**POLAR Spacecraft Status As of: Thurs 18 Sep 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} |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          | Rg           | Estimate     | Rg           | Gyro-A       |
|          | mode=Monitor | Y-ROLL       | mode=Monitor | MIMU-2       |
|          |              |              |              |              |
|          | Gyro-3 Off   | Rg           | Gyro-3 Off   | Z-wheel      |
|          | 6/26/00 Gyro | mode=PASSIVE | 6/10/04      | -Pitch       |
|          | chans=AAB    |              |              |              |
|          |              | Gyros-1 & 3  | Gyro         | TOAR 447     |
|          | N2 Low PSI   | Inop/Off     | chans=AAB    |              |
|          | invalid      |              | GAS Enabled  | Z-momentum   |
|          |              | Gyro chans   | Dec 05       | transition   |
|          |              | XA-ZB        |              | complete     |
|          |              |              | \*Z Gas      |              |
|          |              | Pitch wheel  | unload =45   | Pitch        |
|          |              | bias 2400    |              | Torquer      |
|          |              |              |              | again active |
|          |              | \*Z gas      |              |              |
|          |              | unload = 145 |              | Gas auto     |
|          |              |              |              | unloading    |
|          |              | Gyro2 safe   |              | disabled     |
|          |              | macro        |              | 8/18/08      |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **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]         | --40]        | -40]         |
|          | {.underline} | {.underline} | {.underline} | {.underline} |
| (Array   |              |              |              |              |
| offset   | [Since       | [Since       | [Since       | [Since       |
| and CANT | 1/25/01]     | 9/13/]{.     | 1/29/04]     | 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      |              |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| *        | 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.      |
|          |              |              |              | Currently    |
|          |              |              |              | all motors   |
|          |              |              |              | turned on;   |
|          |              |              |              | not fully    |
|          |              |              |              | operational  |
+----------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| **       |              | 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.

NOAA-16 had a DAU timeout on 16 Sept 2008 at 16:08z. The spacecraft was
commanded to clear mode and then back into encrypt during a call-up pass
at 17:48z. A NOOOP and DAU reset command to the non-control side was
missed during the precious pass due to ground system problems.

NOAA-16 continues to experience a low sun angle since ending its summer
eclipse season for the first time since becoming a full sun spacecraft
in mid August of 2007.  This sun angle will reach a minimum of about 10
degrees in mid October, see Figure 2. This are causing several telemetry
points on the spacecraft are reaching new yellow and red lows as the
solar array shades the body of the spacecraft.  Figure 3 is an example
of the BRU (battery reconditioning unit) reaching a new YL of about -50
degree C.  This plot is for a 2 year period showing orbit min max and
mean.

Figure 4 shows the boost voltage regulator flagging due to low patch
current.  The BVR status thinks it is in night when the spacecraft is
really in day (patch current trigger is 162 mamps).  At these low sun
angles an array move from -20 degree offset to a zero degree offset will
only add about 5 mamps to the reported patch current.  The patch current
is now below the trigger level and adding 5 mamps is not enough to
prevent this flagging, so the night limits were made the same as the day
limits.  NOAA-16 remains power positive as long as N16 remains a full
sun spacecraft.  If it were an eclipsing spacecraft at these power
levels, NOAA-16 would be considered power negative.

NOAA-17: There was relatively no change in the performance of the
NOAA-17 payload subsystem during the past week.

NOAA-17's SBUV has been seeing a single position grating errors. A
course of action is being discussed.

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

MetOp-A: There were relatively no changes to the health and safety of
the NOAA instruments on MetOp-A this past week.

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).   Note:  AMSU-A1 Channel 7 NEdT is still increasing and
following a steeper curve now than mentioned in previous weekly
reports.  See Figrue 5 & 6, respectively for the forecasts generated in
July 2008 and now in September 2008.  Whereas the July forecast showed
the 0.25 K spec being breached by April 2009, the additional data in
August and September now show that the spec may be breached already by
February 2009.  If the Ch 7 NEdT degradation on MetOp behaves similar to
the way the Ch 4 NEdT degraded on EOS, it is likely that the curve will
become even steeper and the spec will be breached earlier than
predicted, perhaps yet by the end of this year.

NOTES: Figures 1 -- 4 have been omitted for web listing.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="9.795833333333333in"
height="5.863194444444445in"}

Figure 5: MetOp-A AMSU-A1 NEdT Forecast July 2008

![](media/image5.jpeg){width="9.796527777777778in"
height="5.805555555555555in"}

Figure 6: MetOp-A AMSU-A1 NEdT Forecast Sept 2008