Yesterday we attached the fully mylarized Side Scoop of Joy to the gondola. The scoop is light, but huge. So, attaching it required all the space we had in the highbay. If you’re curious, its joyousness is primarily due to contrast with the absurdly ginormous Wall of Doom, which it replaced.
Yesterday was also Jeff’s last day. We celebrated at Burger Bar (a weekly feast of beefy goodness, so amazing that you actually pay for the food), where there was, disappointingly, no bingo being played.
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- Preparation. We need to clear a lot of space
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- The gondola at the beginning of the day
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- And the scoop at the beginning of the day
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- The telescope’s starboard profile. It won’t be visible much longer
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- Mark wanted pictures of the recently cleaned and shiny mirror
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- Telescope plug. Prevents photons from draining
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- Barth
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- The Hat. The Hat must be respected
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- Nick, recently clean-shaven and shiny like the mirror
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- The backwards hat is essential for photography
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- Vic unattaches crane from pivot
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- An eye bolt protrudes from the scoop for strapping to the crane
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- Matt eyes me as Nick operates the crane (during the less hazardous operation)
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- Team Mezzanine is ready to go
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- I love it when people rest above the flag. It means I get to take this picture
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- Recently-arrived Cory is the crane operator of the day
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- Vic starts directing, as the lift begins
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- Luke stands as far away as he can. I bet that’s part of his training as a safety officer
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- Lorenzo and Enzo just keep working on other things
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- Nick, Matt, and a pink boot
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- Matt, Barth, and Nick man the guy wires to keep the scoop from rotating
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- There’s not a lot of clearance above the rail, but it fits
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- The scoop continues coming out
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- People waiting. Lots of ladders are out, in case they’ll be useful
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- Jeff holds on to the last bit of scoop he can reach
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- Hanging ominously in midair (as most things in midair tend to hang)
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- Mark uses a ladder to start guiding from the ground
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- The scoop targets the gondola
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- And the gondola targets Jeff, via the scoop
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- The final approach
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- Luke, Elio, and Nick watch carefully. Everybody else watches carefully too, but not in this picture
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- The scoop is in place, but it takes a lot of wrangling to get it attached
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- Jeff is joined by Enzo and Joseph, to watch from the mezzanine
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- Mark, Elio, and Natalie attach bolts at three of the six attachment points
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- Matt tightens some bolts
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- Natalie admires the scoop’s joyousness
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- The telescope, now with scoop
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- Adjustable wrench, with killer death spike attachment
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- Mylar Mark (while attaching a “flag of Nepal”, part of the chin structure)
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- The white tape at the top is finally within reach, for Matt to cover
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- Large snowman constructed by the riggers (led by Derek?)
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- Naturally, it required a forklift to assemble
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- Vic and Derek work on the arms (also, check out the scale!)
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- And as finishing touch, he’s given a tiny beer (in the real world, he would have a 40)
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- BLAST. With the scoop and a half-chin (full-chin completed later)
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- Natalie attaches Maggie the Magnetometer. Matt watches
Woohoo!!! It looks awesome. Don`t forget to attach the flaps on the end to the back of the mirror.