SUBJECT: CLEMENTINE MISSION GENERAL INFORMATION              FILE: UFO2396





This file obtained from FTP site: clementine.s1.gov
Original filename: general_info
Original file date: March 8, 1994

             
             
                CLEMENTINE MISSION GENERAL INFORMATION
                --------------------------------------

This file contains additional technical information about the mission timeline,
the  spacecraft, orbital parameters and sensors. 


Mission Timeline

Design of the Clementine spacecraft was begun on March 24, 1992.
The spacecraft was launched on January 25, 1994.
The spacecraft departed low Earth orbit for the Moon on February 3.
After two phasing loops, the spacecraft was injected into lunar orbit on
February 19.  Systematic observation of the lunar suface began on Febuary 26. 
The spacecraft will leave lunar orbit on May 5.  After two phasing loops
around the Earth, the spacecraft will proceed towards Geographos on June 3.
Clementine will pass by Geographos on August 31, 1994


Spacecraft Characteristics

The Clementine spacecraft weighed 3400 lbs at launch including the solid
rocket moter used for injection towards the Moon.

The dry mass of the spacecraft at launch was  508 lbs. 

The total fuel available for maneuvers was 480 lbs.

The spacecraft will use approximately 120 lbs of fuel to enter and leave
lunar orbit.

The spacecraft has three axis control with  either reaction wheels or
thrusters.


Orbital Characteristics

The Clementine spacecraft is in polar orbit about the Moon traveling from
South to North.
  
The orbital period is approximately 5 hours.

The transit from south pole to north pole takes 90 minutes.

Periselene is  400 km nominal at -20 degrees south latitude.

At 3/5/94 17:40 UT, the spacecraft is just to the East of the Mare Orientale
which is on the western edge of the Moon. (NOTE: Mare Orientale has a west
longitude on a lunar map. However, looking at the moon in the southern sky at
night, we would see Mare Orientale on the edge to our left of center. When
facing south, East is to your left; thus the name "Orientale.")

Aposelene is nominally 2900 km. 

At the south pole the spacecraft is approximately 780 km above the surface.
At the north pole the spacecraft is approximately 1800 km above the surface.

The Sun is approximately overhead at periselene.

The orbital ground track rotates to the west about 2.3 degrees per revolution.


Sensor Characteristics

The Clementine spacecraft carries six cameras and a laser transmitter:

Two wide field of view cameras (Star Tracker)
	Si CCD, 384 x 576 pixels, 1.3 mrad IFOV, 28 x 42 degree FOV
A uv/visible camera (Uv/Vis)
	Si CCD, 384 x 288 pixels, .255 mrad IFOV, 5.6 x 4.2 degree FOV
A high resolution visible camrra (HiRes)
	Si CCD, 384 x 288 pixels, 0.018 mrad IFOV, 0.4 x 0.3 degree FOV
A near infrared camera (NIR)
	InSb FPA, 256 x 256 pixels, 0.385 mrad IFOV, 5.6 x 5.6 degree FOV
A long wave infrared camera (LWIR)
	HgCdTe FPA, 128 x 128 pixels, 0.136 mrad IFOV, 1.0 x 1.0 degree FOV
A laser transmitter used to measure the distance from the spacecraft to 
the surface of the Moon.
	Diode-pumped Nd-YAG laser
	1.06 µm wavelength, 180 mJ, 0.4 mrad divergence 

The UV/Vis, HiRes, and NIR cameras have multiple spectral filters and the
payload provides images of varying resolution at 18 different wavelengths. 

---EOF


**********************************************
* THE U.F.O. BBS - http://www.ufobbs.com/ufo *
**********************************************