The MESSENGER Science Operations Center

The MESSENGER Science Operations Center (SOC) is an integrated set of subsystems and personnel whose purpose is to obtain, provide, and preserve the scientific measurements and analysis that fulfill the objectives of the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) mission. The SOC has two main functional areas. The first is to facilitate science instrument planning and operational activities, including related spacecraft guidance and control operations, and to work closely with the Mission Operations Center to implement those plans. The second functional area, data management and analysis, involves the receipt of science-related telemetry, reformatting and cataloging this telemetry and related ancillary information, retaining the science data for use by the MESSENGER Science Team, and preparing data archives for delivery to the Planetary Data System; and the provision of operational assistance to the instrument and science teams in executing their algorithms and generating higher-level data products.