Launch and Early Orbit Phases
Day by day progression of SMOS LEOP (Launch and Early Orbit Phase)
November 2, 2009
- Nominal launch on November 2, 2009 at 1 h 50 min 51 sec (UT)
- Satellite (SL) - launcher separation realised at 3 h 00 min 44 sec (UT) as well as the solar generator deployment and confirmed in visibility of the HBK station.
The first OCG (Operation Coordination Group) allowed the partial turn ON of the Payload to realise the acquisitions of the temperature of the deployment mechanisms. - November 2, partial turn ON of the Payload to verify that the deployment mechanisms temperatures are as expected.
- Execution of a 1st pyro sequence (9 out of 12) for the deployment of the payload arms.
November 3, 2009 at 19H05 - Toulouse time - execution of the 2nd pyro sequence (the 3 last pyros) with the successful deployment of the payload arms.
Reconfiguration of the SL of the induced trigger of a FDIR to take into account the new inertia after deployment.
The SL status is nominal in BBQP converged mode.
The OCG n°2 allowed the beginning of the "baby sitting" phase for the SL.
Deployment of SMOS payload arms monitored in direct from the Main control Room
November 4: No anomaly, on ground or on board, during the "baby sitting" phase of November 4. The satellite was in CC Reduced mode, SCAO BBQP mode.
Turn ON of the Platform equipments on Thursday November 5.
- GPS equipment started nominally with convergence of the navigator. Decision not to do the WARM START GPS for the following passages.
- Gyro 1 and 2 turned ON with speeds coherent with the satellite behaviour.
- Star Tracker (STR) passed in expertise, the self test shows that there is no error. CCD temperature correct. Production of quaternions.
- Passage in Heliocentric STAM mode on November 5 at 23h.
Passage in Geocentric STAM mode was realised on November 6 afternoon
The operations have been realised accordingly to the Sequence Of Event (SOE) with few minor adjustments.
The satellite is now in NOM (SCAO) NOM (CC) mode in geocentric pointing. Nominal status of the whole satellite and payload functional chaines.
All the operation ground segment components also have a satisfying behaviour.
The OCG 5 confirmed that the passage in NOM/NOM corresponds to the end of the 24/24h activities with rotation of the teams.
The next activities will take place in extended working hours and set up of stand-by duty. These activities consist in the realisation of the attitude acquisition manoeuvres as well as the payload switch on, following the previsional calendar which can evolve function the activities results:
- Monday November 9: Gyro Calibration
- Tuesday November 10: Nozzle Calibration (OCM 2)
- Wednesday November 11: Orbit restitution
- Thursday November 12: SMA correction manoeuvre (OCM 4)
- Friday November 13: Orbit restitution
The week 47 will then be dedicated to the inclination correction manoeuvre as well as the payload switch on at the moment schedulled around November 18.
