Significant Event Report for Week Ending 12/10/1999

Cassini Significant Event Report

For Week Ending 12/10/99

Events on board the Spacecraft this week include two data playbacks from
the CDA (Cosmic Dust Analyzer) and the standard Periodic Engineering
Maintenance. Results from this activity and from real-time commands sent
to clear the AACS highwater marks show that Cassini is in excellent health
and operating normally. The speed of the spacecraft can be viewed on the "Where is Cassini Now?" web page (http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/operations/present-position.cfm)

Development of the Cruise 18 sequence continues on schedule.

The Titan Orbiter Science Team (TOST) met for two days this week to discuss
the allocation of science observing time around each of the 44 Titan
closest approaches in the tour. Resource conflicts are being resolved and
blocks of time are being negotiated between each of the 12 science
instrument teams on Cassini. The main focus of the team is on the closest
approach +/- 30 minute time periods. A PSG telecon is being planned for the
first week in January to solicit feedback from the PSG on the TOST progress
and guidance on the major issues yet to be resolved.

Jupiter Working Group Meetings began this week to examine the next level of
detail associated with the Jupiter Operations Concept and the Jupiter
Planning schedule. This group will focus on developing detailed
interfaces, products, and processes required to produce a high-fidelity
Jupiter plan.

Cassini personnel staffed a Cassini exhibit at Planetfest in Pasadena.
This event was sponsored by the Planetary Society.

The Saturn Educator Guide was delivered to JPL Graphics for final
corrections prior to printing. The document should be available in January.

Additional information about Cassini-Huygens is online at http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov.

Cassini will begin orbiting Saturn on July 1, 2004, and release its piggybacked Huygens probe about six months later for descent through the thick atmosphere of the moon Titan. Cassini-Huygens is a cooperative mission of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C.

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