STARDUST Status Report

January 28, 2000

There were eleven Deep Space Network (DSN) passes to support the completion of Deep Space Maneuver 1 (DSM-1) and transition to All-Stellar attitude. The overall spacecraft performance for DSM-1 was outstanding. The total burn was 5884.4 seconds and used 29.3410 kg of propellant. The ending tank pressure was 157 psia, approximately 7 psia higher than expected. This means that the Comet Wild 2 encounter tank pressure has an additional 7 psia margin (a 100% increase in margin). The total spacecraft measured delta V was 159.4279 meters/second while the Navigation Team estimates a delta V of 159.013 meters/second. The power and thermal performance for all three portions of DSM-1 was also better than predicted.

Transition to All-Stellar was accomplished. The actual transition was delayed one day to provide DSN support for Mars Polar Lander command activities.

The All-Stellar transition had one multiple thruster firing, captured in high rate attitude telemetry that is now being analyzed. The background flight sequence, SC013 Part 4, was modified to collect high rate attitude data at selected times in order to provide additional insight into the multiple firings. The plan is to remain in All-Stellar attitude this week to collect sufficient data to determine the statistics of multiple firings. Contingency commands are available to return to Gyro Based attitude determine if necessary.

Flight sequence SC013 is the active sequence. Sequence SC014 has been reviewed, and includes the aerogel deployment for the first Interstellar Collection Period.

A review was completed of the science activities to obtain existing reduced earth-based Comet Wild 2 observations, taken during the 1997 apparition, project-produced comet models of dust production, particle lifetime as a function of size, and nucleus albedo and rotation properties. A STARDUST-organized Wild 2 Observation and Modeling Workshop and Peer Review will be held later this year

For more information on the STARDUST mission - the first ever comet sample return mission - please visit the STARDUST home page: