**POLAR Spacecraft Status As of: Wed 11 Dec 2008, 12:00 EST**

*(Changes* from last week in bold border)

+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **Subs   | **NOAA-15K** | **NOAA-16L** | ##           | ##           |
| ystem/** |              |              | ### NOAA-17M | ### NOAA-18N |
|          | AM: 17:49=AN | PM: 15:04=AN |              |              |
| **Com    |              |              | AM: 22:23=AN | PM 13:49=AN  |
| ponent** | GAC data     | GAC data     |              |              |
|          | only         |              | GAC&LAC data | GAC & LAC    |
|          |              |              |              | data         |
+==========+==============+==============+==============+==============+
| **LA     | 05/13/98     | 09/21/00     | 6/24/02      | ####         |
| UNCHED** |              |              |              | ### 5/20/05  |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **CNTL   | OBP2         | OBP2         | OBP2         | OBP2         |
| OBP**    |              |              |              |              |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **BUS**  | B-BUS        | B-BUS        | B-BUS        | B-BUS        |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          | XSU-1        | XSU-2:       | XSU-2: TOAR  | XSU-1        |
|          |              | TOAR472      | 471          |              |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          |              |              | 1/15/08      |              |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **BUS    | NO           | NO           | NO           | NO           |
| VETO**   |              |              |              |              |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| *        | [Nominal     | ######       | ###### [N    | [Nominal     |
| *ADACS** | Mode]        | [RGYRO Mode] | ominal Mode] | Mode]        |
|          | {.underline} | {.underline} | {.underline} | {.underline} |
| X=Yaw:   |              |              |              |              |
| gas      | Rg           | Estimate     | Rg           | Gyro-A       |
| unload   | mode=Monitor | Y-ROLL       | mode=Monitor | MIMU-2       |
|          |              |              |              |              |
| mom      | Gyro-3 Off   | Rg           | Gyro-3 Off   | Z-wheel      |
| trigg    | 6/26/00 Gyro | mode=PASSIVE | 6/10/04      | -Pitch       |
| er=70i#s | chans=AAB    |              |              |              |
|          |              | Gyros-1 & 3  | Gyro         | Z-momentum   |
| Y=Roll:  | N2 Low PSI   | Inop/Off     | chans=AAB    | transition   |
| gas      | invalid      |              | GAS Enabled  | complete     |
| unload   |              | Gyro chans   | Dec 05       |              |
|          |              | XA-ZB        |              | Pitch        |
| mom      |              |              | \*Z Gas      | Torquer      |
| trigg    |              | Pitch wheel  | unload =45   | again active |
| er=70i#s |              | bias 2400    |              |              |
|          |              |              |              | Gas auto     |
| Z=Pitch: |              | \*Z gas      |              | unloading    |
| gas      |              | unload = 145 |              | enabled &\*Z |
| unload   |              |              |              | Gas unload   |
|          |              | Gyro2 safe   |              | =45 12/9/08  |
| mom      |              | macro        |              |              |
| trigg    |              |              |              |              |
| er=40i#s |              |              |              |              |
| \*       |              |              |              |              |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **RXO**  | PRI          | PRI          | PRI          | PRI          |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          | daily bias   | Daily Bias   | Daily Bias   | No daily     |
|          | -8 mS        | --5.5 mS     | --3 mS       | bias         |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          | -500 mS      | -1500 mS     | -1500 mS     | -1500 mS     |
|          | 12/31/05     | 31Dec05      | 31Dec05      | 31Dec05      |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **CLOCK  | 2            | 2            | 2            | 2            |
| DIV**    |              |              |              |              |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **MIRP** | External     | External     | External     | External     |
|          | Synch        | Sync         | Sync         | Synch        |
|          | Rephase 0730 |              |              |              |
|          | daily        | Rephase each | Rephase      | Rephase      |
|          |              | orbit        | Enabled      | Enabled      |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **TIP    | 2            | 2            | 2            | 1            |
| SIDE**   |              |              |              |              |
|          | (since       | since        | Swapped      | Analog telem |
|          | 4/3/03)      | 4/18/05      | 9/20/06      | drifting     |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          | 3 channels   | (analog      |              |              |
|          | inop         | drifting?)   |              |              |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **Rec    | DTRs 1, 2,   | DTRs 1, 2,   | DTR 1,3,4 /  | SSRs         |
| orders** | 3, 4         | 3, 4A        | SSR 2        | 1,2,3,4,5    |
|          | Safestate 1B |              |              |              |
| **(DTR,  | EOT          | Safestate 3A | S            | Safestate=5B |
| SSR)**   |              |              | afestate=SSR |              |
|          |              | 4B STIP only | 2B           | Current      |
|          |              |              |              | spikes       |
|          |              |              | 4A Pressure  |              |
|          |              |              | leak         |              |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **VTX**  | #1 ON        | OFF / INOP   | #2 ON        | #1 ON        |
|          |              |              |              |              |
| (APT     | As of 19     | since        | 137.62 MHZ   | 137.1 MHZ    |
| data)    | June 07      | 11/15/00     |              |              |
|          |              |              |              | As of 16 Aug |
|          |              |              |              | 07           |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **BTX**  | #1           | #2           | ####### #2   | #1           |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          | 137.35 MHZ   | 137.77 MHZ   | 137.77 MHZ   | 137.35 MHZ   |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **STX**  | 2-Omni HRPT  | 2 -- HRPT    | 1 -- HRPT    | 3 - HRPT     |
|          |              |              |              |              |
| 1 = rcp  | 2 Omni=rcp   | 1-- Playback | TOAR424 low  | 1 - Playback |
| 1698.0   |              |              | power        |              |
| mhz      | Power TOAR   | 4 Standby    |              | 2 - Playback |
|          | 446          |              | 2 & 4        |              |
| 2 = lcp  |              | 3 low power  | Playback     | 4-Test &     |
| 1702.5   | 4-Playback   | INOP -10 Aug |              | Standby      |
| mhz      |              | 2007         | STX-1 Power  |              |
|          | 1,           |              | drop 2.29W   |              |
| 3= rcp   | 2,3-Degraded |              | 3/2/08       |              |
| 1707.0   |              |              |              |              |
| mhz      |              |              | STX-4        |              |
|          |              |              | nominal      |              |
| 4= rcp   |              |              |              |              |
| 2247.5   |              |              | STX-3 Failed |              |
| mhz      |              |              | 2/14/08      |              |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| #        | [Array Off   | [Array Off   | [Array Off.  | [Array Off.  |
| ## POWER | -45]         | -20]         | --50]        | -40]         |
|          | {.underline} | {.underline} | {.underline} | {.underline} |
| (Array   |              |              |              |              |
| offset   | [Since       | [Since       | [Since       | [Since       |
| and CANT | 1/25/01]     | 9/13/]{.     | 11/11/08]    | 6/6/05]      |
| angle,   | {.underline} | underline}07 | {.underline} | {.underline} |
| eclipse  |              |              |              |              |
| states   | Full Sun     | Eclipse all  | Eclipse all  | Eclipse all  |
| and sun  |              | year         | year         | year         |
| angle)   | Sun Angle 13 |              |              |              |
|          |              | Sun Angle 34 | Sun Angle at | Sun Angle 63 |
|          | Uptrend to   |              | 66           | uptrend to   |
|          | 18 early Jan | Steady trend |              | 65 on        |
|          | 07           |              | Steady trend |              |
|          |              | SA CANT=22   |              | 1 Jan 07     |
|          | SA CANT=37   | degs         | SA CANT=37   |              |
|          | degs         |              | degs         | SA CANT=22   |
|          |              | Full sun S/C |              |              |
|          |              | in Sept 07   | BVR Phase    | BVR Phase    |
|          |              |              | Control      | Control      |
|          |              | BVR Phase    | auton swap   | auton swap   |
|          |              | Control      | 9/17/07      | 3/29/06 &    |
|          |              | auton swap   |              | 1/4/07       |
|          |              | 7/19/07      | Swap back    |              |
|          |              |              | 9/18/07      |              |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          |              |              | SADPOS       |              |
|          |              |              | Enabled      |              |
|          |              |              | 2/12/08      |              |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          |              |              | PSE swap to  |              |
|          |              |              | back-up      |              |
|          |              |              | 11/3/08      |              |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| *        | Nominal      | Nominal      | ### Nominal  | Nominal      |
| *AVHRR** |              |              |              |              |
|          | Channel 3B   | Recent SM    | 3A-B switch  | Channel 3B   |
|          | only         | current      | enabled      | only         |
|          |              | increases    |              |              |
|          | Occasional   |              | Previous     | Scan motor   |
|          | minor scan   | TCE24 OFF    | scan motor   | current drop |
|          | motor        | 4/14/04      | current mini | 29 Aug 06    |
|          | i            |              | surges       |              |
|          | nstabilities | Channel 3B   |              |              |
|          |              | only         |              |              |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **A      | Operational  | Operational  | OFF/INOP     | Nominal      |
| MSU-A1** |              |              |              |              |
|          | Ch14         | Primary PLLO | Since        | Full Scan    |
|          | inoperative  | chans 9-14   | 10/30/03     | mode         |
|          |              | bias shift.  |              |              |
|          | Ch11         |              | Survival     |              |
|          | inoperative  | Backup PLLO  | heat on.     |              |
|          |              | inop.        |              |              |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          |              | Channel 9-14 |              |              |
|          |              | noise        |              |              |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          |              | Channel 4    |              |              |
|          |              | severely     |              |              |
|          |              | degraded 4   |              |              |
|          |              | Mar 08       |              |              |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **\`A    | Nominal      | Nominal      | Nominal      | Non-nominal  |
| MSU-A2** |              |              |              |              |
|          |              |              |              | DIG-A Temps  |
|          |              |              |              | erratic      |
|          |              |              |              | 2/7/08       |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          |              |              |              | Cold Cal Pos |
|          |              |              |              | 2 2/21/08    |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **       | Operational  | Operational  | Nominal      | ***Replaced  |
| AMSU-B** |              |              |              | by MHS***    |
|          | Bias in All  | Space        |              |              |
|          | Chans.       | Position-3   |              |              |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          | Degraded     | Chan-8       |              |              |
|          | Chan-3       | degradation  |              |              |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| ### HIRS | NOMINAL      | NOMINAL      | NOMINAL      | ########     |
|          |              |              |              | Operational  |
|          | FW Abrupt    | New all time | 1 Pixel      |              |
|          | return to    | high filter  | cross-track  | Filter Heat  |
|          | nominal      | motor        | m            | OFF.         |
|          | 7/12/05      | current      | isalignment. |              |
|          |              | reached      |              | ########     |
|          | After years  | 9/17/06.     |              |  LW channel  |
|          | of minor and |              |              | 1-12 noise T |
|          | major        | Imagery      |              | OAR 448 Loos |
|          | current      | occasionally |              | e LWIR lens. |
|          | surges       | exhibits     |              |              |
|          |              | high levels  |              | LW imagery   |
|          | FW mode=Hi   | of           |              | erratic.     |
|          | Powr         | radiometric  |              |              |
|          |              | noise        |              | CH 1 Period  |
|          |              |              |              | Monitor      |
|          |              |              |              | event 13 May |
|          |              |              |              | 08           |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| ###      |              |              |              | Nominal      |
|  MHS/MIU |              |              |              |              |
|          |              |              |              | Fly Wheel    |
|          |              |              |              | Motor        |
|          |              |              |              | Current      |
|          |              |              |              | Spiking but  |
|          |              |              |              | not alarming |
|          |              |              |              | since 27 Dec |
|          |              |              |              | 06           |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          |              |              |              | Entered      |
|          |              |              |              | Motor Spin   |
|          |              |              |              | State on 9   |
|          |              |              |              | May 08       |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          |              |              |              | H4 gain      |
|          |              |              |              | increased 9  |
|          |              |              |              | May 08       |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          |              |              |              | H3 gain      |
|          |              |              |              | increased 9  |
|          |              |              |              | May 08       |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          |              |              |              | Automatic    |
|          |              |              |              | Gain         |
|          |              |              |              | Adjustment   |
|          |              |              |              | enabled 5    |
|          |              |              |              | Sept. 08     |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **DCS**  | Nominal      | Nominal      | Nominal      | Nominal      |
|          |              |              |              |              |
| RFI      |              | Pseudo       |              | DRU's 1-7 On |
| inves    |              | message      |              |              |
| tigation |              | turned on    |              | DRU8         |
|          |              | 1/5/06       |              | inop/off     |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **SARR** | Operational  | Operational  | Nominal      | Nominal      |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          | B-Side, 13   | Mode =AA     | A-side       | A-Side       |
|          | Dec 07       |              |              |              |
|          |              | A-side, AGC  | All AGC Mode | All AGC Mode |
|          | AGC Mode     | Mode         |              |              |
|          |              |              |              | Since 15 Aug |
|          | Intermittent | (B-side in   |              | 05           |
|          | failures for | FG mode)     |              |              |
|          | 243MHz A&B   |              |              |              |
|          |              | 124 & 243    |              |              |
|          |              | MHz = INOP & |              |              |
|          |              | OFF as of 29 |              |              |
|          |              | Jul 08       |              |              |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          |              | PDS ATT set  |              |              |
|          |              | to 0dB, 406  |              |              |
|          |              | MHz RCVR ATT |              |              |
|          |              | set to 2dB   |              |              |
|          |              | on 5 Sept.   |              |              |
|          |              | 08           |              |              |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **SARP** | Nominal      | Nominal      | Nominal      | Nominal      |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          | RCVR B/W = 2 | RCVR B/W = 2 |              | A-side 23    |
|          |              |              |              | May05        |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **SEM**  | Nominal      | Nominal      | Nominal      | Nominal      |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          | E            | E            | E            | El           |
|          | -CDEM-HVPS=2 | -CDEM-HVPS=7 | -CDEM-HVPS=2 | ec-CH-HVPS=1 |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          | P            | P            | P            | 27 June 06   |
|          | -CDEM-HVPS=0 | -CDEM-HVPS=7 | -CDEM-HVPS=4 | 17:00z       |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          |              | 11 Jan       | 27 June 06   | Pr           |
|          |              | 0714:47z     | 16:00z       | ot-CH-HVPS=1 |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          |              |              |              | 11 Jan 07    |
|          |              |              |              | 14:15z       |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **SBUV** |              | Operational  | Nominal      | Partially    |
|          |              |              |              | -Operational |
|          |              | Degraded     | Anode Mode   |              |
|          |              | Ozone data   |              | Anode mode   |
|          |              |              | Plan sweep   |              |
|          |              | Backup       | mode         | since 6 July |
|          |              | Diffuser     |              | 05 13:30z    |
|          |              | inop         | Standard Ops |              |
|          |              |              |              | Electronics  |
|          |              | Primary      | TOAR 463 sun | turnoff      |
|          |              | Diffuser     | glint        | taken out of |
|          |              | deployment   |              | STESM        |
|          |              | problem TOAR | IBSL test    | safestate    |
|          |              | 426          | performed 12 | table        |
|          |              |              | Sept 06      |              |
|          |              | AMSU EMI     |              | TOAR 462 sun |
|          |              | causing      | Grating      | glint        |
|          |              | erratic      | motor        |              |
|          |              | Behavior in  | i            | Chop Motor   |
|          |              | PMT cathod,  | nvestigation | stalled 22   |
|          |              | range 3      |              | May 08 & 9   |
|          |              |              |              | Nov          |
|          |              |              |              | 08.Currently |
|          |              |              |              | all motors   |
|          |              |              |              | turned on    |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **       |              | ON           | ON           | ON           |
| SADPOS** |              |              |              |              |
|          |              | Enabled      | ENABLED      | Enabled      |
|          |              | MFactor50%   |              |              |
|          |              |              | Timer =      | Timer =12    |
|          |              | Timer = 12   | 12mins       | mins         |
|          |              | mins         |              |              |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **T      | TCE26 & 15H  | Nominal      | TCE3H Batt   | All TCE's    |
| HERMAL** |              |              | 2A heater    | active       |
|          | Telem valid  | TCE24 OFF    | failed ON,   |              |
| Heaters, |              | 4/14/05      | turned off   | HIRS filter  |
| louvers  | TOAR 432     |              | 8/26/03      | heater       |
|          | closed       | (AVHRR H&L)  |              | turned OFF   |
| TCE's    |              |              | AMSU-A1      | 9/28/06      |
|          | TCE24L&25L   | HIRS Filter  | survival     |              |
|          | (HIRS &      | heater       | heaters on   |              |
|          | AVHRR)       | turned OFF   | 10/29/03     |              |
|          | failed       | 1/18/05      |              |              |
|          | 5/13/98      |              |              |              |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          | RCE          |              |              |              |
|          | thermostat   |              |              |              |
|          | failed       |              |              |              |
|          | 5/13/98      |              |              |              |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          | Spacecraft   |              |              |              |
|          | in thermal   |              |              |              |
|          | uptrend      |              |              |              |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+

**COMMENTS/CHANGES:**

MISC:

NOAA-15: There were relatively no changes to the NOAA-15 bus or payload
health situation during the past week.

The #2 gyro is still relatively quiet. Daily monitoring continues.

NOAA-16: There was relatively no change in the performance of the
NOAA-16 bus & payload subsystems during the past week.

ATMUL not recommended due to RGYRO operation.

NOAA-17: There was relatively no change to the NOAA-17 health situation
during the past week.

On 12/7/08 NXSU2PL1 flagged YH, this is due to TIP drift and the limit
has been bumped up 1 count as a result

NOAA-18: There were relatively no changes to the NOAA-18 health
situation during the past week.

NOAA-18 Automatic thruster momentum unloading (ATMUL) enabled and Z
momentum trigger increased form 40-45 on Dec. 9 to guard against
encounters with foreign debris.

MetOp-A: The changes to the health and safety of the NOAA instruments on
MetOp-A this past week are listed below:

[Trend Observations (NOAA Instruments) ]{.underline}

·         Based on the CVF Digital A daily, weekly and long term trend
reports, all AMSU, AVHRR and HIRS parameters are nominal and stable. 
All performance parameters are well within specification (e.g. NEdT,
NEdN, NEdA and SNR), with the exception of AMSU-A1 Channel 7 NEdT which
is close to exceeding the 0.25 K specification.  As shown in the
attached plot, the Ch 7 NEdT values have deviated from the trend curve
in the past week and are still holding short of the specification
threshold.  This deviation in the NEdT trend is correlated with the
seasonal temperature trend, where the maximum temperatures have been
reached and are currently entering a decreasing trend.  Whether this is
related or not to the Ch 7 NEdT behavior is still to be determined. See
Figure 1

·         The HIRS Filter Wheel re-synch period during this reporting
period averaged between 96-97 seconds between resynchs. 

>  

[Anomalies]{.underline}

·         No new anomalies on the NOAA instruments to report.

·         IASI entered STANDBY REFUSE mode on Dec. 9 at 20:28 UTC while
the spacecraft was flying over north polar belt.  This was likely due to
another SEU event.  The instrument has since been commanded to HEATER 2
on Dec. 10 at 16:45 UTC.  The instrument is now in the thermal
stabilization phase of CBS which should take approximately 1.5-2 days to
complete.

        

[Operations Performed]{.underline}

·         The SEM IFCs were run on their regular Tuesday schedule, with
the TED IFC starting on Dec. 9 at 08:14:57 UTC and the MEPED IFC
starting at 08:16:17 UTC. 

·         HRPT operations continued in toggling mode, operating on the
HRPT B-side and only operating in northern hemisphere low risk zones
during descending passes (i.e. over northern Europe and the northern
Atlantic).

[Operations Planned]{.underline}

·        The next SEM IFCs are planned for Tue., Dec. 16.

·        IASI transition to normal operations is expected to be
performed by Dec. 12.

·         EUMETSAT has informed us that as a result of over-performance
in the Oct. 30 in-plane maneuver, they will need to perform another
in-plane maneuver, probably in January.  They will communicate the
details when available.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="9.260416666666666in" height="6.15625in"}

Figure 1: MetOp-A AMSU A1 Channel 7 NEdT