The first experiment to launch last year (June 8, 2017) was BETTII (Balloon Experimental Twin Telescope for Infrared Interferometry). We took a break to go and watch. […]
It’s been almost a year since the disappointing summer/fall of not launching SuperBIT in 2017. I have recovered enough to finally post the photos. We’re also in the field with SuperBIT getting ready to launch again, and I don’t want to get lapped. Plus I’m being pestered/motivated to share these for documentation purposes. On June 8, 2017 We did our pre-flight compatibility test. This means rolling out the highbay as though we would launch and putting everything together. Then we test our system and the CSBF antennas and commanding, and we roll back inside. […]
With upgrades to the experiment complete, it’s time to start putting everything back together. In addition to basic reassembly, it’s time to start giving the experiment its final thermal treatment. This means covering things with various combinations of foam and shiny aluminized mylar. And lots of tape. […]
On my return to BIT-land (after needing to spend a few days in Princeton) I find everything disassembled in preparation for upgrades: mainly to the rigidity of the mounting of the inner frame, the telescope inside the inner frame, and the optics box on the backside of the telescope. Plus installing some electronics like the new heater control box, fine guidance controller, and shiny new gyroscopes. […]
I arrived in Palestine about a week later than the Toronto crew (professor: Barth, grad students: Javier, John, and Susan, undergrads: Bryce and Michael). They had unpacked and tested everything in the thermal vacuum chamber and were starting to set up. I forgot to pack my camera, but I snapped a few photos on my phone. Most were for technical purposes, but a few are (maybe) of interest to people other than me. […]
On the Eve of Canada Day 2016 (ie last year….these photos have been sitting unloved on my computer for a while), SuperBIT launched for its overnight test flight. Now that SuperBIT is approaching flight readiness for another flight, it’s about damn time I posted these. Like all launch days, it was full of frantic work, waiting, excitement, and dread. Then it launches and there is no longer anything you can do except send commands on a computer and hope everything works. There is a brief rest during ascent, in preparation for working all through the night once the a balloon reaches float altitude. […]
After a few days of launch cancelations early in the day, we made a serious attempt yesterday. It was the best day we’d had yet. And Big Bill, the launch vehicle from Fort Sumner, had been brought in for some tried and true reliability. However, after going through all the motions, and driving out to the launch pad, the winds didn’t die down enough. We had to cancel again. Today looks even better, and BIT is currently out on the pad. Fingers crossed. […]
After our scrubbed launch attempt a couple weeks ago, we have not had another opportunity. Since then we have tweaked and tested BIT. But there’s a limit to how much non-invasive change can happen while maintaining launch-readiness. People also took a field trip to Houston one day and we all went home last week. […]
Friday was a marginal launch opportunity. We arrived a little before noon to get everything ready and do some “final” systems checks. Excitement and hopes were high, group photos were taken, I’s dotted and T’s crossed. We proceeded as far as taking BIT out to the launch pad, hoping for a safe gap in the weather. Sadly, there was too much chance of a storm to risk laying out the balloon and proceeding with launch. Late in they day, BIT was brought back to the highbay. To try again another day. […]
The first experiment to launch last year (June 8, 2017) was BETTII (Balloon Experimental Twin Telescope for Infrared Interferometry). We took a break to go and watch. […]
It’s been almost a year since the disappointing summer/fall of not launching SuperBIT in 2017. I have recovered enough to finally post the photos. We’re also in the field with SuperBIT getting ready to launch again, and I don’t want to get lapped. Plus I’m being pestered/motivated to share these for documentation purposes. On June 8, 2017 We did our pre-flight compatibility test. This means rolling out the highbay as though we would launch and putting everything together. Then we test our system and the CSBF antennas and commanding, and we roll back inside. […]
With upgrades to the experiment complete, it’s time to start putting everything back together. In addition to basic reassembly, it’s time to start giving the experiment its final thermal treatment. This means covering things with various combinations of foam and shiny aluminized mylar. And lots of tape. […]
On my return to BIT-land (after needing to spend a few days in Princeton) I find everything disassembled in preparation for upgrades: mainly to the rigidity of the mounting of the inner frame, the telescope inside the inner frame, and the optics box on the backside of the telescope. Plus installing some electronics like the new heater control box, fine guidance controller, and shiny new gyroscopes. […]
I arrived in Palestine about a week later than the Toronto crew (professor: Barth, grad students: Javier, John, and Susan, undergrads: Bryce and Michael). They had unpacked and tested everything in the thermal vacuum chamber and were starting to set up. I forgot to pack my camera, but I snapped a few photos on my phone. Most were for technical purposes, but a few are (maybe) of interest to people other than me. […]
On the Eve of Canada Day 2016 (ie last year….these photos have been sitting unloved on my computer for a while), SuperBIT launched for its overnight test flight. Now that SuperBIT is approaching flight readiness for another flight, it’s about damn time I posted these. Like all launch days, it was full of frantic work, waiting, excitement, and dread. Then it launches and there is no longer anything you can do except send commands on a computer and hope everything works. There is a brief rest during ascent, in preparation for working all through the night once the a balloon reaches float altitude. […]
SuperBIT launched today! We’re very excited, and very stressed. Nothing is broken…yet. More to come later. […]
After a few days of launch cancelations early in the day, we made a serious attempt yesterday. It was the best day we’d had yet. And Big Bill, the launch vehicle from Fort Sumner, had been brought in for some tried and true reliability. However, after going through all the motions, and driving out to the launch pad, the winds didn’t die down enough. We had to cancel again. Today looks even better, and BIT is currently out on the pad. Fingers crossed. […]
After our scrubbed launch attempt a couple weeks ago, we have not had another opportunity. Since then we have tweaked and tested BIT. But there’s a limit to how much non-invasive change can happen while maintaining launch-readiness. People also took a field trip to Houston one day and we all went home last week. […]
Friday was a marginal launch opportunity. We arrived a little before noon to get everything ready and do some “final” systems checks. Excitement and hopes were high, group photos were taken, I’s dotted and T’s crossed. We proceeded as far as taking BIT out to the launch pad, hoping for a safe gap in the weather. Sadly, there was too much chance of a storm to risk laying out the balloon and proceeding with launch. Late in they day, BIT was brought back to the highbay. To try again another day. […]