With the long weekend over and the CSBF folks back from vacation, we had our second chance yesterday to take BLAST outside. This, of course, meant the reappearance of Tiny Tim. During our time in the sun we rotated the gondola (or, rather, Nick rotated it and a bunch of people made a show of helping) over wide range of positions to try and calibrate coarse sensors—rather than just see they work. We also charged the batteries from the solar panels.
Later in the afternoon, after going back inside due to a chance of rain, the Rod of Power was unleashed to rapidly warm the cryostat. The cryostat was removed from the gondola for some internal repairs, and thus almost everything else was also removed from the gondola.
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- Natalie really wanted to pose for a picture with Tim. I think she has a crush on him
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- The chin, removed over the weekend, needs to go back on
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- Tristan concentrates on inserting the bottom half
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- With the chin back, Maggie can be reattached (this, in fact, is why the chin needs to be back)
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- Elio listens for a motorized valve
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- No bubbles when the valve is closed
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- It’s Tim Time
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- Not nearly as amusing as the bucket truck, but I’m a fan of horrible things happening to stick men
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- Discussing the Plan
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- We have a new rigger on the forward command deck this time
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- Amid the excitement, Laura has eyes for only her data
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- The bucket truck served double duty today, also helping with tree trimming
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- Tim lifts the gondola
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- Vic, gesticulating as Tim retracts
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- Coming out
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- GPS cross clears, this is mundane business now
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- Soon after, the HGA clears
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- BLAST is outside again, now with a solar panel. And sun!
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- Tim turning is always impressive. The rear end pivots in place
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- Team solar panel got outside a bit too early…
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- …so they just need to hang out for a bit
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- Joseph under the gondola, working on the SIP. He spends a lot of time there
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- The solar panels get mounted. I stop taking pictures and help them
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- The rear of an illuminated solar panel
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- Matt discusses cryostat stuff on the walkie talkie
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- Eventually the bubbles start again
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- With sketchy weather forming, it’s time to start heading back in
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- Elio wrestles with a leg of the gondola, on the way back in
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- The highbay is subjected to an orange invasion
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- Nick strong! Nick… oops, Nick break chin
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- Chin spreading is our attempted fix to the chin-scoop interaction
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- With solemn gravity, Matt demonstrates the awesome Rod of Power
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- Power happening
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- Frosty cryostat. This is the sign of a leak
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- Lifting the shields off
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- Shields in Midair
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- And the cryostat comes out again for a scheduled pit stop
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