[meteorite-list] ESA's Mars Express First Check-Out Nearly Complete

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:20:57 2004
Message-ID: <200307021613.JAA24397_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/SEMKSZWO4HD_index_0.html

ESA's Mars Express first check-out nearly complete
European Space Agency
2 July 2003

ESA's Mars Express spacecraft is progressing further every day on its
journey to the Red Planet. Everything is set for arrival at Mars on the night
of 25 December 2003, after a journey of about 400 million kilometres. In the
weeks since its launch, engineers have started to thoroughly test the
spacecraft and its equipment.
 
This testing phase is standard for all spacecraft on the way to their
destination. Known as commissioning, it began 3 weeks after the launch.
During this time, ground controllers sent signals to each of the orbiter's
seven instruments to switch them on and verify their health status.

As well as commissioning the instruments, the ground controllers also tested
each of the spacecraft's subsystems. There was a thrilling moment when one of
the on-board computer memory units, known as the Solid State Mass Memory
(SSMM), seemed to not respond properly during the instruments check-out.
Good progress has been made on this issue in the last few days: a test involving
all instruments was completed successfully by recording and recovering the data
through the SSMM.

Unfortunately, during the commissioning of the power subsystem, ground
engineers recorded an interconnection problem between the solar arrays and the
power conditioning unit on board the spacecraft. This means approximately 70%
of the power generated by the solar arrays is available for the satellite and its
payload to use. This anomaly has no effect on the state of the spacecraft and has
no impact on the mission during the whole trip to Mars, including the orbit
insertion phase once at destination.

Despite this, the experts analysing the anomaly believe that even with this
power shortage, the nominal Mars observation mission will be achievable.
However, satellite payload operations may have to be reviewed for certain short
periods of the mission.

Ground engineers are now preparing for the last of the payload's tests: the
Beagle-2 lander will undergo its check-out on 4-5 July 2003. The experts are
looking confidently to it. "In fact," says Rudolf Schmidt, Mars Express Project
Manager, "overall, the spacecraft is in good shape. We are simply getting to
know its personality."

For more information, please contact:

Rudi Schmidt, ESA Mars Express Project Manager
ESA-ESTEC
Tel: +31 (0)71 565 3603
E-mail: rudolf.schmidt_at_esa.int
 
Received on Wed 02 Jul 2003 12:13:45 PM PDT