Andrew Yee[_1_]
March 23rd 09, 04:01 PM
ESA News
http://www.esa.int
20 March 2009
GOCE completes early orbit phase
ESA's GOCE satellite was formally declared ready for work at 01:00 CET [0000
UTC] on 20 March. During the critical Launch and Early Orbit Phase beginning
with separation from its booster on 17 March, GOCE was checked out to
confirm that all of its control systems are operating normally.
The end of the Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) came overnight after GOCE
was switched to Fine Pointing Mode. This means that all of its systems are
working normally and the satellite is ready for full commissioning of its
scientific instruments. With the end of LEOP, normal communications between
the satellite and the ground are now being provided by ESA's ESTRACK station
at Kiruna, Sweden.
"Everything is working well and we have a healthy satellite. Today, we will
end round-the-clock staffing in the Main Control Room and move the Flight
Control Team to regular work-day operations in the Dedicated Control Room,"
said Flight Operations Director Pier Paolo Emanuelli speaking this morning
at ESA's European Space Operations Centre (ESOC), Darmstadt, Germany.
Satellite-to-satellite tracking in operation
A major aim of this week's LEOP work was to bring the Satellite-to-Satellite
Tracking Instrument (SSTI) -- a highly accurate GPS (Global Positioning
Satellite) receiver -- into full operation. Emanuelli confirmed that it is
working normally.
"Switching on the SSTI was especially important, as this meant the satellite
could start performing its own autonomous orbit determinations. SSTI
identifies GOCE's position very accurately, and we need this functioning
before we can bring the satellite into its final drag-free operations mode,"
he said.
First science data sets already received
In addition to providing realtime navigation data for flight control, SSTI
is one of GOCE's two payload instruments and it is a very accurate
scientific tool for recording and reconstructing the satellite's actual
orbit. The first SSTI data have already been received at the Payload Data
Ground Segment at ESA's Earth Observation Centre (ESRIN), Frascati, Italy.
"Receiving initial science data from SSTI so soon has been an excellent
first step and, now that the SSTI is operating, we are already proceeding
with commissioning of the scientific payload," said GOCE Mission Manager
Rune Floberghagen, who worked in ESOC's Main Control Room alongside the
Mission Control Team during LEOP to monitor progress.
"GOCE is operating very well, and we are already looking forward to
commissioning our other main instrument, the Electrostatic Gravity
Gradiometer, starting in mid-April. It's going to be a very busy but
tremendously exciting time as we begin science operations," said
Floberghagen.
In the coming weeks, the mission is expected to achieve a number of crucial
milestones, including switching on the electric ion propulsion, switching
into Drag-Free Attitude Control mode and lowering the orbit to the planned
altitude of about 260 km.
[NOTE: Images and weblinks supporting this release are available at
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMZ8TJTYRF_index_1.html ]
http://www.esa.int
20 March 2009
GOCE completes early orbit phase
ESA's GOCE satellite was formally declared ready for work at 01:00 CET [0000
UTC] on 20 March. During the critical Launch and Early Orbit Phase beginning
with separation from its booster on 17 March, GOCE was checked out to
confirm that all of its control systems are operating normally.
The end of the Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) came overnight after GOCE
was switched to Fine Pointing Mode. This means that all of its systems are
working normally and the satellite is ready for full commissioning of its
scientific instruments. With the end of LEOP, normal communications between
the satellite and the ground are now being provided by ESA's ESTRACK station
at Kiruna, Sweden.
"Everything is working well and we have a healthy satellite. Today, we will
end round-the-clock staffing in the Main Control Room and move the Flight
Control Team to regular work-day operations in the Dedicated Control Room,"
said Flight Operations Director Pier Paolo Emanuelli speaking this morning
at ESA's European Space Operations Centre (ESOC), Darmstadt, Germany.
Satellite-to-satellite tracking in operation
A major aim of this week's LEOP work was to bring the Satellite-to-Satellite
Tracking Instrument (SSTI) -- a highly accurate GPS (Global Positioning
Satellite) receiver -- into full operation. Emanuelli confirmed that it is
working normally.
"Switching on the SSTI was especially important, as this meant the satellite
could start performing its own autonomous orbit determinations. SSTI
identifies GOCE's position very accurately, and we need this functioning
before we can bring the satellite into its final drag-free operations mode,"
he said.
First science data sets already received
In addition to providing realtime navigation data for flight control, SSTI
is one of GOCE's two payload instruments and it is a very accurate
scientific tool for recording and reconstructing the satellite's actual
orbit. The first SSTI data have already been received at the Payload Data
Ground Segment at ESA's Earth Observation Centre (ESRIN), Frascati, Italy.
"Receiving initial science data from SSTI so soon has been an excellent
first step and, now that the SSTI is operating, we are already proceeding
with commissioning of the scientific payload," said GOCE Mission Manager
Rune Floberghagen, who worked in ESOC's Main Control Room alongside the
Mission Control Team during LEOP to monitor progress.
"GOCE is operating very well, and we are already looking forward to
commissioning our other main instrument, the Electrostatic Gravity
Gradiometer, starting in mid-April. It's going to be a very busy but
tremendously exciting time as we begin science operations," said
Floberghagen.
In the coming weeks, the mission is expected to achieve a number of crucial
milestones, including switching on the electric ion propulsion, switching
into Drag-Free Attitude Control mode and lowering the orbit to the planned
altitude of about 260 km.
[NOTE: Images and weblinks supporting this release are available at
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMZ8TJTYRF_index_1.html ]