Timeline for the MRO UHF in-flight checkout

Dear "Deep Space" Radio Amateurs,

Here is the timeline for the MRO UHF In Flight Checkout. Please note all times are spacecraft event times UTC (SCET). Good luck!

Sincerely,
John

Time [SCET] Event

DOY 264 (2005-09-21)
12:07:55 Electra wake up
12:15:00 Perform test looking for false lockups
12:28:00 Command Electra to sleep mode
12:39:36 (Additional time for Stanford reconfiguration)
13:01:20 Electra wake up and configure to transmit at 437.1 MHz
13:05:00 Electra transmits at 437.1 MHz CW RCP
13:35:00 Electra to sleep mode
13:38:05 (Additional time for Stanford reconfiguration)
13:46:20 Electra wake up and configure to transmit at 401.585625 MHz
13:50:00 Electra transmits at 401.585625 MHz CW RCP
14:20:00 Electra to sleep mode
14:24:00 Reconfigure telecom to nominal state

DOY 265 (2005-09-22)
01:24:00 MRO Rise at Stanford (SRI)
02:33:00 MRO Rise above 10 deg at SRI
03:05:00 MRO Rise above 15 deg at SRI
03:32:00 BEGIN CALIBRATION (DOY 265)
03:32:54 Electra wake up and configure to transmit at 437.1 MHz CW RCP
03:34:00 MRO Rise above 20 deg at SRI
03:36:34 Slew from Cruise Attitude to Nadir Deck 60 deg off Earth Point
03:41:41 Slew 360 deg around Nadir Deck
04:16:48 Slew to Nadir deck 48 deg off Earth point
04:21:25 Electra to sleep mode
04:24:30 (Delay for recharging batteries)
05:17:45 Electra wake up and configure to transmit at 437.1 MHz CW RCP
05:21:25 Slew 360 deg around Nadir Deck
05:56:32 Slew to Nadir deck 33 deg off Earth point
06:01:09 Electra to sleep mode
06:04:14 (Delay for recharging batteries)
06:57:29 Electra wake up and configure to transmit at 437.1 MHz CW RCP
07:01:09 Slew 360 deg around Nadir Deck
07:36:16 Slew to Nadir deck 10 deg off Earth point
07:40:53 Electra to sleep mode
07:43:58 (Delay for recharging batteries)
08:37:13 Electra wake up and configure to transmit at 437.1 MHz CW RCP
08:40:53 Slew 360 deg around Nadir Deck
09:16:00 Electra to sleep mode
09:16:00 (Total time for Stanford reconfiguration and battery recharge)
09:46:00 MRO near SRI Zenith
10:12:20 Electra wake up and configure to transmit at 401.585625 MHz CW RCP
10:16:00 Slew 360 deg around Nadir Deck
10:51:07 Slew to Nadir deck 33 deg off Earth point
10:55:44 Electra to sleep mode
10:58:49 (Delay for recharging batteries)
11:52:04 Electra wake up and configure to transmit at 401.585625 MHz CW RCP
11:55:44 Slew 360 deg around Nadir Deck
12:30:51 Slew to Nadir deck 48 deg off Earth point
12:35:28 Electra to sleep mode
12:38:33 (Delay for recharging batteries)
13:31:48 Electra wake up and configure to transmit at 401.585625 MHz CW RCP
13:35:28 Slew 360 deg around Nadir Deck
14:10:35 Slew to Nadir deck 60 deg off Earth point
14:15:12 Electra to sleep mode
14:18:17 (Delay for recharging batteries)
15:11:32 Electra wake up and configure to transmit at 401.585625 MHz CW RCP
15:15:12 Slew 360 deg around Nadir Deck
15:43:00 MRO Set below 20 deg at SRI
15:50:19 Slew to cruise attitude (sun point)
15:55:26 Electra to sleep mode
16:00:44 END CALIBRATION
16:13:00 MRO Set below 15 deg at SRI
16:44:00 MRO Set below 10 deg at SRI
18:06:00 MRO Set at SRI

Spacecraft Event Times UTC (SCET)

For the uninitiated means that the "Earth Received Time" of these events will be about 45-48 seconds later due to the time it takes the signals to traverse the 14 million km from the spacecraft to us. The spacecraft is moving away from us fast enough that there will be a couple of seconds difference in the signal's time of flight between the time the test starts and when it finishes!

-Joe KM1P

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