This in this morning from Jonathan Schulster on the Mars Express operations team:

The ASPERA (Energetic Neutral Atoms Analyser) instrument high voltage (kV) lines and equipment were successfully switched on today, a few minutes ago at Mars (~09:57 CET), using the new on-board control procedures (OBCP).

These will run for one hour until 10:40CET today and the ASPERA science team will examine the recorded science data before giving the 'go-ahead' for full operations of ASPERA using only OBCP's starting 9 Jan uary 2012.

Cheers!

- Jonathan Schulster
Mars Express Mission Planning & Flight Control Team

Looks like another instrument is set to return to action! -- Daniel