The Subsystem and systems team participated in a variety of technical 
interchange meetings with the visiting EVE instrument team; focusing on 
mechanical, thermal, electrical, high-speed bus, 1553/software, and ground 
system interfaces.  In addition, there were technical discussions on a few 
EVE potential design/configuration changes, such as the elimination of the 
OFS instrument (addressed later), an increase of the EVE high speed data 
bus allocation, and moving the EVE electronics unit back to the instrument 
module deck from its current location inside the spacecraft structure.  In 
other areas, Document generation and review continues, with the emphasis on 
submitting each of the subsystem requirements documents into the CM system 
prior to each of the subsystem PDRs.  The development teams met to discuss 
ACTEL SX72 and SX32 power sequencing issues and focus on developing a 
design implementation approach to address this problem.

The Spacecraft design effort continues, with all subsystems making 
preparations for upcoming subsystem PDR Peer Reviews.  The Project held 
their monthly budget and schedule reviews with all subsystems.  Initial 
discussions were held on subsystem revised budgets that reflect a April 
2008 launch.  The SDO Project has requested that ACS, C&DH, EPS & 
Mechanisms subsystem teams ensure that a common vendor and common 
mechanical design is used for all Subsystem Data Node cards.  This should 
allow programmatic benefits such as enabling common solutions to any 
problems found in one board design that are easily tracked and corrected in 
other common boards.  The Ka Band subsystem team achieved excellent test 
results with their breadboard HGA feed horn.  A high degree of correlation 
was found between simulated and tested radiation patterns and return 
loss.  SDO team members attended the IFMP Town Meeting.

For the Instruments, the first runs of the thin-gate and thick-gate 
processes for the e2v 4K x 4k CCD's were completed.  The devices will be 
moved to the probe test station for the first electrical checks of the 
quality of the masking.  Following these tests, we should have a better 
feel for potential yields and for acceptable device performance 
characteristics.  We revised the AIA letter contract documentation based on 
the comments and suggestions received during the legal review.  The final 
package was assembled and forwarded to legal for a final check.  We should 
be able to release this contract shortly.  Our attention now turns to 
completing the contract negotiations for EVE and HMI for the final Phase B, 
C, D, E contracts.

The EVE technical team visited the SDO Project this week for ongoing 
discussions and update of the EVE to Spacecraft ICD's.  The meetings were 
very productive and a solid requirements baseline has evolved.  Updates 
will be incorporated and will provide a sufficient baseline of interface 
requirements for EVE's preparation for their upcoming instrument PDR.  EVE 
has made a decision to delete the Optics Free Spectrometer (OFS) assembly 
from the EVE configuration.  The OFS design was not maturing well enough to 
reduce the technical and programmatic risks identified during the SDO 
Systems Concept Review in April this year.  EVE has determined an alternate 
approach (much lower risk) involving incorporation and use of additional 
calibration photo diodes to monitor short term calibration changes on-orbit 
and sounding rocket under flights for periodic checks of the absolute 
calibration change in the EVE instrument.  HQ SEC has been briefed & we are 
in the process of assembling a presentation for HQ SEC so that they can 
understand & approve our OFS decision.  These changes will slip the EVE PDR 
one into 12/03.

The HMI team held two Engineering Peer Reviews in preparation for the HMI 
PDR.  The HMI Optics Peer Review and HMI Filter Peer Review were conducted 
on Oct 22, 2003 with GSFC participation via teleconference (B. Thompson, D. 
Pesnell, and M. Scott).  A detailed Instrument PDR agenda was received by 
the project for review and planning purposes.

I would also like to welcome Mike Scott & Chad Salo to the SDO team.  Mike 
is our GSFC Instrument Manager for HMI & Chad is our Instrument 
Accommodation Engineer.  We are excited to have both of them on our 
team.  In addition, Eric Grob (our AETD thermal lead) has accepted a detail 
to be our GSFC Instrument Manager for the new AIA Instrument and John 
VanBlarcom has taken over as the EVE Instrument Manager.  We are finally 
staffed in the GSFC Instrument area & we are very happy with the team!

The Ground System team updated their element-level schedules in support of 
their replan retreat next week where they will focus activities for the 
4/08 launch.

For CM, the team: continues to work fixes/enhancements to our intranet 
"Document Module" database; distributed draft versions of the Systems 
Engineering Management Plan (SEMP), Program Reliability Plan, & the 
Contamination Control Plan for review/comment; updated the document tree; & 
continued DOORS training.


Thanks,
Ken