Cassini Weekly Significant Events for 01/03/02 - 01/09/02:

The most recent spacecraft telemetry was acquired from the Goldstone tracking station on Wednesday, January 9. The Cassini spacecraft is in an excellent state of health and is operating normally. Information on the spacecraft's location and and speed can be viewed on the Present Position web page.

Execution of C29 continues to proceed normally. Cassini's Gravitational Wave Experiment (GWE) completed on Jan 5. The Radio Science team was very pleased with the effort, reporting they collected over 90% of the possible Ka-Band GWE data. At the completion of the GWE, instruments that were quiet due to the experiment resumed normal operations. Additional instrument activities include Radio and Plasma Wave Science Periodic Instrument Maintenance, write protect bit clear, and two High Frequency Receiver calibrations. The Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (UVIS) completed an observation of Alpha CMA. Commands to activate Latchup detection algorithm and thresholds for the Cosmic Dust Analyzer, and Command & Data Subsystem Enable CDA fault protection were successfully uplinked and executed.

Engineering activities this week included transition to the Reaction Control Subsystem following 40 days on wheels to support the GWE, a Reaction Wheel Assembly bias unload and readout of parameters, an Attitude Control Subsystem high-water mark clear, and an autonomous Command & Data Subsystem Solid State Recorder memory load partition repair.

The Sequence Team held a Final Sequence Integration and Validation meeting for C30. The sequence has been approved for uplink along with the Imaging Science Subsystem decontamination and Composite Infrared Spectrometer functional test mini-sequences. All files will be sent to the spacecraft next week.

Science Planning reported completion of Satellite Orbiter Science Team (SOST)/ Science Uplink Verification (SUPV) activities. Within the next two weeks a package will be produced documenting results and lessons learned. In addition, the Science Planning Virtual Team kicked off development of the C32 sequence. Tour phase mission risks that require a rapid response and that currently need development work was the topic at this week's Mission Planning Forum. At the Cassini Design Team meeting, presentations included the development schedule and System Overview presentation package for the Uplink Critical Design Review to be held in February, and the Instrument Expanded Block strategy operations concept.

A suite of Cassini training classes has been scheduled for next week to coincide with the Program Science Group meeting to be held at JPL.

Mission Sequence Subsystem version D7.7 has been installed on all online Science Operations and Planning Computers.

Cassini Outreach met this week to discuss completion of the Cassini Replan and timelines.

Cassini is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Cassini mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C.

Cassini Outreach
Cassini Mission to Saturn and Titan
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
California Institute of Technology
National Aeronautics and Space Administration