Galileo's Jupiter Orbit Insertion Timeline

Galileo's Jupiter Orbit Insertion Timeline

ERT - Earth Received Time, or the time when the signal from the spacecraft
      is actually received on the Earth.  Currently, it takes 
      approximately 52 minutes for the signal to travel to Earth from
      Galileo, so ERT runs 52 minutes later than the actual time when
      an event "happens" on the spacecraft. 

Date         Time (UTC ERT) Event

Jul 13 '95   06:07          Probe release
Jul 27 '95   07:37          Orbiter engine fires, targeting orbit entry
Oct 11 '95   19:18          Global Jupiter image shuttered (36 million km)
Nov 19 '95                  Jupiter Bow Shock Crossing
Dec  7 '95   14:01          Closest approach to Europa
Dec  7 '95   18:37:41       Closest approach to Io
Dec  7 '95   22:45:27       Closest approach to Jupiter (perijove)
Dec  7 '95   22:59:24       Probe transmissions begin (60-75 minutes)
Dec  8 '95   00:14:25       Probe transmissions end   
Dec  8 '95   01:19:25       Engine firing; Jupiter orbital insertion (49 minutes)
Dec  8 '95   02:08:04       Nominal engine firing ends
Dec  8 '95   11:26:17       Earth occultation begins
Dec  8 '95   12:16:06       Sun occultation begins
Dec  8 '95   15:01:55       Earth occultation ends
Dec  8 '95   15:48:11       Sun occultation ends
Dec 10 thru 13 '95          First 39 minutes of probe data read from memory to 
                             Earth
Dec 10 '95                  Communications degradation expected to begin
Dec 19 '95                  Superior conjunction
Dec 28 '95                  Communications degradation expected to end
Jan  3 - Apr. 15 '96        Playback of all Probe data
Mar 14 '96                  Apojove maneuver
July '96                    Io Torus data playback

Detailed Jupiter Orbit Insertion Sequence

RJOI (Relay/Jupiter Orbit Insertion) Timeline:

ERT (PST=UTC-8) - Earth Received Time of the signal from the spacecraft, which
                  at this time is approximately 52 minutes. Times are given in
                  Pacific Standard Time, which is 8 hours behind UTC/GMT.

DOY             - Day of Year.  December 7, 1995 is DOY 341.

Monday 13 Nov 1995 (DOY 317)
  12:11 Configure AACS to allow High-Spin (10.5 RPM)
        operation

Tuesday 14 Nov 1995 (DOY 318)
  12:51 RJOI Sequence load (no commands executing yet)
  15:31 CDS to Critical Mode - This allows a critical
        sequence to run. A critical sequence contains marks.
        In the event of a fault, the CDS will return to the
        last mark and restart execution from that point.

Thursday 16 Nov 1995 (DOY 320)
  15:26 First RJOI command - a 6MARK makes RJOI a
        critical sequence
  16:21 Thruster Flush - periodic flushing of thrusters and
        propellant lines

Monday 27 November 1995 (DOY 331)
  23:52 Relay Radio Hardware (RRH) Oscillators ON to insure
        temperature stability for Probe Data Relay

Wednesday 6 Dec 1995 (DOY 340)
  22:37:39 15 Rj - Galileo is 15 Jupiter radii out (1,072,380 km)

Thursday 7 December 1995 (DOY 341): Galileo's Big Day
  06:00:28 Europa closest approach (30,921 km)
  10:37:41 Io closest approach (1000 km)
  11:07:41 RRC - Relay Readiness Configuration - Configure for Probe
           Data Relay. Position Stator to proper attitude, tape recorder
           rewound and ready on track 1, heaters, gyros, etc. etc. etc.
  11:26:12 RRH Power ON
  11:31:41 RRC complete
  14:45:27 Jupiter closest approach (214,600 km)
  14:56:25 Probe entry (nominal)
  14:59:24 Probe Relay start (nominal)
  15:28:25 Relay Radio Antenna (RRA) first repositioning - the RRA
           was positioned to its initial state in September.
           Repositioning is required to maintain pointing at the Probe's
           location in Jupiter's atmosphere.
  15:30:43 End Primary Probe Data, start Probe second data
  15:38:25 RRA second repositioning
  15:48:25 RRA third repositioning
  15:58:25 RRA fourth repositioning
  16:14:25 Probe Relay END. Nominal Probe mission duration is 75 minutes.
  16:14:29 RRH Power OFF. The Relay Radio Hardware is now just a set of
           very complicated heaters.
  16:16:53 RRA Stow
  16:38:30 Spin-up to 10.5 RPM required for the 400N engine burn (27 min nominal)
  17:19:25 7BIGZ command initiates the 400N engine burn
  18:08:04 Nominal burn complete, Galileo Orbiter in highly-eccentric
           Jovian orbit.

Friday 8 Dec 1995 (DOY 342)
  03:26:17 Earth occultation by Jupiter
  04:16:06 Enter Jupiter penumbra (Solar Occultation)
  07:01:55 End of Earth occultation
  07:48:11 Exit Jupiter penumbra (Solar Occultation)
  21:12:00 Begin Probe Store Time MRO's - provides redundant readout of
           the "receiver-in-lock" MRO's that occur during relay (at 12 and
           22 minutues into the relay).

Saturday 9 Dec 1995 (DOY 343)
  06:51:06 SEQEND - The RJOI sequence ends and frees up CDS
           resources (critical sequence no longer executing)
Sunday 10 Dec 1995 (DOY 344)
  04:17    Begin Probe Symbol MRO's