[X] My Assistant

[dmuller]

I am in the midst of programming a rather simple javascript to keep track of Phoenix's progress (and later EDL) together with a timeline of events. The current version is online at www.dmuller.net/phoenix, but if anybody has more details, I would greatly appreciate any input, in particular of upcoming events and their anticipated timing, as well as details during the atmospheric flight (altitude, speed, downrange). For all times, it would also be great to know their timezone and whether they are SCET or ERT. The "positions" information is calculated based on data downloaded from the SSD Horizons system, which is available right up to the Entry Interface.

Naturally, I also welcome any suggestions on what other information could be added to the script.

I can also provide an off-line version of the script (does not require php) e.g. for public display in a visitor center.

Please post any information / feedback / requests either here or send me an email through my public profile on this board. I may not respond for a couple of days as I will not have internet access.

Thanks a lot to everybody!

Phoenix Entry Interface in 41 days 22 hours. Distance to fly: 79.7 million km. Altitude above Mars: 9.6 million km

[dmuller]

With 4 1/2 days to landing, and after 3,500 website visits (a lot for a website of mine) I can announce that the final version of the real-time simulation is now online at http://www.dmuller.net/phoenix. I do not intend to make further changes unless the entry interface and/or nominal landing times change "significantly". Such changes can be made as late as just after TCM 6. Some important information:

Download Speed: I would expect the simulation to take longer to load on May 25. At the moment, all position data is correct on an hourly basis and interpolated in between, but soon this will change to a minute-by-minute basis and requires more data to be loaded into the simulation. Starting from about 30 minutes before landing, all the remaining trajectory information will be loaded into the script when it does its auto-reload, or is accessed for the first time. This may take a while longer than usual, but avoids having to reload the script during the crucial EDL phase. Be patient :-)

Mirror Site: In case anything goes pear-shaped, the simulation is also running at http://www.dmuller.com/phoenix. You can use this site if the main page goes down or becomes too slow. I will not be able to attend to the script or server issues in the last 24 hours before landing as I wont be home, and the server sits in the US where there is a long weekend. On that note: could anybody record the NASA TV feed for me (preferably the one without commentary) ... I'll paypal for postage etc?

Beyond Phoenix: given the interest in the script and feedback I have received, I will create similar scripts in due course. However, I do need to catch up on my "proper", space-unrelated :-( work a bit before continuing (as a freelancer it's easy to 'scale back' work for other more interesting activities, but unfortunately the bank account starts to hurt a month later ...). Top of the list will be New Horizons (because I like that mission) and Messenger (for the upcoming Mercury flyby 2). Updates will be posted to where the Phoenix script sits at the moment. I will also look into creating a spaceflight (& related) outreach online library, so if anybody has any suggestions, you know where to find me.

8.5 million km to go. Good luck Phoenix, we're all waiting to hear from you from the surface of Mars.

Go, Phoenix!


Daniel