Last week we installed the repaired transponder and prepared the spacecraft
for environmental testing, including installation of the blankets. The two
photos here show the installation of the instrumentation wiring. Numerous
thermocouples will show the internal temperatures of components during the
thermal balance test, so that we can verify that our spacecraft will run
within the proper temperature range in orbit. The left photo shows the
spacecraft on "saw horses", with the instrumentation wiring hanging down.
Gary Cooper and Shirley Paul are working on the harness while Bruce works on
the blankets. Notice the lifting fixture above the spacecraft. The right
photo shows Shirley working on some internal wiring.
On Sunday the 22nd, we ran the spacecraft functional to confirm that
everything was working and ready to go. The following pictures show the
spacecraft as it now looks. The left photo shows Gary working near the -x
solar array. The concentrator module is at the top of the array. The center
picture shows George Mooney installing the +x solar array. The blankets are
kapton covered aluminum. The cut-outs are sized according to the power
dissipation of the electronics box on the other side of the equipment panel.
The composite radiators are painted white to reduce the heat absorbtion if
sunlight were to shine there during the spacecraft's initial acquisition of
the sun (immediately after launch). The right photo shows the +x array
installed. The multi-junction module is on the top of the array. The
instrument mass simulator is mounted to the top of the spacecraft in
preparation for the vibration testing.
Today we moved the spacecraft into the EMI chamber. We will start electro-
magnetic interference (EMI) testing tomorrow. The following photos show the
spacecraft as it entered the chamber. The lumaloy bagging material protects
the spacecraft from contamination and electrostatic discharge while it is out
of the clean room. The EMI chamber is within a clean room, so the bagging
will be removed once the spacecraft is positioned and the doors are closed.
Previous updates:
August 18, 1997
October 20, 1997
October 31, 1997
November 7, 1997
November 14, 1997
November 21, 1997
December 5, 1997
December 23, 1997
January 9, 1998
January 16, 1998
January 23, 1998
January 30, 1998
February 6, 1998
February 20, 1998
March 12, 1998