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Lunar Prospector Status Report #61

December18, 1998 - 1:00 p.m. EST (10:00 a.m. PST)

The Lunar Prospector spacecraft is operating well and all instruments continue to collect good data.

Two commands were sent to tweak the GRS gain on DOY 349.

 

Current spacecraft state (0000 GMT 12/18/98):

Orbit: 4147
Downlink: 3600 bps
Spin Rate: 11.99 rpm

Spin Axis Attitude (ecliptic):
Latitude:-88.0 deg
Longitude: 245 deg

Trajectory:
Periapsis Alt: 83.4 km
Apoapsis Alt: 116.6 km
Period: 118 min

Occultations: 32 minutes
Eclipses: none
Propellant Remaining: 20.0 kg


On Saturday, December 19, the spacecraft will be placed into a orbit with an average altitude of 40 km. This will be a transition orbit, between the nominal mapping orbit (with altitude 100 km) and the extended mission orbit (with altitude 25-30 km), where the gravity model will be verified. The maneuver to the extended mission orbit is scheduled for January 16, 1999.