AO-40 Update, 2003-04-07
ALON/ALAT is now 45/3 degs. We are beginning to raise ALAT to 20 degs. This will take about a week. Once we are at ALON/ALAT = 45/20 and have verified this position, we will turn off the passband and magnetorquer, and begin drifting past the sun, toward ALON/ALAT ~ 315/20.
Depending on final spin rate, the drift should take approximately a month. Once we reach this ALON, we will lower ALAT to 0 and passband will be restored, moved to the early portion of the orbit. We will then begin chasing the sun back to ALON/ALAT = 0/0.
W4SM for the AO-40 Command Team
Klla: amsat