MCST

MCST is preparing for an Aqua lunar deep space calibration (LDSC) on 2021/266 (September 23, 2021). This spacecraft pitch maneuver will allow MODIS to view the Moon through the EV port. In order to facilitate this maneuver, there will be outages of science data in the approximate range of 0900-11:00z. The maneuver will also affect the temperature of the MODIS cold focal planes, which may take ~20 hours to stabilize post-maneuver.

MCST is preparing for a Terra flight operations activity designed to reset the spacecraft solid state recorder (SSR). If successful, this will recover the lost on-orbit data storage for MODIS and the other instruments. The reset will require science data recording to be suspended for most of day 2021/265 (September 22, 2021) and potentially into the following day.

On June 29, 2021, at 12:20:45z, printed wire assembly (PWA) #47 of the Terra spacecraft buffer failed. This PWA was allocated to the MODIS instrument.  Because of this failure, the onboard data storage for MODIS science data has been reduced. On July 2nd, MODIS IOT performed tests on reducing the Terra MODIS data rate to accommodate this change. Starting July 3 at 20:00:00z, the tests were completed, and the data rate continued at the pre-PWA failure schedule, which began on May 2, 2021.

After several months of reviewing the performance of the Terra day/night-rate schedule (originally implemented November 8, 2020) and with input from science-team users, MCST has implemented a revised day/night schedule that goes into effect May 2, 2021 (2021/122). This updated schedule improves the day-rate data coverage by using a timing variation based on sun-angle changes throughout the year.

The MODIS and VIIRS Characterization Support Teams held a 2-day virtual calibration workshop on February 25 and 26, 2021 via MSTeams. The presentations from the workshop are posted here: https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/sci_team/meetings/202102/presentations.php