Cassini Significant Events 05/25/10 - 06/01/10
The most recent spacecraft telemetry was acquired on June 1 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/mission/presentposition/
Wednesday, May 26 (DOY 146)
A presentation entitled "Titan: A Strange Yet Familiar New
World" was given at the California Institute of Technology today.
The talk reviewed the discoveries of the recent flybys of Titan with a
focus on what has been learned about its lakes, their seasonal evolution,
and the hypothesis that they undergo periodic change over tens of
thousands of years, analogous to the Croll and Milankovitch climate
cycles on Earth.
An encounter strategy meeting was held today to cover the period between
June 5 and June 21, Titan flybys T69 and T70, and maneuvers
251-253.
Thursday, May 27 (DOY 147)
Science Planning (SP) analysis has indicated that the Pandora/Rhea
live update scheduled for DOY 154-155 is not needed. The deviations
associated with the updated reference trajectory relative to the original
plan are extremely small. The Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS),
Imaging Science (ISS), Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS), and
Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) instrument teams agreed
in advance to let SP make the call so the update and associated weekend
meetings have been cancelled.
MPS Editor Training and Discussion was presented at an Instrument
Operations Working Group meeting today. The new editor was delivered with
the Solaris 10 upgrade and will be installed on the Science Operations
and Planning Computers located at the distributed operations sites. The
presentation allowed the instrument teams a chance to hear about and
exercise the tool prior to use in operations.
Friday, May 28 (DOY 148)
Orbit Trim Maneuver (OTM) #249 was performed today. This was the
apoapsis maneuver setting up for the Titan 69 encounter on June 4 (June 5
GMT). The main engine burn began at 4:00 AM PDT. Telemetry immediately
after the maneuver showed a burn duration of 62.428 seconds, giving a
delta-V of 10.762 m/s. All subsystems reported nominal performance after
the maneuver.
Monday, May 31 (DOY 151)
Memorial Day Holiday observed at JPL.
Science activities this week included CIRS measurements of oxygen
compounds in the atmosphere of Saturn and an equinox baseline
observation. UVIS observed a stellar occultation and the Cosmic Dust
Analyzer performed an interstellar dust survey. Low latitude observations
of the lit face of the rings and F ring observations were performed by
ISS, CIRS, and VIMS. The Magnetospheric and Plasma Science instruments
executed a 9-hour survey.
In addition to science activities, the Magnetometer and Cassini Plasma
Spectrometer both preformed instrument calibrations, Radio Science
performed an ultra stable oscillator characterization and maintenance of
the radio frequency instrument subsystem, and Imaging Science calibrated
the wide-angle camera.
An image of Rhea and Epimetheus passing in front of the rings of Saturn
was Astronomy Picture of the day today. It may be seen at:
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap100531.html
Tuesday, June 1 (DOY 152)
Orbit Trim Maneuver (OTM) number 250 was performed today. This was
the approach maneuver setting up for the Titan 69 encounter on June 4.
The reaction control subsystem burn began at 2:00 PM PDT. Telemetry
immediately after the maneuver showed a burn duration of 29.25 seconds,
giving a delta-V of 36.28 mm/s. All subsystems reported nominal
performance after the maneuver.
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