Yesterday we started losing people, after reaching our peak population. With all the half-wave plates installed, Sean and John departed. Insert assembly also started wrapping up.
And some of us set some equipment up in the Bemco chamer, for thermal/vacuum testing (round 2). Everything that flies must be tested to ensure it will survive.
Sean and Jon install half-wave plates
Sean poses
He and John left in the afternoon
Anne cleans thermal shields
Mechanic Becky
Does some testing underneath Theo
Ziggy blackening
Bemco setup
For thermal/vacuum testing of flight hardware. Detector readout electronics are here so far
Steve is smelly
An anonymous commenter expresses olfactory displeasure on my dusty monitor
Insulation and Jon
Photographing the top of the cryostat
"All" of the half-wave plates
The different frequency bands are white/black due to different anti-reflection coatings
Lorenzo working on the last telescope
Chuck wagon
Loading up motors and such to bring to the Bemco
Barth braces for extreme speed
Going at a brisk walking pace
More Bemco setup
Bemco run #2
With the chamber now mostly populated
Installing top shielding
Blocks heat/light
Ed grilling
He's our resident foodie and has been cooking a couple times a week
Real scientists
Obligatory photogrpah. In panorama
Dinner time
In the outdoor barbecue/picnic area
Dog
Possibly a stray, but pretty well-behaved
Shielding installed
And foam to protect the delicate half-wave plates
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