TRACE Commisioning TDT 26-Feb-97 First light for the main TRACE telescope occurs on "D-Day" which may be 15 days or so after launch. Operations for D-Day and the next few days will be planned in great detail and practiced in advance. They are paced by the normal daily schedule for submitting time-lines and receiving data. We will get extra ground-station passes for the days around D-Day, and we can have the Flight Operations Team (FOT) send a very few real-time commands during some of these passes, if it is really worthwhile. However, the basic operational concept will remain in force throughout this period: each day will be run by a timeline submitted one day in advance. Therefore, the plan has us alternating between intense days of UV and EUV observations. On D-Day, we first verify the front aluminum filters to ensure that safe EUV observing is possible in each quadrant. If so, we submit the timeline for intense observing in all EUV wavelengths on D-Day+1; if not, we exclude observing in any damaged quadrant from the D-Day+1 timeline. Then D-Day continues with fairly exhaustive characterization of the UV wavelengths, CCD camera, and GT/ISS. On D-Day+1, we will collect exhaustive EUV images and continue analyzing the D-Day data, submitting a timeline for D-Day+2 which is similar to D-Day but with better settings for the UV wavelengths and GT/ISS. On D-Day+2, we analyze the EUV data and optimize the timeline for D-Day+3 to repeat the EUV calibrations correctly. This procedure is iterated again on D-Day+4 and D-Day+5, so the First 30-Day Science Plan can begin on D-Day+6 with reliable onboard settings for the observing sequences. Obviously, the process of analyzing data and updating sequences and settings will need to be highly organized to pull this off on such a quick schedule. With careful assignment of tasks among the very capable people associated with TRACE, I think it can be done. Block 1: Initial Turn-on and Deployment Day 1: Turn on CCD Heater Day 3: Turn on instrument, begin outgassing, open front doors Day ?: Begin CC & DHC Table Loads (SW2) Block 2: Functional Testing before D-Day ME1. Mechanism Functional Test ACS1. Initial Sun Acquisition ACS2. ACS Fine Sun Point ACS3. Offset Pointing GTI1. Guide Telescope Calibration GTI2. Jitter Mode GTI5. Loop Gain Calibration SW1. DHC Functional Test CCD1. CCD Exposure Modes CCD2. Dark Current CCD3. Light Transfer DC1. Standard Data Compression SW3. Table Dumps SW4. Sequence Tests SW5. Timeline Tests Adjust heaters & CCD heater as necessary Day D-3 Run D-Day Timeline in the dark (perhaps abbreviated) Block 3: D-Day, First Light for Main Telescope AF1. Front Aluminum Filter Integrity AF2. Back Aluminum Filter Integrity FE1. Initial Full-field Exposures, WL & UV only FE2. Initial Focus Tests at Different Exposures, Near Disk Center, WL & UV only GTI3. PZT Offset Calibration GTI4. PZT Gain Calibration GTI5. Loop Gain Calibration GTI6. Four-Limb Alignment FE2. Initial Focus Tests at Different Exposures, at a Limb Pointing, WL & UV only FE2. Initial Focus Tests at Different Exposures, optionally at an Active Region Pointing, WL & UV only CCD1. CCD Exposure Modes CCD2. Dark Current CCD3. Light Transfer CCD4. Cosmetics & Ice DC1. Standard Data Compression, WL only AEC1. Standard Automatic Exposure Control, WL & UV only TS1. Initial WL, Ly alpha & TBD UV Time Series Block 4: Initial EUV Testing with Sunlight, D-Day + 1 FE1. Initial Full-field Exposures, EUV only FE2. Initial Focus Tests at Different Exposures, Near Disk Center, EUV only FE2. Initial Focus Tests at Different Exposures, at a Limb Pointing, EUV only FE2. Initial Focus Tests at Different Exposures, optionally at an Active Region Pointing, EUV only DC1. Standard Data Compression, EUV only AEC1. Standard Automatic Exposure Control, EUV only TS2. Initial WL, Ly alpha, 284 & TBD EUV time series Block 5: Repeat UV & GT/ISS Testing, D-Day + 2 Block 6: Repeat EUV & GT/ISS Testing, D-Day + 3 Block 7: Wrap-up Initial Testing, D-Day + 4 & 5 Block 8: First 30-Day Science Plan, D-Day + 6... _____________________________________________________________ Tests & Calibrations (arranged by subject) Spacecraft Attitude Control ACS1. Initial Sun Acquisition ACS2. ACS Fine Sun Point ACS3. Offset Pointing Mechanisms ME1. Mechanism Functional Test Software & Sequences SW1. DHC Functional Test SW2. Table Loads SW3. Table Dumps SW4. Sequence Tests SW5. Timeline Tests Aluminum Filters AF1. Front Aluminum Filter Integrity AF2. Back Aluminum Filter Integrity AF3. Standard Pinhole Search Guide Telescope & Image Stabilization System GTI1. Guide Telescope Calibration GTI2. Jitter Mode GTI3. PZT Offset Calibration GTI4. PZT Gain Calibration GTI5. Loop Gain Calibration GTI6. Four-Limb Alignment Focus & Exposure FE1. Initial Full-field Exposures FE2. Initial Focus Tests at Different Exposures FE3. Standard Focus Data Compression DC1. Standard Data Compression Automatic Exposure Control AEC1. Standard Automatic Exposure Control CCD Performance CCD1. CCD Exposure Modes CCD2. Dark Current CCD3. Light Transfer CCD4. Cosmetics & Ice UV Filter Leakage UVL1. Standard UV Filter Leakage Scattered Light SL1. Standard Scattered Light Flat Field FF1. Flat Fields by PZT Offsets Initial Time Series TS1. Initial WL, Ly alpha & TBD UV time series TS2. Initial WL, Ly alpha, 284 & TBD EUV time series ______________________________________________________________________