Andrew Yee[_1_]
February 23rd 07, 02:06 PM
ESA News
http://www.esa.int
23 February 2007
Timeline: Mars swingby at 36 000 km per hour
The timeline for Rosetta's speedy swingby of Mars on 25 February includes a
series of slew manoeuvres, an occultation and signal blackout, an eclipse
and some excellent opportunities for scientific observations.
Rosetta's Mars swingby kicks off today with a series of complex slew
manoeuvres to enable instrument calibration. The spacecraft has been
correctly lined up on the proper trajectory since a series of engine firings
in the past several weeks.
Rosetta is expected to pass the Red Planet at 250 km altitude and 36 191
km/hour with respect to Mars at closest approach. The swingby should reduce
Rosetta's velocity with respect to the Sun by 7887 km/hour, and the
spacecraft should depart Mars travelling at 78 779 km/hour relative to the
Sun.
Timeline of major activities
Note: Times shown are ground event times in Central European Time,
equivalent to UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) + 1 hour. Spacecraft event
time is 17 mins 33 secs earlier.
23 February
17:32 First of a series of slew manoeuvres to perform instrument
calibrations
19:30 Flight Control Team in ESOC's Main Control Room (MCR)
around the clock
24 February
~14:00 Webcam in MCR switched on (access via ESA portal)
18:35 Additional slew manoeuvres to perform Mars observations
with onboard instruments
22:30 End of observations until after Mars swingby
25 February
02:15 All payload instruments switched off; CIVA camera
(onboard lander) remains in operation and scheduled
to take images
Loss of telemetry; S-band carrier signal remains
03:13 Occultation starts; Rosetta behind Mars
Loss of S-band signal; no communication with spacecraft
03:15 Closest approach to Mars (250 km)
Start of eclipse; no visibility for camera; no
sunlight on solar panels
03:28 End of occultation; S-band carrier signal back
Receipt of S-band carrier signal provides initial
technical confirmation of swingby success
03:40 End of eclipse; sunrise above Mars
03:50 Start of Phobos and Mars tracking with additional
scientific observations
03:52 Acquisition of telemetry (radio signal & data); full
technical confirmation of swingby success
Downloading of data and images begins
After 13:00 Images to be available on ESA portal
ESA/NASA interagency cooperation supports Rosetta
Increased ground tracking support has been scheduled throughout the swingby
period.
In addition to ESA's 35m deep-space station at New Norcia, NASA's Deep Space
Network (DSN) stations at Goldstone, Canberra and Madrid will participate.
The two agencies often work together and regularly share tracking station
resources.
[NOTE: Images and weblinks supporting this release are available at
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMR7IBE8YE_index_1.html ]
http://www.esa.int
23 February 2007
Timeline: Mars swingby at 36 000 km per hour
The timeline for Rosetta's speedy swingby of Mars on 25 February includes a
series of slew manoeuvres, an occultation and signal blackout, an eclipse
and some excellent opportunities for scientific observations.
Rosetta's Mars swingby kicks off today with a series of complex slew
manoeuvres to enable instrument calibration. The spacecraft has been
correctly lined up on the proper trajectory since a series of engine firings
in the past several weeks.
Rosetta is expected to pass the Red Planet at 250 km altitude and 36 191
km/hour with respect to Mars at closest approach. The swingby should reduce
Rosetta's velocity with respect to the Sun by 7887 km/hour, and the
spacecraft should depart Mars travelling at 78 779 km/hour relative to the
Sun.
Timeline of major activities
Note: Times shown are ground event times in Central European Time,
equivalent to UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) + 1 hour. Spacecraft event
time is 17 mins 33 secs earlier.
23 February
17:32 First of a series of slew manoeuvres to perform instrument
calibrations
19:30 Flight Control Team in ESOC's Main Control Room (MCR)
around the clock
24 February
~14:00 Webcam in MCR switched on (access via ESA portal)
18:35 Additional slew manoeuvres to perform Mars observations
with onboard instruments
22:30 End of observations until after Mars swingby
25 February
02:15 All payload instruments switched off; CIVA camera
(onboard lander) remains in operation and scheduled
to take images
Loss of telemetry; S-band carrier signal remains
03:13 Occultation starts; Rosetta behind Mars
Loss of S-band signal; no communication with spacecraft
03:15 Closest approach to Mars (250 km)
Start of eclipse; no visibility for camera; no
sunlight on solar panels
03:28 End of occultation; S-band carrier signal back
Receipt of S-band carrier signal provides initial
technical confirmation of swingby success
03:40 End of eclipse; sunrise above Mars
03:50 Start of Phobos and Mars tracking with additional
scientific observations
03:52 Acquisition of telemetry (radio signal & data); full
technical confirmation of swingby success
Downloading of data and images begins
After 13:00 Images to be available on ESA portal
ESA/NASA interagency cooperation supports Rosetta
Increased ground tracking support has been scheduled throughout the swingby
period.
In addition to ESA's 35m deep-space station at New Norcia, NASA's Deep Space
Network (DSN) stations at Goldstone, Canberra and Madrid will participate.
The two agencies often work together and regularly share tracking station
resources.
[NOTE: Images and weblinks supporting this release are available at
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMR7IBE8YE_index_1.html ]