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After CONTOUR's successful launch NASA have announced the schedule for its flight operations right up until it enters hibernation for its journey to comet Encke. Currently the spacecraft is in an elliptical orbit around the Earth coming as close as 200 km out to 115,000 km. Over the next few weeks CONTOUR will gradually manoeuvre into position in order to fire its solid rocket motor and leave Earth's orbit on Aug 15. The 50 second rocket burst will boost the speed of the spacecraft and take it on a course around the Sun that will bring it back to Earth for a slingshot to take it towards its target comets.
During its cruise toward the Sun the CONTOUR team will perform tests of the spacecraft's guidance and control systems and conduct a simulated test of its encounter with the comets. The simulation will include testing and calibration of the scientific instruments.
Finally, by October 31, CONTOUR will be placed into hibernation with all its instruments and non-essential sub-systems turned off. The probe will remain in this state until it is ready to be awoken in July 2003.
More info: Mission brief from NASA
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