Yesterday did a fake run-through of our launch-day checklist. This is a very worthwhile exercise as the checklist contains many simple and vital things (like open the window on the telescope). It also contains things like fill cryogens, balance, upload schedules, and generally check that everything works. Making sure that everything is there and in the correct order is essential.
In the afternoon, the “worm girls” Annamarie and Stef finally visited for a tour. We were mostly busy with the checklist, but in compensation they got to witness Mark’s famous Simulated Launch. To simulate launch, Mark grabs the telescope and shakes it violently for a minute or two.
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- Tristan and Enzo discuss important things
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- Nick helps Mark balance the inner frame. This is the longest pre-flight operation
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- Mark balancing
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- I encounter computer troubles. I need to connect the watchdog override dongle, and a monitor and keyboard
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- Nick finds a BLAST! (the movie) balloon, and fills it with helium boil-off
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- Natalie is super-excited to be given a balloon by Mark
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- The excitement wears out, and she stops wearing the balloon
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- Nick enters Lecture Mode for the worm girls’ tour. This is the only almost-decent picture I got of them
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- Mark is the wind. He wobbles the gondola to simulate hanging on the launch vehicle
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- I am the wind (after Mark gets bored) (courtesy Matt)
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- Elio watches the gondola to see if anything breaks
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- Simulated Launch
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- Simulated Launch
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- Simulated Launch
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- Leany Chair. “Sucked as a soldering chair. Not bad as a relaxin’ chair”
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- White board face
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- BLAST!
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