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SORCE Mission
Status
LASP
Activity –
As the launch date draws near, the activity level in every area
is picking up to make sure all issues are addressed and all deadlines
are met. Recent milestones include the Mission Operations Rehearsal
#1, which started on September 30 and lasted 4 days, finishing
up just ahead of schedule. This rehearsal covered launch and spacecraft
operations up to the first 48 hours after launch. It went very
well, and the rehearsal’s objectives were accomplished.
Rehearsal
#2 for Mission Operations is scheduled for November 14–17
and will focus on science operations, making sure that all instrument-related
activities are considered and proceed as intended. It will require
that all pointing algorithms and calculations be in place. Instrument
commissioning will begin approximately 4 days after the launch,
and instrument vents and doors will be opened in a carefully formulated
sequence beginning 14 days after launch. The sequence of events
is based on minimizing any contamination. Instruments will begin
making solar observations at this point, although preliminary
calibrated data is not expected until about a month after launch.
Currently instrument scientists are scrupulously monitoring the
instrument test results and analyzing data in preparation for
this final rehearsal.
The Operations
Readiness Review took place on October 8-9 at LASP, with LASP,
NASA, and Orbital personnel in attendance, as well as several
outside consultants. This important review covered the status
of all SORCE activities
Countdown
to Launch - December 1
(as of October 18,
2002) |
related
to the LASP Mission Operations Center’s ability to operate
the spacecraft and instruments, as well as collect and process
the science data. According to meeting organizers, the review
was very useful and it helped to address final issues.
Dr. Juan
Fontenla joined the SORCE data processing team to develop Java
code for the instruments. Juan has a PhD in Physics from the University
of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and has extensive experience and publications
in solar physics. He most recently has been working with private
companies in software development. Juan specializes in analyzing
and modeling solar UV spectra. Boulder is a familiar place to
Juan from when he worked at HAO, where he developed models on
the RISE project to compute solar spectra and irradiances for
comparison with new measurements.
Marty Snow
will be shifting gears within LASP to increase his SORCE role
by helping the SOLSTICE team. He will be working with Bill McClintock
and Tom Woods analyzing experimental data on the SOLSTICE A and
B instruments. Calibration data, especially data from the NIST
SURF, have been collected over the last year. These calibration
tests allow the instrument team to establish the SOLSTICE sensitivity
– the data processing parameter that ultimately determines
the level of solar irradiance. Professional
solar physics associations are having their Fall conferences,
and are thus providing an opportunity for the SORCE scientists
to share the upcoming launch |
