From: baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov (Ron Baalke)
Subject: Ulysses Update - 12/30/92
Followup-To: sci.space
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Keywords:  Ulysses, JPL, ESA
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 21:40:00 GMT

Forwarded from Peter Beech, Ulysses Mission Operations Manager

SUBJECT:  ULYSSES MISSION OPERATIONS REPORT No. 122

PERIOD:   22nd December to 28th December 1992

1.   MISSION OPERATIONS

     Experiment reconfigurations have been carried out as
     required.

     Routine Earth pointing manoeuvre were performed on 23rd and
     27th December.

     An average of 97.9 % data recovery was achieved during the
     reporting period.

     The percentage of data acquired as a function of bit rate is
     as follows:

     1024 bps 30.99 %
      512 bps 66.72 %

2.   SPACECRAFT STATUS

     POWER

     Nominal.
     Estimated S/C power consumption 257 watts.

     AOCS

     Nominal.

     TTC

     The spacecraft is currently configured with receiver 2 as
     the prime unit fed via the high gain antenna and with
     receiver 1 as backup fed through the low gain antenna (LGA-
     F). The downlink is provided through EPC2/TWTA2.

     The 34 meter ground stations are in use to support TTC
     operations.  Ranging from 34 meter ground stations has
     recommenced when the spacecraft is configured for low bit
     rate.  Ranging passes from 70 meter ground stations are
     being taken periodically.

     Received downlink level -141 dBm.(34 meter) X-band.

     (Variations of up to 10 db. can be expected as a result of
     station antenna in use, local weather conditions, and
     spacecraft antenna off-pointing).

     Received uplink level -120 dBm.

     DATA HANDLING

     Nominal with the exception of the CTU#2 anomaly.

     THERMAL

     Nominal.

3.   FLIGHT DYNAMICS

     Solar Aspect   The angle reduced from 11.00 on
     Angle (deg.)   22nd December to 10.80 on 28th December.

     Sun-Probe-Earth  The angle reduced from 11.05 on
     Angle (deg.)     22nd December to 10.86 on 28th December.

     Spin Rate               4.980 rpm.

4.   ORBITAL DATA

     Data taken at 13:00 PDT on 28th December.
     Distance from Earth                709,786,729 km.
     Velocity relative to the Earth         128,187 km/hr.
     Velocity relative to the Sun            33,662 km/hr.
     Ecliptic latitude                         15.5 deg/south

5.   PLANNED OPERATIONS

     Routine data gathering operations will continue together
     with experiment reconfigurations as required.

     Earth pointing manoeuvres will be performed on 30th
     December, 3rd and 7th January.

     Periods of 2048 bps at low antenna elevations will continue
     to be avoided to improve the signal to noise ratio.  This
     will slightly reduce the percentage of 1024 bps real-time
     data received.

6.   GROUND SEGMENT

     The ground segment performed nominally during the reporting
     period.

     A Happy New Year from the Ulysses Team to all our readers.
     ___    _____     ___
    /_ /|  /____/ \  /_ /|     Ron Baalke         | baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov
    | | | |  __ \ /| | | |     Jet Propulsion Lab |
 ___| | | | |__) |/  | | |__   M/S 525-3684 Telos | Choose a job you love, and
/___| | | |  ___/    | |/__ /| Pasadena, CA 91109 | you'll never have to work
|_____|/  |_|/       |_____|/                     | a day in your life. 

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