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STARDUST Update - August 7, 1998


                           STARDUST Status Report
                               August 7, 1998
                                 Ken Atkins
                          STARDUST Project Manager

Assembly, Test, and Launch Operations (ATLO) activities: This week's focus
was on solar array and high gain antenna installation, moving to the
rotation fixture, and performing "aliveness" and functional testing. It was
very clear to those of you watching the action on the webcam lots of things
were occurring. Some very impressive views were available as the ATLO team
moved around and worked STARDUST through its paces.

Part A of the second system performance test (SPT) was successfully
completed including checkout of the launch sequences, Navigation Camera
imaging (windowed) and the sample return capsule (SRC) deployment sequences.
The latter was done in the horizontal position in the very clean glove box
enclosure. The careful handling when we open the SRC is necessary to ensure
we keep the aerogel surfaces very clean when the actual flight collector is
installed later this year. The opening of the SRC and the deployment of the
ATLO test unit collector showed the SRC responded appropriately to the
sequence of commands sent through the computer. This underscores our
confidence the system will do exactly the same when it is at the comet and
we place the action under full control of the on-board computer.

After the horizontal SRC testing, the spacecraft was moved to the acoustic
chamber to prepare for checking its capability to ride the vibration of the
launch rocket. The flight system continues to show no hardware functional
problems going into environmental test.

The millionth name was received this week for the second microchip, and a
press release announcing the milestone generated a number of media
responses. Now 1,010,518 names have been collected so far for the second
microchip. Combined with the first microchip (136,237), STARDUST has a total
of 1,146,755 names. Welcome aboard!

For more information on the STARDUST mission - the first ever comet sample
return mission - please visit the STARDUST home page:

http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov

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