SuperBIT is preparing for a test flight in Palestine, TX. I arrive a day late with the Princeton team. We arrived half a day after the Toronto team, who had unpacked everything.
I join the group preparing to test electronics in the Bemco: a big thermal/vacuum chamber. We use it to check that things will survive the cold and almost-vacuum of the stratosphere.
Another group unpacks the telescope and disassembles it for a checkup and cleaning.
Good old Building 11
Inside the highbay
Professors at work
Electronics in the Bemco
The inner-frame computers
The heart of BIT
Bemcoing is exciting work
UofT Branding on the telescope
Looking straight into the telescope
Looking less-straight into the telescope
The half-disassembled and slightly peeling baffle tube
This wraps around the telescope in flight
Leeav on the phone
He spent a long time trying to activate a burner SIM to use his phone here
Fully loaded Bemco, ready to go
Bemcoing in progress
Looks the same, except now through a thick window
Uncovered telescope
Looking at the secondary mirror heaters/thermometers
Slight chip in back of secondary
Group action shot
Removed the primary mirror
Inspection
The various adjustment/holding bits on the primary
Covered for safety
Telescope-eye view
Cosmetically perfect part
A ball-blasted part arrived that looks as good as a solidworks model. Steven (and others) are greatly amused.
Texas is beautiful in May
And a fire hydrant, for some reason
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