Yesterday was a double-occasion: Suren’s birthday, and the first time that we filled the cryostat with liquid nitrogen. To celebrate, and to appease the temperamental cryogenic gods, we performed the ritual sacrifice of a unicorn (pinata). The liquid nitrogen is used to pre-cool everything before we switch to the even colder liquid helium.
In the week leading up to this point, we had to test for leaks in our vacuum vessel (and had no leaks!), pump it out to thermally isolate the different temperature stages, and test all of our cryogenic gear.
Outside of cryostat progress, we also completed the second run of the Bemco thermal/vacuum test chamber, built the gondola frame that will carry everything in flight, and started testing some of our calibration equipment.
![Big vacuum manifold Big vacuum manifold • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157474851/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157474851_2410d942ed_m.jpg)
Big vacuum manifold
For alternately pumping out the vacuum vessel, and purging with dry nitrogen
![Testing windows Testing windows • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52156458317/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52156458317_1df8fe67ec_m.jpg)
Testing windows
On top of the cryostat. The windows are quite thin, so we check frequently to see how they're holding up
![Turbo pump Turbo pump • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52156458302/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52156458302_820798049b_m.jpg)
Turbo pump
The collection of vacuum equipment in front of Lloro grows
![Leak testing Leak testing • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52156458252/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52156458252_0bda8e84c9_m.jpg)
Leak testing
We reach low enough pressures to start searching for any leaks. In the leak checker manifold first
![Bemco debugging Bemco debugging • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157474946/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157474946_4428a77f49_m.jpg)
Bemco debugging
You know things are going "well" when the oscilloscope comes out
![Gyro box Gyro box • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157474976/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157474976_9b453e18ba_m.jpg)
Gyro box
Inside the box of gyroscopes, which caused a lot of problems (though the main problem was us being tired and confused)
![Sho sorts sun shield spars Sho sorts sun shield spars • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157474741/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157474741_7d02f2cc47_m.jpg)
Sho sorts sun shield spars
![The gondola frame The gondola frame • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157965135/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157965135_ed2cd24693_m.jpg)
The gondola frame
Was fully assembled over in the east highbay
![Jared assembles and tests the TRPNS Jared assembles and tests the TRPNS • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157474686/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157474686_edf8fcb73c_m.jpg)
Jared assembles and tests the TRPNS
Our main polarization calibration device
![Bunny suit gensturing Bunny suit gensturing • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157481368/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157481368_2fb7cb8778_m.jpg)
Bunny suit gensturing
Who's inside?
![The cat The cat • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157474891/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157474891_2343529e5c_m.jpg)
The cat
Discovered one day that climbing up on the cars can stop people form leaving
![Elle and Suren take a break Elle and Suren take a break • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157712564/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157712564_e928f0dfbb_m.jpg)
Elle and Suren take a break
![More TRPNS assembley More TRPNS assembley • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157712549/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157712549_907bf4a169_m.jpg)
More TRPNS assembley
("Thermal Rotating Polarized Near-field Source")
![And its finished state And its finished state • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157481178/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157481178_e43f1c97eb_m.jpg)
And its finished state
![Cryo/vacuum gear to test Cryo/vacuum gear to test • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52156457997/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52156457997_4f4ce8eedc_m.jpg)
Cryo/vacuum gear to test
Before we can start filling with liquid nitrogen
![One of the two leak checkers stopped cooperating One of the two leak checkers stopped cooperating • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157964910/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157964910_b26febdf11_m.jpg)
One of the two leak checkers stopped cooperating
So Simon and Suren peek inside
![Extra thick vacuum window Extra thick vacuum window • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157712079/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157712079_7bc4b218f7_m.jpg)
Extra thick vacuum window
To help protect the new flight window we installed this run
![Big Pumpin Big Pumpin' • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157474406/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157474406_fd168c5882_m.jpg)
Big Pumpin'
We reach low enough pressure to install our more powerful turbo pump
![Final state for Bemco run 2 Final state for Bemco run 2 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157481103/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157481103_82010f2da1_m.jpg)
Final state for Bemco run 2
For thermal/vacuum testing of all the gondola motors and pointing sensors
![Oops! Oops! • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52156457737/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52156457737_df451101e5_m.jpg)
Oops!
The "empty" box that I'd stacked star tracker components on top of had bubble wrap inside. Which inflated and toppled things in vacuum.
![Installing the new flight hard drives Installing the new flight hard drives • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157474376/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157474376_a74d46d2cc_m.jpg)
Installing the new flight hard drives
Now that they've survived two runs of thermal/vac testing
![Flight computer modifications Flight computer modifications • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157474371/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157474371_8f735f1f18_m.jpg)
Flight computer modifications
![Empty Bemco Empty Bemco • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157964745/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157964745_f3f99e1b1c_m.jpg)
Empty Bemco
As we finish cleaning up the space
![Reaction wheel assembly Reaction wheel assembly • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52156457677/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52156457677_ae35c52ff9_m.jpg)
Reaction wheel assembly
Can proceed now that the reaction wheel motor, at the center of the gondola frame, has been freed from the Bemco
![Early shift Early shift • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52156457662/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52156457662_276c748caf_m.jpg)
Early shift
Sunrise and the moon, as a few of us arrive early to prepare the first liquid nitrogen fill
![The launch pad The launch pad • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157481023/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157481023_93ed9aca23_m.jpg)
The launch pad
And surrounding, recently mowed fields
![First liquid nitrogen fill! First liquid nitrogen fill! • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52156457637/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52156457637_6cdc044b8b_m.jpg)
First liquid nitrogen fill!
As Suren, Corwin, and Elle start cooling Lloro down
![Reaction wheel motor installation Reaction wheel motor installation • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157481003/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157481003_c8da7ff185_m.jpg)
Reaction wheel motor installation
Takes a bit of wrestling to align
![Installing the spokes and weights Installing the spokes and weights • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52156457617/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52156457617_460f080cb8_m.jpg)
Installing the spokes and weights
![Leveling the reaction wheel Leveling the reaction wheel • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157964645/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157964645_738d63fe26_m.jpg)
Leveling the reaction wheel
With the digital protractor
![The unicorn The unicorn • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157964635/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157964635_f422444175_m.jpg)
The unicorn
Arrived mysteriously one night last week. Does it know what's coming?
![Un-safety glasses Un-safety glasses • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157506051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157506051_a67696bc04_m.jpg)
Un-safety glasses
Elle modified some glasses to be a festive blindfold
![SImon pulls the strings SImon pulls the strings • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157474211/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157474211_0fb4cf2314_m.jpg)
SImon pulls the strings
![Suren winds up Suren winds up • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52156457562/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52156457562_aaa16b3173_m.jpg)
Suren winds up
Armed with our biggest wrench
![Looking cool in his glasses Looking cool in his glasses • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157964595/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157964595_3402e582dc_m.jpg)
Looking cool in his glasses
![The final blow The final blow • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157964575/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157964575_b936c22fd0_m.jpg)
The final blow
And sweet, sweet candy guts
![Aftermath Aftermath • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/52157964555/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/52157964555_0a05176360_m.jpg)
Aftermath
Is that the OG gyro box? What a mess. I hope you fired whoever designed it.
Rest assured, the original designer has been adequately dealt with.