(Backlog from 5-6 November)
With the detector focal planes completed, the telescope inserts are ready to be reassembled. This happens in parallel on all six, with the lenses being reinstalled, some cables reconnected, the whole thing wrapped and sealed. The following morning, they are ready for insertion.
We discovered a failure on another type of insert: an aluminum piece glued inside one of the gondola’s carbon fibre tubes. One was discovered partially pulled out. We pulled it the rest of the way out, and started scrambling to make a replacement.
![Anne closes the wrap on one telescope Anne closes the wrap on one telescope • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15164423133/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5611/15164423133_c44cfcbf2f_m.jpg)
Anne closes the wrap on one telescope
![Ed works on another Ed works on another • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15598448288/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7471/15598448288_88fd38c4a0_m.jpg)
Ed works on another
![Optics truss Optics truss • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15783859525/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5607/15783859525_33cd7b8c32_m.jpg)
Optics truss
Installed on top of an unwrapped telescope
![Bottom section of telescope Bottom section of telescope • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15599046000/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7528/15599046000_961cc79218_m.jpg)
Bottom section of telescope
(Similar to the last post)
![Cables and getter Cables and getter • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15164422393/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8637/15164422393_79349cfea7_m.jpg)
Cables and getter
The white/black slab is very high surface area adsorber, which we bake until just before installation
![Power outage Power outage • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15781994231/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8554/15781994231_562a0c70d9_m.jpg)
Power outage
While the generators are reconfigured
![Highbay in the dark Highbay in the dark • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15785434752/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7578/15785434752_a4101bd3c2_m.jpg)
Highbay in the dark
![SPIDER dance party SPIDER dance party • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15598701657/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7575/15598701657_1a99426ccf_m.jpg)
SPIDER dance party
I plug some lights into a UPS supply
![Purge Purge • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15760174356/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8127/15760174356_aefcee0e23_m.jpg)
Purge
Each covered/sealed telescope if purged with nitrogen, to keep water vapour out
![The septapus The septapus • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15760174026/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7528/15760174026_acf59612af_m.jpg)
The septapus
For purging
![The bottom of Theo The bottom of Theo • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15760173206/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7568/15760173206_96af24aba0_m.jpg)
The bottom of Theo
Ready for telescope insertion
![Telescope #1 ready to go Telescope #1 ready to go • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15598698287/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5614/15598698287_f57bf1b0a5_m.jpg)
Telescope #1 ready to go
![Insert insertion Insert insertion • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15599042890/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5612/15599042890_7a1a3672d0_m.jpg)
Insert insertion
![Insert inserted Insert inserted • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15598442948/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7521/15598442948_a6f1db0a61_m.jpg)
Insert inserted
![Meeting Meeting • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15760171726/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5607/15760171726_6a33b1dc4c_m.jpg)
Meeting
These things happen, even to good people
![Sean prepares half-wave plates Sean prepares half-wave plates • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15164416753/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5611/15164416753_eae20c14fc_m.jpg)
Sean prepares half-wave plates
Large sheets of sapphire that we use to modulate our telescope's signal
![Half-wave plate rotation mechanisms Half-wave plate rotation mechanisms • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15783853255/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7545/15783853255_6c468463a6_m.jpg)
Half-wave plate rotation mechanisms
Stackable
![Another insert Another insert • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15599040420/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5602/15599040420_527d7beabd_m.jpg)
Another insert
![Jon wrestles with the failed gondola insert Jon wrestles with the failed gondola insert • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15781996821/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7517/15781996821_ed3b052c0b_m.jpg)
Jon wrestles with the failed gondola insert
![Pull test Pull test • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15785428702/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7493/15785428702_5f76177b58_m.jpg)
Pull test
Using the crane to pull the tube, weighed down by our cherry picker lift
![Partially removed insert Partially removed insert • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15598695127/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5606/15598695127_5c5c21ca3f_m.jpg)
Partially removed insert
![Fully removed insert Fully removed insert • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15599039730/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8648/15599039730_246e129bce_m.jpg)
Fully removed insert
At 1400 pounds (good ones survive to 40000 pounds!)
![Delicate operation Delicate operation • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15598694607/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5605/15598694607_0e87084d1d_m.jpg)
Delicate operation
Fixing cables on an installed insert
![Lorenzo is equipped Lorenzo is equipped • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15760168246/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7514/15760168246_bd84f390d7_m.jpg)
Lorenzo is equipped
![CHEESE! CHEESE! • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15598692427/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7548/15598692427_3a935a7d88_m.jpg)
CHEESE!
We picked up a wheel of aged New Zealand pecorino on the way down, as a treat
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