Catching up on some of the action since my last post. Shinification of the SPIDER sun shields occupied me for a few more days. Once that was finished, we had a little fun with the space ship/party room before standing it upright. We have spend much of the past couple weeks busily testing SPIDER in preparation for eventually flying. Some of this involved attaching calibration devices to test the telescopes/detectors. With space in the highbay, we have also been able to scan the gondola, to test various observing modes.
![Ceremonial preparation of shiny sheet Ceremonial preparation of shiny sheet • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15865260707/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7536/15865260707_9791d84dda_m.jpg)
Ceremonial preparation of shiny sheet
![South Pole visitors South Pole visitors • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15864974039/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7466/15864974039_9f5245e9c2_m.jpg)
South Pole visitors
We put Roger to work
![Cynthia Cynthia's alien face • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/16050326042/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7497/16050326042_1017ab777b_m.jpg)
Cynthia's alien face
![Showing off her uncut tape backing Showing off her uncut tape backing • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/16025241576/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8607/16025241576_b1f77b1153_m.jpg)
Showing off her uncut tape backing
![Piloting the shiny "space ship" Piloting the shiny "space ship" • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15428730474/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8634/15428730474_195a9741db_m.jpg)
Piloting the shiny "space ship"
![Space invader Jon Space invader Jon • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15863729030/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7496/15863729030_5d15818d05_m.jpg)
Space invader Jon
![With ray gun With ray gun • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/16049060881/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7466/16049060881_5dfb407213_m.jpg)
With ray gun
Low energy heat rays
![Sean takes a look Sean takes a look • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15431357693/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7468/15431357693_6e42ba6c45_m.jpg)
Sean takes a look
Plus SPIDER in the background
![Unsure what to do with his "weapons" Unsure what to do with his "weapons" • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15863557628/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7466/15863557628_cf2a0cfd58_m.jpg)
Unsure what to do with his "weapons"
![Ivan with reflected Canadian flag Ivan with reflected Canadian flag • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15865249137/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8570/15865249137_628c515fc5_m.jpg)
Ivan with reflected Canadian flag
And rice crispy treat
![Pre-lifting "dance" party Pre-lifting "dance" party • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/16049055561/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7482/16049055561_ece75d8089_m.jpg)
Pre-lifting "dance" party
![Cosmic micro-Rave background Cosmic micro-Rave background • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/16049054151/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7510/16049054151_17096849be_m.jpg)
Cosmic micro-Rave background
And ghost Ziggy
![Sasha Sasha's beat stick • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15865245627/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7495/15865245627_5b39950082_m.jpg)
Sasha's beat stick
And menacing crazy eyes
![Upright sun shields Upright sun shields • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15431349823/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7569/15431349823_80970abb74_m.jpg)
Upright sun shields
With antennas on top
![FTS calibration setup FTS calibration setup • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/16025230036/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7563/16025230036_2739e1e60d_m.jpg)
FTS calibration setup
With a clever mount that rotates it around to each telescope
![Preparing to scan Preparing to scan • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15863550108/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8667/15863550108_a8bfcbf063_m.jpg)
Preparing to scan
![It It's a bird? It's a plane? It's SPIDER! • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15865242247/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7461/15865242247_54775c6ac1_m.jpg)
It's a bird? It's a plane? It's SPIDER!
![Natalie checks the star cameras Natalie checks the star cameras • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/16050308792/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7520/16050308792_07ff0a1d9a_m.jpg)
Natalie checks the star cameras
![Ready to go Ready to go • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15431344583/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7568/15431344583_f2c9e207dd_m.jpg)
Ready to go
![Don and Barth supervise, as scanning starts Don and Barth supervise, as scanning starts • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15865236997/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7500/15865236997_e25eb5f977_m.jpg)
Don and Barth supervise, as scanning starts
![Pony scan Pony scan • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15431535233/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7509/15431535233_8d45609f42_m.jpg)
Pony scan
Real SPIDER attitude data from a scan conducted while I was bored on night shift
![Mess of wires Mess of wires • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15864950619/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7564/15864950619_0bce937fbe_m.jpg)
Mess of wires
In the main break-out box, which I'd opened up for some repairs
![Polarization calibration setup Polarization calibration setup • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/16025218496/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8634/16025218496_6460614767_m.jpg)
Polarization calibration setup
![The Boss hanging out The Boss hanging out • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/16025216556/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8588/16025216556_f040c9b30a_m.jpg)
The Boss hanging out
![Break in the clouds Break in the clouds • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/16025215156/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8602/16025215156_baf78b8ff0_m.jpg)
Break in the clouds
Night shift was overcast for most of my first week
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