Gene and Danny:

Here is the time line for the MEX BSR on day 101 (Tuesday 12:45 to 05:45 AM
at JPL) using DSS 43.

This should be a very simple experiment with only 31 minutes of BSR (surface
time).  The X-Band echo appears about 32 kHz above the carrier and drifts to
38 kHz above the carrier.  One FRO at X-Band and a single FRO at S-Band
center the echo in each 25 kHz window for the surface observations.

During most of the experiment, the reflecting region is traversing the west
flank of Olympus Mons, the tallest volcano on Mars.  We will probably miss
the top, but we may see some artifacts from it after detailed processing.
The echo is likely to be weak throughout with LCP slightly stronger than RCP.

IÕll plan to be in the lab at Stanford (650-723-3525) for most or all of the
experiment.

Thanks,
Dick



2012/101 (UTC)
- - - - - - -

07:45  Begin Pre-cal at DSS 43
       FGAIN = 60 dB (all channels, except X-RCP)
               65 dB X-RCP
       FRO_X = 0; FRO_S = 0 (all SCHAN)
       Start 4-channel 25 kHz recordings after Step 5 (new NOP)
       Stop 25 kHz recording after Step 18 (new NOP)

09:45  Begin track
       X-Band AOS (with ranging and low priority telemetry)
       S-Band AOS (carrier only)

09:51  Set X-RCP FGAIN to 70 dB (reset to 65 dB at 10:09)

09:52  X-Band telemetry OFF

09:53  Resume 25 kHz recording

09:55  Advise DSS 43 of switch to planetary coordinates at 10:00
       Advise DSS 43 of start of MINICAL #1 at 10:10

10:00  DSS 43 switch to planetary coordinates

10:03  Spacecraft begins SLEW #1

10:09  FRO_X = +32000 Hz (SCHAN 3)
       FRO_S =  +8000 Hz (SCHAN 3)  (S-Band)

       X-RCP FGAIN reset to 65 dB

10:10  Begin MINICAL #1

10:25  End MINICAL #1 (end of step 5)

10:30  End SLEW #1

       Begin 100 kHz recording (SCHAN 4)

10:55  Advise DSS 43 that MINICAL #2 begins at 11:02
       Advise DSS 43 of return to spacecraft pointing after MINICAL #2

11:01  Begin spacecraft SLEW #2 back to Earth

       End 100 kHz recordings (SCHAN 4)

11:02  Begin MINICAL #2

11:17  End MINICAL #2 (end of step 5)

11:18  FRO_X =      0 Hz (SCHAN 3)
       FRO_S =      0 Hz (SCHAN 3)

       DSS 43 return to spacecraft pointing

11:29  End SLEW #2

11:36  X-Band telemetry ON (ignore)

       Early end of track (scheduled for 11:45)
       Go to zenith
       Begin post-cal when ready

12:45  End post-cal (or earlier, if post-cal complete)

       End 25 kHz recordings

       End of Activity