY 296):
After two hours of magnetospheric studies led by the Cassini Plasma
Spectrometer (CAPS), the Navigation team obtained optical navigation
images as part of an ongoing activity to track Cassini with as much
accuracy as possible as it orbits Saturn. Following a 9-hour downlink
to Earth, Imaging Science (ISS) took another set of images in a
campaign to track the small satellites orbiting Saturn. This activity
was followed by a spacecraft roll designed to assist the Magnetometer
Subsystem (MAG) team calibrate the instrument's sensors.
An encounter strategy meeting was held today to cover the period
between Nov. 3 and Nov. 19, Titan flybys T46 and T47, and maneuvers
170, 171 and 172.
With a tabletop walk-through today, Spacecraft Operations (SCO)
personnel began planning for a re-pressurization of the fuel side of
the bipropellant subsystem to maximize the delta-V available for the
mission. The procedure will be performed in January, 2009, and is the
last planned re-pressurization for the Cassini spacecraft.
Thursday, October 23 (DOY 297):
All teams and instruments delivered files today for Port 1 of the S49
Science Operations Plan process.
The Attitude and Articulation Control Subsystem (AACS) team kicked
off the AACS A8.7.7 flight software (FSW) update effort with a
working group meeting today. Parameter changes are planned to update
the default safing attitudes to support the time frame from June 2009
to July 2010, and to modify the default thruster magnitudes. Uplink
is planned in the late May/early June 2009 time-frame.
Friday, October 24 (DOY 298):
Non-targeted flybys of Janus, Pan, and Mimas occurred today.
The Magnetospheric and Plasma Science teams began science activities
today with observations of the auroral magnetosphere and Saturn
Kilometric Radiation source regions. This was followed by
occultation experiments with the Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph
leading a campaign to track the passage of a star behind the main
rings to probe the optical depth, and the suite of Optical Remote
Sensing instruments observing the Sun as it passed behind the rings.
After the occultations, ISS imaged Mimas to study the geology of that
moon, and then performed an azimuthal scan of the rings designed to
study the Columbo ringlet. The Composite Infrared Spectrometer
wrapped up the day by also performing ring studies.
Cycle #49 of the main engine (ME) cover concluded today after it was
stowed in preparation for Orbit Trim Maneuver (OTM) #169 to occur on
Oct. 29.
Monday, October 27 (DOY 301):
An image of the south pole of Saturn was Astronomy Picture of the Day
today. Check it out at http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap081027.html
As a start to sequence implementation, the final integrated sequence
segments for S50, which includes orbits 110 - 112, are due from the
Target Working Teams today. Science Operations Plan implementation
then begins. A Science Planning Attitude Strategy Spreadsheet will
be delivered to the instrument teams on Oct. 29 so that they can
begin working on spacecraft pointing designs for this sequence.
Tuesday, October 28 (DOY 302):
CAPS oriented the spacecraft to optimize the acquisition of
magnetospheric data for the first two hours of the day. This was
followed by ISS searches for new small satellites and observations to
track known small satellites.
SCO and Uplink Operations uplinked the following to the spacecraft
today: OTM-169, a reaction wheel bias to execute over the OTM-169
backup pass on Oct. 30, the Enceladus 6 live update that will execute
Oct. 31, and a Cosmic Dust Analyzer mini-sequence for the E6 flyby,
also on Oct. 31.
The Cassini Scientist for a Day essay contest for U.S. students in
grades 5-12 has received a record number of entries. The entry
deadline is noon PDT on Oct. 30. Already 198 essays by 322 students
from 21 classrooms in 18 states have been received. The majority of
entries are usually submitted within the last 48 hours before the
contest deadline, so Outreach anticipates receiving many more entries
over the next two days.
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