Latest News
Date: 08/23/96 18:35 GMT
Orbit: 25
Ground Station: DSS-76
Description: The Magnetometer Booms were deployed successfully. The spin rate dropped from 25 rpm to approximately 18 rpm. Check out the magnetometer data that was taken during the deployment in the Images of FAST Data under Latest Info! on the FAST homepage.
Date: 08/23/96 19:00 GMT
Orbit: N/A
Ground Station: N/A
Description: Scheduled Activities delayed as ACS group performs thermal evaluation of spacecraft in reaction to higher then expected spacecraft temps. The ACS activities are scheduled through the weekend of the 24th and 25th. Check back for the results of the evaluation and their impact on planned activities.
Date: 08/24/96 07:57 PDT
Orbit: N/A
Ground Station: N/A
Description: As you may have gathered from previous messages the FAST satellite is operating very well and we have had very smooth early orbit activities. The deck on FAST is running ~10 deg C hotter than predicted by models. This deviation is a minor problem and should have no impact on the science or health and safty of the satellite. Since the early orbit activties have been running smoothly , the operations team has decided to insert an additional maneuver to calibrate the thermal properties of the satellite. They will rotate the satellite through various sun angles over the next several days. This maneuver will result in a 2 to 3 day slip in the L&EO activities. The boom release will be ~Wednesday. ESA and Teams activities now start Friday or Saturday. We will send a more exact schedule as soon as soon as it is available.
Date: 08/24/96 21:34 GMT GMT
Orbit: 38
Ground Station: DSS-29
Description: **LATEST TEMPS** PCTEMP1=30.482C, PCTEMP2=30.905C, MCTEMP1=33.635C, MCTEMP2=30.905C, FLXTMP=9.440C, CPUTEMP=31.681C
Date: 08/27/96 09:00 PDT
Orbit: N/A
Ground Station: N/A
Description: ACS THERMAL EVALUATION CONTINUES: The precession maneuver that is presently being performed will finish tomorrow. The spacecraft will sit at the resulting attitude while the thermal data is evaluated. Following this, a final science attitude will be determined and an attitude maneuver will commence. It is expected that the wire boom deployments will begin on Tuesday, September 3rd. ESA and TEAMS cover openings will occur on the 5th, ESA turn-on on the 6th, and TEAMS turn-on on the 7th.
Date: 08/30/96 22:00 GMT
Orbit: 103
Ground Station: DSS-29 (Poker Flat)
Description: The ESA instruments were turned on briefly to access their status. An on-board diagnostic test sequence was performed. Telemetry showed the instruments to be operating correctly. Only the low voltage configuration was checked out in preparation for the high voltage turn-on later next week (Wed/Thurs 4/5 Sept).
Date: 09/02/96 18:30 GMT
Orbit: N/A
Ground Station: N/A
Description: As of Sunday, 6:00 pm EST, the attitude manuever to negative orbit normal was only 75% completed. It is taking ~18 hr longer than expected. The boom deployment will be Tuesday morning at the earliest. Particle detector turn-on will most likely begin in Thursday, Sept. 5.
Date: 09/03/96 18:00 GMT
Orbit: 143
Ground Station: DSS-76 (Wallops)
Description: The first of the wire boom deployment activities occurred over this pass. Pyros were fired to deploy outer spheres 1 and 4. Using spin rate data and fields data collected from the spheres, it appears that sphere 1 has deployed successfully and the top hat has come off. Sphere 4, however, only partially deployed with the top hat remaining on the sphere. In the effort to get sphere 4 to deploy completely, the spacecraft is presently being spun up to 50 rpm.
Date: 09/04/96 09:00 Pacific
Orbit: 165
Ground Station: DSS-76 (Wallops)
Description: At this time the spin rate is 42 RPM and sphere 4 (boom B) has not deployed.
Date: 09/09/96 18:00 GMT
Orbit: 219
Ground Station: DSS-76 (Wallops)
Description: The wire boom motors were used to successfully deploy the inner spheres for wires A, C, and D. Individually, each sphere was deployed 0.5 meters. This followed the successful deployment of the outer spheres for wires C and D at 3:35 GMT and 14:10 GMT, respectively.
Date: 09/12/96 19:00 GMT
Orbit: N/A
Ground Station: N/A
Description: Over multiple supports earlier today, wires C and D were deployed to 20 meters. Wire A was deployed to 10.5 meters. The spacecraft will be spun down to 5.5 rpm in a final attempt to free wire B. Following this attempt the spacecraft will be spun up for the anticipated ESA high voltage turn-on on Monday.
Date: 09/12/96 23:30 GMT
Orbit: 244
Ground Station: DSS-29 (Poker)
Description: The ESA covers were successfully opened at 23:10 UT (4:10 PDT). This followed a low voltage turn-on and checkout of the ESA's on the previous orbit. The Teams cover will be opened either Friday or Sunday. ESA high voltage will be turned on Monday. Teams HV will be turned on Tuesday/Wednesday.
Date: 09/13/96 15:45 GMT (08:45 PDT)
Orbit: 251
Ground Station: DSS-46 Canberra
Description: Low voltage turn-on of the TEAMS was performed in preparation for the cover opening on the next support. Turn-on was nominal.
Date: 09/13/96 17:00 GMT (10:00 PDT)
Orbit: 251
Ground Station: DSS-76 Wallops
Description: The TEAMS cover was successfully released and the first of the look-up-tables loaded. The remaining look-up-tables will be loaded over the next support (orbit 252).
Date: 09/13/96 17:00 GMT (10:00 PDT)
Orbit: N/A
Ground Station: N/A
Description: WIRE BOOM STATUS: Wire A is presently deployed to 10.5 meters. Wires C and D are at approx. 25 meters. The spacecraft is presently spinning up to 12 rpm and will reach this spinrate early Monday morning.
Date: 09/17/96 13:00 GMT (06:00 PDT)
Orbit: 293
Ground Station: DSS-46 (Canberra)
Description: WIRE BOOM STATUS: Wires C and D were deployed to 27.5 meters. Wire A remains at 10.5 meters. The spacecraft is presently spinning back up to 12 rpm.
Date: 09/17/96 14:00 GMT (07:00 PDT)
Orbit: N/A
Ground Station: N/A
Description: ESA HIGH VOLTAGE TURN-ON STATUS: Yesterday, ESA 1 SESA 1 SHV & sweep voltage were commanded to max levels. This was followed by turning on all ESA MCP's to 200V (sweeping 50%). This was step 5 of the full ESA HV turn-on. The remaining turn-on steps will be performed today.
Date: 09/17/96 14:00 GMT (07:00 PDT)
Orbit: N/A
Ground Station: N/A
Description: TEAMS TURN-ON STATUS: The TEAMS turn-on is expected to begin tomorrow (9/18/96) and will continue through the following day (9/19/96).
Date: 09/18/96 19:00 GMT (12:00 PDT)
Orbit: N/A
Ground Station: N/A
Description: ESA STATUS: Yesterday, ESA high voltage turn-on activities were completed with all stacks reaching maximum voltage. Mode activities for the ESA's has commenced.
Date: 09/18/96 19:00 GMT (12:00 PDT)
Orbit: N/A
Ground Station: N/A
Description: TEAMS STATUS: High voltage turn on activities began today and will continue through tomorrow.
Date: 09/19/96 14:00 GMT (07:00 PDT)
Orbit: 315
Ground Station: DSS-46 (Canberra)
Description: BOOM DEPLOY STATUS: Wire booms C and D were deployed another 2.5 meters, approximately reaching their final operational lengths of 30 meters. Final trim adjustments for these booms are being evaluated. Wire boom A will begin further deployments tomorrow, with trim deployments for C & D being carried out if necessary.
Date: 09/20/96 17:00 PDT
Orbit: N/A
Ground Station: N/A
Description: TEAMS STATUS: Operational voltages were reached yesterday with real particles and mass resolution measurements occurring. Mass tables for 15 kV were loaded earlier today but the PAC discharged. The 12 kV mass tables were reloaded and operations at this level will continue through the weekend. On Monday the voltage will be increased 15 kV.
Date: 09/20/96 14:00 GMT (07:00 PDT)
Orbit: 326
Ground Station: DSS-46 (Canberra)
Description: BOOM DEPLOY STATUS: Wire A was deployed from 12 meters to 15 meters. The next deployment of wire A will occur tomorrow.
Date: 09/20/96 17:39 GMT (10:39 PDT)
Orbit: 327
Ground Station: DSS-76 (Wallops)
Description: BOOM DEPLOY STATUS: A short trim deployment of wire C was performed putting wire C at it final operational length. At this time wires C and D have reached their final operational lengths.
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