MISSION PLAN - PDS Small Bodies Node

1.0 Introduction
1.1 Purpose
The purposes of this document are to:
1. Provide a detailed description of the current STARDUST mission plan which
constitutes the basis for flight system design and mission operations,
2. Illustrate that the STARDUST mission has been designed to fulfill the primary
science objectives and maximize the secondary science objectives, and
3. Show that the planned mission adheres to the “design-to-cost and capability”
paradigm and represents a balanced plan where the science goals and the current
flight system capabilities are in good agreement.
The plan described herein is considered as the basis for the development of flight systems
and the mission operations plan to be implemented in the project phases C/D, and E.
1.2 Scope
This document presents the baseline, end-to-end, mission scenario and is a source for
establishing spacecraft performance and mission operations requirements. Although the
mission architecture has considered mission parameters and profiles corresponding to a
proposed 20-day launch period, the specific events and mission timelines presented
herein are corresponding primarily to the first launch date, 06 February 1999. Some
details will become obsolete if the launch should occur on another day. An update to
selected portions of this mission plan is envisioned within a month of launch. This
update will reflect changes to the mission plan as a function of the actual launch date.
Future changes, needed as project system definitions mature, will be introduced under a
formal mission plan change control procedure.
1.3 Relationship to Other Documents
This version of the Mission Plan is consistent and responsive to the requirements,
objectives, and detailed plans described in the following documents:
STARDUST Project Management
Project Requirements
Science Requirements
Flight Systems Requirements
STARDUST Design Reference Mission
STARDUST Sample Return Capsule Recovery Operations Plan
Navigation Plan
SD-10000-110
SD-30000-200
SD-40000-200
SD-62000-200
SD-62400-300
SD-73110-100
SD-76000-100
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