NEAR Mission Status Reports - http://near.jhuapl.edu

NEAR WEEKLY REPORT

Mission Operations:

The NEAR spacecraft configuration continues to be Flight Computer #1 as prime and Attitude Interface Unit (AIU) 2 active. All instruments are off with exception of MSI (for OpNavs). All subsystems are operating nominally.

Continuing reconstruction of the events surrounding the aborted burn on December 20, 1998. A subset of the operations team has been assigned to this investigation.

The switch from AIU 2 to AIU 1 has been postponed until after the anomaly investigation has been completed.

Details for turn on and checkout of spacecraft instruments in the months ahead are being worked with instrument team representatives. The preliminary plan for instrument operations is below.

Upcoming Spacecraft Activities:

Note: It was decided to suspend MSI optical navigation between February 15th and March 15th. Two OpNavs/week will remain scheduled until February 15th.

January 26: AIU 2 to 1 switch: Postponed
February 3: Real-time XGRS turn on and monitoring
February 8: Start XGRS calibration observations
February 8: Real-time NLR turn on
February 10: Turn on NIS/MAG
February 10: First NIS calibration observations
February 11: Second NIS calibration observations
February 14: MSI monochrome light curve
February 18: Third NIS calibration observations
March 1: First MSI Star Observation
March 20: NIS Calibration
April 15: 2nd MSI star calibration
April 19: NIS Calibration
April 21: NEAR inside 1.5 AU. Suspend High Gain operations. Initiate Fan Beam Antenna operations (9.9 Bps).

Dolores Line
Debra Fletcher

The Johns Hopkins University
Applied Physics Laboratory
Bldg.-Rm.: 2-155
11100 Johns Hopkins Road
Laurel, MD 20723-6099