In short, Sapphire is doing very well.
L+142,
Mike Swartwout
Sorry for the delay in updating you. Sapphire continues to behave well on this 72nd day of operations (just over 1000 orbits); we have had only one spacecraft reset since launch and none in the last month. The communications system is behaving admirably and we continue to have good contact from horizon to horizon. Power consumption has been a non-issue as our battery voltage consistently floats between 12.5 and 13 V. Command & data handling has been fine as well.
As for payloads, the voice synthesizer is functioning as expected and has been used to support several USNA activities (Army-Navy game & the anniversaries of Marconi's first radio broadcast and OSCAR-1). (In fact, if you tune in to 437.1 over the next few days, you should hear Sapphire's messages.)
Not everything is exactly as we want it, however. Here are the items we are tracking:
-----
In addition, we are beginning the process of handing over primary operations of Sapphire to the Naval Academy. We'll keep you updated on that.
That's all for now.
-MAS
Here are the updates on the open items:
[Let me take this moment to say what a joy it has been to work with Sapphire's communication system. We get a clean signal on the horizon and get good data for the range -- and this is without preamps or polarization on our antennas. Low-hanging passes, zenith passes, it doesn't matter. Kudos to Rick, the mentors and the entire communications team.]
-----------
Except for the camera, everything is going wonderfully. Let's hope we can figure out what is wrong with that.
T+5 days,
MAS
Telemetry still looks good, though we're keeping an eye on battery data. There is not nearly enough data to figure out whether or not we are sun-pointing and to identify any sort of spin.
Telemetry & other data will be posted to the WU web site (http://cec.wustl.edu/~sapphire), but it will take a day or two to get that going. (We're a bit understaffed at the moment.)
For those of you tracking at home, here are the two-line elements for PICOSat, which seem to be the best guess we have for Sapphire:
PICOSAT
1 26930U 01043B 01273.43840183 .00219617 00000-0 83500-1 0 20
2 26930 67.0012 117.9589 0007264 222.8910 137.1663 14.29272747 47
The pre-launch Sapphire elements are off by a minute or two. We'll post updates as we find 'em.
We'll be running two more Sapphire contacts tonight (Sunday) at 5:15pm and 7:00pm, local time.
T+12 hours,
MAS
Kyle & I ran the first Sapphire contact this morning at 7:18am local time (12:18am UTC). It was amazingly simple -- we got a good signal right off the horizon, logged in with no problems. Sapphire had booted up immediately after separation (8 1/2 hours earlier).
Telemetry looks good, although the batteries are a bit warm (40 C), but that is easily explained by the fact that the spacecraft has been in full sunlight since separation. All other components are at about 15 C.
We got so much accomplished during the pass that we ran the voice synthesizer demo -- loud and clear.
We'll be running two more morning passes, attempting to get some more data.
Many thanks to the Kodiak Star launch team (especially USNA & STP) and the countless others who helped get Sapphire working and into orbit. (Please forward this message to the LMA people; I don't have their e-mail addresses handy.)
T+9 hours and going strong,
MAS
-MAS
All is proceeding nominally.
We MIGHT get a confirmation of Sapphire separation in just under 40 minutes (10:49 pm). Sapphire's separation is supposed to come just as the upper stage goes out of range of the Malindi (Kenya) station. Otherwise, we'll get confirmation about 11:30 or midnight local time.
Liftoff was at 0240 UTC on 9/30/2001
-MAS
This concludes my evening e-mails. Anyone in the St. Louis area who wants to attend the first contact attempt is welcome to join us at 7am local time tomorrow (the pass is at 7:18am and I'll be there at 6:45am). There are also passes at 8:57am and 10:42am.
M+8 minutes (Sapphire mission time),
MAS
Not today. Not tomorrow. Probably not Saturday.
The space weather (the second-largest solar flare in the past 30 years) and Kodiak weather (rain, rain, rain) have teamed up to keep Kodiak Star on the ground. In the interests of maximizing launch availability, NASA has pushed the launch window open to 3 hours. Here are the windows and expected probabilities of good weather for the next few days:
| Day | Window (CDT) | Solar | Kodiak |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 9/28 | 8:30-11:30pm | 0% | 0% |
| Sat 9/29 | 8:00-11:00pm | 0% | 35% |
| Sun 9/30 | 8:00-11:00pm | 20% | 20% |
| Mon 10/1 | 8:00-11:00pm | ?? | 40% |
| Tue 10/2 | 8:00-11:00pm | ?? | 40% |
| Wed 10/3 | 8:00-11:00pm | ?? | 20% |
The (??) is because they're not sure if another coronal mass ejection will follow the first one. If it doesn't, then the solar weather clears up quite well. If it does, then nobody's going anywhere for a while.
In order to save bandwidth, I won't be sending any more updates unless (a) we have a high probability of launching that day or (b) some other noteworthy event occurs. Those of you eager for more up-to-date updates can follow along at:
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/launches/next_launch.html
T-?
MAS
"All, the below mentioned solar flare is the second largest in the current solar cycle and has not peaked yet. As such, it is not expected to subside to acceptable limits for 4-5 days. The Launch team has decided that the earliest possible launch attempt will be on 27 Sep (thursday). Terrestrial weather is not predicted to be favorable until 28 Sep (friday) at the earliest."
I'll send out updates as I hear 'em, but obviously this is going to take awhile.
T-?,
MAS
Let me explain -- no, that will take too long. Let me sum up:
Saturday's attempt was scrubbed at T-20 minutes because of a bad sensor in a tracking radar.
Sunday's attempt was called off because the winds were too high to open the launch canopy.
Today's (Monday's) attempt has been called off because of low clouds and excessive solar flare activity (the Athena rocket is sensitive to solar flares, though I have not been told the specifics).
Weather is forecast to be 80% good for tomorrow (Tuesday). Stay tuned.
T-?,
MAS
However, I made a little jaunt to Space.com's website and found this tidbit regarding the Kodiak Star launch:
"Liftoff is targeted during a window that extends from 9 to 11 p.m. EDT. However, the weather forecast is not favorable. There is an 80 percent chance of unacceptable conditions on Friday and 70 percent on Saturday."
So, there's a very, very strong chance that we won't have a launch until Sunday or Monday. Clearly, the good people of Space.com have better access than I to useful information; therefore, you should check with them regularly between now and liftoff:
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/launches/next_launch.html
Since I know that people tend to skim & ignore long-winded e-mail messages, I will cut this one off here. If you are interested in launch watching/operations opportunities, check out the next message.
T-1,
MAS
---- Stanford area ----
You should have already heard from Prof Twiggs regarding the launch
party. I will be in town this weekend, and I invite to join me for
that. I should also point out that we'll be running Sapphire's first
contacts from the SSDL station; Jamie Cutler & I will be doing a station
shakedown Friday morning at 9am. There is a fleeting possibility that
we could hear from Sapphire during a 2-minute window about 2 hours after
liftoff; otherwise, you are invited to join me for a "breakfast with
Sapphire" during our 6:55 AM and 8:30 AM Saturday near-zenith passes.
---- St. Louis area ----
Various logistical problems (not the least of which is my absence) have
changed our "launch party" into a "post-launch party" scheduled for
Tuesday. (Of course, if the Kodiak weather continues its dreary pace,
it could turn into a "launch party" again.) The flyers with time &
place will be going up this weekend.
---- Otherwise ----
NASA TV is allegedly showing the launch (it isn't listed on their
website schedule, but we I know the TV folks are in Kodiak). You can
also catch a webcast at space.com or various sources of NASA TV
(http://www.nasa.gov/ntv/ntvweb.html). Keep an eye on the Sapphire
website (http://cec.wustl.edu/~sapphire) for operational information and
pictures. (Though I will promise that they will *not* be updated in a
timely manner.)
T-1,
MAS
P.S. For those of you wanting to follow Sapphire at home, here are the expected Keplerian elements (for every minute of delay, add 0.0006944 to the Epoch time and R.A.A.N.):
Element Set #: 1
Epoch Time, T0: 1 265.0900000
09/22/2001 02:09:36.00 UTC
Epoch Rev, K0: 1
Mean Anomaly, M0: 301.93819°
Mean Motion, N0: 14.27150207
Inclination, I0: 67.06308°
Eccentricity, E0: 0.00047486
Arg Perigee, W0: 62.71723°
R.A.A.N., O0: 83.76624°
Beacon Frq, F1: 437.1000
Decay, N1: 0.00000e+000
Time: 2001 263/02:09:36.156
Inertial Reference: True Equinox, True Equator of Date
Vector Type: Earth-Centered Inertial (ECI)
Two-Line Elements:
Sapphire
1 00001U 1 1263.09000181 .00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0
16
2 00001 67.0500 83.7639 0007173 243.2213 121.4275 14.28956361
10
"Due to continued difficulties, the schedule has changed again. The FRR will now be at noon on Sun 16 Sep. The LRR will be on Wed. 19 Sep (Both in Anchorage). ILC will be NET Fri. 21 Sep."
Allow me to translate: The launch is now scheduled for Friday, September 21st.
-MAS
It was just announced that the launch will be *no*earlier* than Wednesday, September 19th. This is obviously contingent on a resumption in air travel. I will let you know as soon as I know more.
-MAS
P.S. Those of you in the St. Louis area are invited to join us for a launch party (whenever it may take place). At the moment, it will *probably* be in McDonnell 162... stay tuned for details.
P.P.S. Rumor has it that Jamie Cutler is in charge of the SSDL launch party. I'll let him confirm or deny that.
It's better than I thought. To quote Lt. Col. Perry Ballard, Acting Program Director of the Space Test Program (the kind people responsible for getting Sapphire on this rocket):
"The Kodiak Star Encapsulated Assembly (payloads, adapter, fairing) was transported to the launch pad at Kodiak, AK on 5 Sep. Mechanical and electrical mates have been performed. Final payload operations (battery charging) will occur 15-16 Sep. Launch date is holding at 17 Sep."
That means Sapphire is on the assembled rocket, at the launch pad, and things are looking very good for a 17 September launch attempt.
For a picture of all four payloads on the payload adapter, check out: http://aria.seas.wustl.edu/Sapphire/pics/Kodiak/KodiakStarPayloadsinPPF.jpg.
T-11,
MAS
However, I received word today that encapsulation occurred yesterday (4 September) and they are still on track for a 17 September flight.
Here are the best guess at the orbital elements at separation (all times GMT):
| Separation time: | 18 Sep 2001 02:09:36 [69 minutes after launch] | Semimajor axis: | 7179.38 km | Eccentricity: | 0.000474 | Inclination: | 67.063 deg | Argument of Perigee: | 63.246 deg | Lon. Ascending Node: | 52.995 deg | True Anomaly: | 301.47 deg |
Separation will take place over the Indian Ocean just south of India/Pakistan. There is a *small* (and I emphasize SMALL) chance that SSDL could catch the first pass at about 02:45 GMT -- it would be a very low elevation pass to the west, heading south. Otherwise, Sapphire will spend most of his first few hours flying over the oceans as the orbit plane crosses over the Pacific & Africa. (Europe will get some good passes starting about 05:45 GMT.) He won't fly over the states until a much later. St. Louis will get its first of 4 flyovers at around 10:45 GMT (05:45 CDT -- yawn) and SSDL will see him at 14:00 GMT (07:00 PDT -- yawn again) for 2 good and 2 so-so passes. He'll be back again in the afternoon.
We're getting our act together here to run spacecraft checkouts, and with the help of Jamie Cutler, we'll try to coordinate some SSDL passes as well.
T-12 (!),
MAS
Unfortunately, since all of my informants are in Kodiak and I am in St. Louis, I don't have any juicy details to relate. But as it stands, payload encapsulation will take place on the 28th of August, and launch will be at 5pm Alaska time (8pm Central) on the 17th of September.
The second misfortune of that delay is that both Sapphire and PCSat will require battery top-offs; later today, Col Smith of the Naval Academy and I will engage in a game of "rock scissors paper" to determine who gets to fly back for that task.
NASA Select TV will provide launch coverage starting around 90 minutes before liftoff [for those in the St. Louis area, we are making arrangements for it to be carried on the Wash U cable system]. The launch window runs for 2 hours and, as I've said before, the weather outlook on any given day is 50/50.
Finally, I will be in the Bay Area the weekend of September 22nd, so we should make plans to cover a Sapphire pass or two at the SSDL station while I'm in town.
T-27,
-MAS
PICOSat continues its integration process (when you have four payloads each requiring 6 hours of checkout time, it's hard to rush).
Right now, the two "long poles" in the launch campaign are encapsulation and the Mission Dress (Re-)Rehearsal. Any delay in encapsulation will lead to an equal delay in launch. And NASA won't choose a new launch date until after a successful MD(R)R. When I left, MD(R)R was set for today (13 August), and encapsulation was running 1 day behind schedule.
So, without making any guarantees, I am confident that the launch will be no earlier than 1 September. Nobody in Kodiak would be surprised if it slid a day or two after that. However, everybody in Kodiak was surprised when NASA changed its mind about the 14-28 day delay and returned to the original launch date; all predictions must be taken with a large lump of salt.
And, for now, the Kodiak master schedule still has us down for a 31 August launch.
T-18, allegedly,
MAS
Pictures of packing and integration are now available on the website:
Also, the front page has been updated with a shot of Sapphire on the PUD.
This is about as many pictures as I can get onto our website remotely; I'll inundate you with more sometime next week.
It is rainy and cold in Kodiak today ... which is a good segue into weather. The main weather constraints on this launch are winds (35 knots) and visibility (2 miles, I think). The meteorologist has been monitoring the conditions daily since July, and roughly half the days have been sufficiently good to fly. So there's a good chance of a launch within 3 days of 31 August, but there's also a very good chance that any particular day would be scrubbed.
T-22,
MAS
So, in other words, Sapphire has been attached to the payload adapter. I confess I got a little misty-eyed as I stood on the scaffolding, giving him one last once-over after all the procedures were finished. He looks good sitting up there.
There were approximately 400 photographs taken during the integration process; I'll ship out some as they are developed.
PCSat arrived this afternoon and they worked late in order to get it ready for integration tomorrow. PICOSat checkout continues.
Final close-outs are on Friday; we'll confirm compatibility of the sep system wire harness and do one last battery charge. I plan to be leaving Kodiak Friday night... without Sapphire.
Launch is still set for 31 August; next week's activities will make or break the schedule. Stay tuned.
T-23,
MAS
Never mind.
As of last Friday afternoon (8/3), launch IS once-again scheduled for August 31st. There's another program that needs the facility in mid-September, so we're gunning for an on-time departure.
However, there is essentially no schedule margin for that event, so anything that slips will slip the flight. Don't be surprised if this schedule changes again. I promise to filter out the daily changes so you only see every other day's update...
We (Kyle, Sapphire and myself) arrived in Kodiak last night (Sunday). For the first time ever, airport security made a concerted effort to determine whether or not we were transporting something dangerous. But the Alaskans were completely unfazed by our big travel box; I guess that a spacecraft is low on the list of unusual things transported on Alaskan aircraft.
This morning we unpacked our equipment and now we're waiting for Sapphire to be delivered via Kodiak Transfer. (They have vehicles with much better suspension for the bumpy ride out.) In the meanwhile, we unpacked some of Surrey's test equipment and posed in our cleanroom suits.
I'll ship out pictures as I'm able. "High-speed" internet access (14.4k) and LMA security will be our limiting factors.
T-25 days,
MAS
First: it's not our fault.
Some undisclosed issues have come up with Starshine's sep system in particular and launch vehicle processing in general. All I've been told is that the launch will NOT be on 31 August and they will NOT be making a decision until on/about 7 August. The swirling rumors tag the delay at between 2 and 4 weeks.
I'll let you know when I know.
T-minus 31 days (give or take 14-28),
MAS
