NEAR Mission Status Reports – http://near.jhuapl.edu

MISSION OPERATIONS:

The NEAR spacecraft continued to operate nominally in Operational Mode
with Flight Computer #1 and Attitude Interface Unit #2 in control. All
instruments remained “ON” during this week.

NEAR is presently 89,014.2 Km from Eros (55,310.8 miles).

Flight Testing of the Eros Rendezvous Sequence was successfully executed
on December 15. All systems performed nominally. All engineering data
has been played back. The Eros approach sequences will now be frozen for
reuse during the actual rendezvous.

Supported Eros Readiness Review on December 16th.

Flight Controller training of recent new hires continues.

Upcoming Spacecraft Activities:

The following are operationally significant activities planned for the
December time frame:

  • Dec 17 Post TCM 21 orbit load
  • Dec 17 NLR/MSI Co-Timing Test
  • Dec 20 MSI/SDC Lightcurve and OpNav Test
  • Jan 10 Begin 24 x 7 flight operations
  • Jan 11 Begin MSI/NIS Eros approach operations