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GP-B Post-Flight Analysis—Final Report - Gravity Probe B - Stanford ...

GP-B Post-Flight Analysis—Final Report - Gravity Probe B - Stanford ...

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Dewar Temperature: 1.82 kelvin, holding steadyCommand & Data Handling (CDH): B-side (backup) computer incontrol, Multi-bit errors (MBE): 0, Single-bit errors (SBE): 8 (dailyaverage)The <strong>GP</strong>-B spacecraft is beginning to move out its full-sun “season,”and it is once again being eclipsed from sunlight by the Earth for aportion of each orbit. Because of the geometry of the spacecraft's polarorbit around the Earth, and the Earth's orbit around the sun, thespacecraft experiences two “seasons” when the plane of the spacecraft'sorbit is perpendicular with respect to the sun's position for about twoweeks. Thus, the sun shines broadside on the spacecraft throughouteach orbit around the Earth. During these full-sun periods, theAttitude Reference Platform (ARP) containing the star trackers andother equipment heats up, causing it to move slightly, andconsequently we must adjust certain parameters to counteract thismotion. Then, as the full-sun season comes to an end, we re-adjustthese parameters back to their normal settings.A final heat pulse test was run on the dewar this past Monday, 13 June2005. The results of this test indicate that the liquid helium in thedewar will run out towards the beginning of September. This result isconsistent with previous heat pulse measurements, so this was the lastheat pulse measurement we will perform.Preliminary SQUID calibration signal tests described in previousMission Director's Summaries are continuing. These tests do not affectthe science data collection, but they help us evaluate the performanceof the four SQUIDS relative to each other.is currently not in use. Thus, a memory patch was prepared anduploaded to the spacecraft, and this event had no further impact onthe mission.On Wednesday, 22 June 2005, as part of our ongoing instrumentcalibration tests, we switched the spacecraft's drag-free control fromgyro #3 to gyro #1. The purpose of this switch is to determine whetheror not certain gyro control data values that have been uniquelyobserved on gyro #3 are a function of the drag-free system or gyro #3itself. The process of moving drag-free operation from gyro #3 to gyro#1 went very smoothly, and we intend to continue drag-free operationaround gyro #1 for the remainder of the science phase of the mission.1 JULY 2005—GRAVITY PROBE B MISSION UPDATEMission Elapsed Time: 437 days (62 weeks/14.32 months)Science Data Collection: 308 days (44 weeks/10.10 months)Current Orbit #: 6,449 as of 3:00 PM PSTSpacecraft General Health: GoodRoll Rate: Normal at 0.7742 rpm (77.5 seconds per revolution)Dewar Temperature: 1.82 kelvin, holding steadyCommand & Data Handling (CDH): B-side (backup) computer incontrol, Multi-bit errors (MBE): 1 (in GSS computer on 6/30), Singlebiterrors (SBE): 15 (daily average)This past week was relatively quiet for <strong>GP</strong>-B mission operations.Several routine adjustments were made in various spacecraft systems,and preliminary instrument calibration tests are continuing.24 JUNE 2005—GRAVITY PROBE B MISSIONUPDATEMission Elapsed Time: 430 days (61 weeks/14.01 months)Science Data Collection: 301 days (43 weeks/9.87 months)Current Orbit #: 6,345 as of 3:00 PM PSTSpacecraft General Health: GoodRoll Rate: Normal at 0.7742 rpm (77.5 seconds per revolution)Dewar Temperature: 1.82 kelvin, holding steadyCommand & Data Handling (CDH): B-side (backup) computer incontrol, Multi-bit errors (MBE): 1 (in main CCCA computer on 6/20),Single-bit errors (SBE): 9 (daily average)Last Monday, 20 June 2005, a multi-bit error (MBE) occurred in the B-Side (backup) main computer (CCCA). Our resident computer experttraced the location of this error to a thruster initialization routine thatDuring the mission up to this point, we have been cycling certainapplications on and off in the SQUID Readout Electronics (SRE) andTelescope Readout Electronics (TRE) computers during Guide StarValid (GSV) and Guide Star Invalid (GSI) periods to ensure that thesecomputers have adequate margin for memory scrubbing, whichautomatically corrects single-bit errors (SBEs). Based on recentengineering tests, we have determined that leaving these applicationson all the time, instead of cycling them on and off, doubles the lengthof the memory scrub period, which doubles the likelihood of thesecomputers sustaining a multi-bit error (MBE) composed of two SBEsin a single memory word during a scrub cycle. However, based on theengineering tests and on-orbit experience, we have determined thatthe probability of sustaining an MBE composed of two SBEs wasdeemed to be an acceptable level of risk. The advantage of keepingthese applications enabled all the time is that it provides simultaneousdata on trapped flux and the London moment, in addition to thescience pointing (relativity) data.506 March 2007 Appendix C — Weekly Chronicle of the <strong>GP</strong>-B Mission

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