31 days until launch.
Instrument cooling has begun!
The spacecraft is electrically connected to the Pegasus rocket!
After completing the operations test on Monday, we started the interface checkout with the launch vehicle. In the middle of that test, we took a dinner break while the instrument team connected the liquid helium and started the cooling process. After dinner, the secondary tank was already at 270 K (about 30 degrees Fahrenheit) and dropping. We had several small issues to work, but by 10pm we had the spacecraft electrically connected to the rocket. This afternoon we will run flight simulation #3 with the launch vehicle (sims # 1 and 2 are during vehicle buildup). Tomorrow we will get the spacecraft ready to mechanically attach to the rocket. The mate is scheduled for Thursday and Friday.
The first photo shows the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility. The tent- like structure is the "clamshell" where the Pegasus rocket resides during WIRE integration. The second photo shows 1000-liter liquid-helium dewars. This helium is used to cool the WIRE instrument. The third photo shows the vacuum lines connected to the instrument.
The next two photos show Gary Cooper and Joyce Bergum performing the WIRE/Pegasus electrical interface verification test. The last photo shows the control-room view of WIRE.
Previous updates:
August 18, 1997 Structure and Cryostat progress
October 20, 1997 Structure qual and harness
installation
October 31, 1997 First powerup
November 7, 1997 Transponder integration, power
long functional
November 14, 1997 WIE and pyro
box integration
November 21, 1997 RF and ACS
integration
December 5, 1997 ACS testing
December 23, 1997 Work under spacecraft
January 9, 1998 ACS testing, gyro phasing
January 16, 1998 Instrument thermal simulator
January 23, 1998 Wire tracker
January 30, 1998 Build up solar array
February 6, 1998 Ops testing, remove transponder
February 20, 1998 Move to Building 7
March 12, 1998 Cleaning and Solar Array Testing
March 23, 1998 Prep for Environmental and into EMI
April 3, 1998 EMI and Vibration
April 20, 1998 Vibration and Shock
April 25, 1998 Thermal Balance
May 29, 1998 Instrument integration and Thermal
Vacuum
June 3, 1998 Spin Balance
June 17, 1998 Astrotech Tour and Magnetic
Calibration
June 30, 1998 QD qual, fairing fit
check, comprehensive testing
July 29, 1998
Ready to ship, QD testing
August 13, 1998 Launch delay
November 23, 1998 New launch date
January 19, 1999 WIRE at launch site
January 21, 1999 WIRE turnover/on Byrd Mobile