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1999/12/18
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Launch
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1999/12/18 - 2000/02/28
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SURVIVAL/SAFE/STANDBY modes (initial outgas and activation)
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2000/02/28
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Doors opened
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2000/03/02
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Coolers on, SCIENCE mode
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2000/03/07 - 2000/03/22
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B&P tests, Hot calibration (03/22, 03/23)
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2000/03/23 - 2000/07/04
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SCIENCE mode
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2000/07/04 - 2000/07/14
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Hot calibration, decontamination and Hot calibration (07/12, 07/13)
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2000/07/14 - 2000/11/12
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SCIENCE mode
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2000/11/12 - 2000/11/17
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Hot calibration (11/14), baseline LMC and burstmode data
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2000/11/17 - 2001/02/06
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SCIENCE mode
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2001/02/04 - 2001/02/15
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Hot calibration, decontamination and Hot calibration (02/15, 02/16)
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2001/02/16 - 2001/05/06
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SCIENCE mode
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2001/05/07
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Side B cooler failure (channels 1-4 no longer usable)
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MOPITT used two coolers, each composed of a linear compressor motor and a linear displacer motor, connected with a gas tube. A cold finger mounted on the displacer was used to achieve detector cooling, and the two coolers were operated in anti-phase to minimize compressor-driven vibrations. In May 2001, the side B displacer hit the end stop, causing the cooler subsystem to shut down. Diagnosis revealed that the side B displacer was unresponsive to commands but was being driven by pressure waves from the side B compressor. This inhibited cooling to the side B detectors (channels 1-4), rendering their measurements non-viable. Due to the anti-phase operations of the twinned coolers, cooler A could not be operated independently which would cause vibrations in the system. Thus, operation of the side B compressor was adjusted to compensate for vibrations from compressor A, while maintaining a maximum amplitude low enough to avoid having the side B displacer hitting the end stop. Testing indicated that the side B compressor should be operated at 82.5% of the nominal stroke. The side A compressor was also reduced in amplitude slightly and the Side A displacer was increased in amplitude, with the net result being an increase in the effective cooling from side A with a reduction in the compressor-driven vibrations.
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2001/08/04
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Chopper 3 anomaly (failed open)
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Each MOPITT optical channel began with a chopper, designed to allow for thermal drift calibration in the instrument; however, operations showed that the spaceview is sufficient to account for thermal drift in calibrations to the first order. In 2001, Chopper 3 failed, stopping completely and becoming unresponsive to further commands. Fortunately, the chopper failed in the open position. As the use of the chopper was deemed non-essential to the collection of science-quality data, this had little effect on the ongoing mission.
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2001/05/07 - 2001/08/24
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STANDBY mode and instrument tests (no retrievals)
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2001/08/25 - 2002/03/02
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SCIENCE mode: Phase 2 (with channels 5-8)
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2002/03/03 - 2002/03/04
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Hot calibration
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2002/03/19 - 2002/03/25
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Terra anomaly
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During March 2002, a Terra anomaly caused Terra and the instruments aboard, including MOPITT, to enter SAFE mode. The satellite was recovered and MOPITT was set back into SCIENCE mode with commanding in early March.
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2002/03/28 - 2002/03/30
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Hot calibration
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2002/04/06
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Mirror 1 anomaly
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In April 2002, Mirror 1 completely failed, becoming unresponsive to commands. As this was on the non-operating side B of MOPITT this did not affect the collection of science data.
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2002/11/30 - 2002/12/12
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Hot calibration, decontamination and Hot calibration (12/12)
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2002/12/13 - 2002/12/18
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Second cooler anomaly (no science data)
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In December 2002, the MOPITT side B displacer hit the end stop, causing a cooler shutdown. The cooler subsystem was brought back online with the same settings as after the May 2001 cooler subsystem failure. While the side B detectors remained non-operational due to their temperatures, scientific operation of the side A detectors continued after this anomaly with little impact.
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2002/12/19 - 2003/12/12
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SCIENCE mode
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2003/12/13 - 2004/01/02
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Terra anomaly, decontamination and Hot calibration (2004/01/02)
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During December 2003, a Terra anomaly for an out-of-limits yaw rate caused Terra and the instruments aboard including MOPITT to enter SAFE mode. The satellite was recovered and MOPITT was set back into SCIENCE mode with commanding in early January.
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2004/01/03 - 2004/06/08
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SCIENCE mode
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2004/06/09 - 2004/06/10
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Hot calibration
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2004/06/11 - 2005/01/18
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SCIENCE mode
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2005/01/19 - 2005/01/20
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Hot calibration
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2005/01/21 - 2005/04/24
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SCIENCE mode
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2005/04/25 - 2005/05/05
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Hot calibration, decontamination and Hot calibration (05/04, 05/05)
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2005/05/06 - 2006/10/01
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SCIENCE mode
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2006/10/02 - 2006/10/14
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Hot calibration, decontamination and Hot calibration (10/14)
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2006/10/15 - 2008/01/28
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SCIENCE mode
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2008/01/29 - 2008/02/09
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Hot calibration (01/30) and decontamination
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2008/02/10 - 2009/01/30
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SCIENCE mode
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2009/01/31 - 2009/02/11
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Hot calibration, decontamination and Hot calibration (02/10)
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2009/02/12 - 2009/07/27
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SCIENCE mode
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2009/07/28 - 2009/09/29
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Third cooler anomaly (no science data)
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In July 2009, the MOPITT side B displacer hit the end stop, causing a cooler shutdown. The cooler subsystem was brought back online into a similar state as it had been since the 2001 cryocooler failure but with a slight reduction in the side B compressor amplitude, to 77.5 %. While the side B detectors remained non-operational due to their temperatures, scientific operation of the side A detectors continued after this anomaly with little impact.
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2009/09/30 - 2009/10/03
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SCIENCE mode
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2009/10/03
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LMC 3 sieve heater failure
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The sieves are connected to the LMC subsystems and act to buffer against changes in pressure in the cells by changing the sieve body temperature. In October 2009, the heater for Sieve 3 turned off spontanesouly, lowering the pressure in LMC 3 by about 3.2 kPa. This drop was readily accounted for in the data processing, and no impact on science data was found for this anomaly once compensated for. In March 2011, the heater for Sieve 3 turned on again and resumed nominal operations, increasing the LMC pressure, but again having no tangible effect on the science data once the change had been compensated in the retireval algorithm.
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2009/10/04 - 2010/01/19
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SCIENCE mode
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2010/01/20 - 2010/01/21
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Hot calibration
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2010/01/22 - 2011/03/13
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SCIENCE mode
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2010/12/02 - 2011/03/21
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LMC 1 sieve heater failure
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In December 2010, the heater for Sieve 1 turned off spontaneously, lowering the pressure in LMC 1. As LMC 1 is on the non-operational side of MOPITT, this did not affect routine scientific operations. After MOPITT was reset during the next decontamination, the heater was reactivated.
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2011/03/14 - 2011/03/25
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Hot calibration (03/14, 03/15), decontamination, sieve Heater on again and Hot calibration (03/25)
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In October 2009, the heater for Sieve 3 turned off spontanesouly, thereby lowering the pressure in LMC 3 by about 3.2 kPa. In March 2011, the heater for Sieve 3 turned on again and resumed nominal operations, increasing the LMC pressure, but again having no tangible effect on the science data once the change had been compensated in the retireval algorithm.
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2011/03/26 - 2012/03/04
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SCIENCE mode
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2012/03/05 - 2012/03/16
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Hot calibration, decontamination and Hot calibration (03/16)
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2012/03/17 - 2013/03/24
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SCIENCE mode
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2013/03/25 - 2013/04/05
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Hot calibration, decontamination and Hot calibration (04/05)
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2013/04/06 - 2014/03/23
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SCIENCE mode
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2014/03/24 - 2014/04/08
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Hot calibration, decontamination, CPHTS and Hot calibration (04/08)
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2014/04/09 - 2015/03/22
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SCIENCE mode
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2015/03/23 - 2015/04/03
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Hot calibration, decontamination and Hot calibration (04/03)
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2015/04/04 - 2016/02/17
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SCIENCE mode
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2016/02/18 - 2016/03/04
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Terra anomaly, decontamination and Hot calibration (03/04)
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During February 2016, a Terra anomaly caused Terra and the instruments aboard, including MOPITT, to enter SAFE mode. The satellite was recovered and MOPITT was set back into SCIENCE mode with commanding in early March.
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2016/03/05 - 2017/03/05
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SCIENCE mode
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2017/03/06 - 2017/03/17
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Hot calibration, decontamination and Hot calibration (03/17)
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2017/03/18 - 2018/03/11
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SCIENCE mode
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2017/12/12 - 2018/03/19
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LMC 1 sieve heater failure
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In December 2017, the heater for Sieve 1 turned off spontaneously, lowering the pressure in LMC 1. As LMC 1 is on the non-operational side of MOPITT, this did not affect routine scientific operations. After MOPITT was reset during the next decontamination, the heater was reactivated.
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2018/03/12 - 2018/03/23
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Hot calibration, decontamination and Hot calibration (03/23)
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2018/03/24 - 2018/09/26
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SCIENCE mode
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2018/09/27 - 2018/10/05
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SAFE mode (cooler off)
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During September 2018, a Terra anomaly caused Terra and the instruments aboard, including MOPITT, to enter SAFE mode. The satellite was recovered and MOPITT was set back into SCIENCE mode with commanding in early October.
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2018/10/06 - 2018/10/07
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SCIENCE mode
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2018/10/08 - 2018/10/10
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Terra high gain antenna (HGA) failure/recovery, hot calibration
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2018/10/11 - 2019/03/10
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SCIENCE mode
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2019/03/11 - 2019/03/23
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Hot calibration, decontamination and Hot calibration (03/22)
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2019/03/24 - 2019/07/25
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SCIENCE mode
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2019/07/26 - 2019/08/24
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SEU Anomaly recovery, Hot calibration, decontamination and Hot calibration (no valid MOPCH)
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During July 2019, the Sieve 4 heater turned off, causing the PMC 2 amplitude to drop. After MOPITT was rest, PMC 2 operations returned to normal, and scientific operations could continue. During the latter part of this recovery period, the first PMC 2 vibration event was observed. These irregular (both in length and frequency) events would continue to affect MOPITT until the PMC 2 failure in August 2024. During PMC 2 vibration events, no science-quality data could be obtained.
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2019/08/25 - 2020/03/22
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SCIENCE mode
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2020/03/23 - 2020/04/04
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Hot calibration, decontamination and Hot calibration (04/03)
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2020/04/05 - 2021/03/24
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SCIENCE mode
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2021/03/25 - 2021/04/13
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Hot calibrations, decontamination and Hot calibrations
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2021/04/14 - 2022/06/05
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SCIENCE mode
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2022/06/06 - 2022/06/18
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Hot calibrations, decontamination and Hot calibrations
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2022/06/19 - 2022/10/02
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SCIENCE mode
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2022/10/03 - 2022/10/29
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Hot calibrations and Terra constellation exit maneuver (CEM)
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2022/10/30 - 2023/11/26
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Post-CEM SCIENCE mode
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2023/11/27 - 2023/12/09
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Hot calibrations, decontamination and Hot calibrations
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2023/12/10 - 2024/08/11
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Post-CEM SCIENCE mode
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2024/08/11 - 2025/02/01
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PMC 2 (channel 7) failure - impact to CO retrievals in upper troposphere
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Beginning 19 August 2019, vibrations were observed in the MOPITT instrument originating from PMC 2. These vibration events were irregular both in duration and frequency. In August 2024, the piston position for PMC 2 began varying wildly, as did its driving current. This was accompanied by vibrations in the system reminiscent of those observed during the PMC 2 vibration events; however these vibrations were stronger in intensity. After a few hours of this irregular behaviour, the piston position became fixed, and the motor current began to increase, accompanied by an increase in PMC 2 temperatures. PMC 2 was turned off, the vibrations ceased, and the temperatures normalized. Several rounds of testing were performed, using PMC 1 as a comparison, and PMC 2 clearly illustrated that it was no longer capable of generating distinct measurement states or operating as intended. The irregularity of the piston response and the ensuing vibrations indcated that this was likely a mechanical failure. Attempts to recover PMC 2 after the MOPITT reset in November 2024 saw the issue persist to the point of a complete mechanical failure in PMC 2. This failure renderes channel 7 inoperable, but does not effect channel 5 and 6, thus permitting scientific operations to continue, albeit with a change to the measurement products.
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2024/08/11 - 2024/11/11
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Post-CEM SCIENCE mode without PMC 2
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2024/11/11 - 2024/11/23
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Hot calibrations
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2024/11/24 - 2024/12/27
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Post-CEM SCIENCE mode without PMC 2
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2024/12/27
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MOPITT side B shutdown
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In the latter part of the Terra mission, several solar array shunts, which connect the solar panel array to the batteries, failed and several displayed intermittent issues. Alongside this, as the orbit of Terra drifts over time there is a slow decrease in the amount of power generated from the solar panels. With the loss of the most recent solar array shunt, Terra fell into a power negative state requiring offloading some of the Terra operations. ASTER was put into hiatus in early December 2024; however, continually decreasing power margins and falling battery temperatures required further load adjustments near the end of December 2024. To help accomplish this, several of the side B elements of MOPITT were turned off. This included Chopper 1 and 2, Mirror 1 and 2, LMC 1 and 2, Sieve 1 and 2, and PMC 1. As no observations are made with the Side B detectors, this does not affect routine MOPITT operations.
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2024/12/27 - 2025/02/01
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Post-CEM SCIENCE mode without PMC 2
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2025/02/01
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SAFE mode
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With continually decreasing power margins on the spacecraft, and continually falling bettery cell temperatures in January, further load shedding was deemed essential in January 2025. Due to the high power consumption of MOPITT compared to the other Terra instruments, MOPITT was flagged to be put into SAFE mode in order to save on power. While in SAFE mode, MOPITT does not make scientific measurements.
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2025/04/09
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MOPITT OFF
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Further power demands from the Terra satellite and its instruments saw MOPITT put into SURVIVAL and then finally turned OFF in April 2025, ending the MOPITT scientific data record.
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