ASPERA-3 July 31, 01 Monthly Status Report ASPERA Monthly Status ReportMonthly 7_31/ Page 1 Monthly Status Report Report due 7/25/01 Schedule statused TBD

ASPERA-3 July 31, 01 Monthly Status Report ASPERA Monthly Status ReportMonthly 7_31/ Page 2 Project Status Summary Technical May Jun July Detailed Description: (for items identified as yellow or red) Programmatic May Jun July Schedule May Jun July Resources May Jun July The unit returned to SwRI as reported last month was the flight spare housing and HVPS with the flight model amplifier board and MCP. After much trouble shooting and a handful of changes to the amplifier board components, the sensor is now behaving to spec. Count rates are what they should be and the output data looks very good. Remaining actions are to swap flight amplifier board into the flight housing, re-qualify and calibrate the flight assembly, and fix flight spare. Bottom line culprit was that the amplifier threshold was set a factor of ~10 too low based on now suspect data from MCP manufacturer. Latest project photos and videos are available on Aspera-3 web site.photosvideos

ASPERA-3 July 31, 01 Monthly Status Report ASPERA Monthly Status ReportMonthly 7_31/ Page 3 Problem and Concern Summary P=Problem C=Concern R=Resolved

ASPERA-3 July 31, 01 Monthly Status Report ASPERA Monthly Status ReportMonthly 7_31/ Page 4 Accomplishments of the Last Month -ELS Installed flight spare into characterization chamber sans housing for filament count rate test to try to reproduce problem at MSSL. Were able to reproduce the “saturation” problem. This eliminated the deflection system as the problem. We then continued trouble shooting ultimately leading to lowering the threshold of the amplifiers (2 resistors) to just above where they started to pick up noise on the bench. Based on the MCP data, this was well below the “valley” of the PHD. Repeated filament test. Count rate now at spec. Repeated characterization runs. Curves look very good. Repeated Ni63 runs that we were previously not able to do prior to board fix. (At that time, we blamed the poor results on the source as it was new and not proven). The data with the Ni63 now also looks very good.

ASPERA-3 July 31, 01 Monthly Status Report ASPERA Monthly Status ReportMonthly 7_31/ Page 5 Accomplishments of the Last Month - IMA No activities over the last month.

ASPERA-3 July 31, 01 Monthly Status Report ASPERA Monthly Status ReportMonthly 7_31/ Page 6 Accomplishments of the Last Month - Data Reduction Software Began Updates to APAF Project Data Management Plan (PDMP) for Version 1.2 Began Updates to APAF Data System Interface Document (DSID) for Version 1.1 Continued ELS IDFS Design –Began with Lab Data Review Continued Providing Technical Assistance for EPO Web Information Held monthly ASPERA-3 Software Status Meeting (July 31, 2001)

ASPERA-3 July 31, 01 Monthly Status Report ASPERA Monthly Status ReportMonthly 7_31/ Page 7 Planned Activities for the Next Month - ELS Get flight unit back from MSSL. Swap the amplifier boards from flight spare to flight unit (i.e. put flight unit board back into the flight unit housing). Make mods to flight spare amplifier board and reassemble flight spare. Re-qualify flight unit (random vibe, TVAC tbd). Re-perform characterization runs on the flight unit.

ASPERA-3 July 31, 01 Monthly Status Report ASPERA Monthly Status ReportMonthly 7_31/ Page 8 Planned Activities for the Next Month - IMA Support IRF in the assembly and test of the IMA flight model via telcon as needed.

ASPERA-3 July 31, 01 Monthly Status Report ASPERA Monthly Status ReportMonthly 7_31/ Page 9 Planned Activities for the Next Month - Data Reduction Software Tasks Continue Updates to APAF PDMP for Version 1.2 Continue Updates to APAF DSID for Version 1.1 Continue Dialog with Staff of PDS PPI Node and ESTEC Staff for Updates to the APAF PDMP and DSID Continue ELS IDFS Design Using Lab Data Continue Packet Definitions for NPI and IMA Continue Providing Technical Assistance for EPO Web Information Continue Defining and Implementing IDFS Web Tools

ASPERA-3 July 31, 01 Monthly Status Report ASPERA Monthly Status ReportMonthly 7_31/ Page 10 Problem and Concern Status Low count rate in ELS: We now think that we have the problem solved. The flight spare unit with the flight amplifier board and MCP performed very well during all of the “after fix” characterization runs. It is a fairly simple matter to make the amp board swap and then to re-run the characterization runs. Bottom line culprit was basing our amplifier threshold on data from the manufacturer. Lesson learned is to have variable threshold in the instrument that can be commanded external to the sensor. This would have allowed us to tailor the threshold as needed by command. We are currently negotiating with IRF over re-qualification requirements and re- delivery schedule to MSSL for calibration.

ASPERA-3 July 31, 01 Monthly Status Report ASPERA Monthly Status ReportMonthly 7_31/ Page 11 Schedule Summary ELS: ELS was delivered to MSSL / IRF on May 15. Problems surfaced during calibration and are still being worked. IRF is very aware of our activities and schedule. We are currently negotiating with both IRF and MSSL for upcoming schedule. Software: Software activities continue to be on schedule. The full-up schedule is available on the ASPERA-3 Web site.schedule

ASPERA-3 July 31, 01 Monthly Status Report ASPERA Monthly Status ReportMonthly 7_31/ Page 12 ASPERA-3 PHASE B/C/D MASTER SCHEDULE