<\/a>Steven works on Balancing the telescope <\/div>
<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>This involves climbing into awkward places <\/div>
<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Balanced <\/div>
With brass pucks attached where needed<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Inside the MCC <\/div>
The "Master Control Computer". Opened due to error<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Susan is so leet <\/div>
On her new gaming chair<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Bolting on bit's hat <\/div>
This involves reaching into lots of awkward places<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>BIT with hat <\/div>
<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Ratcheting the hoist back up <\/div>
It needed to lower to move up to the door<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>BIT peeking out the door <\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Looking out a wide open door <\/div>
At Spencer<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>In profile <\/div>
<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Nighttime observing <\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>What people are doing during nighttime observing <\/div>
<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Morning running trail <\/div>
A pretty nice place to be<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Ellen assembles the data drop packages <\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Data drop package <\/div>
<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Antenna boom <\/div>
And riggers<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>David is recruited for arts & crafts <\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Steven and Barth too <\/div>
<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Barth catches me watching <\/div>
<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>And again <\/div>
Now back at the MCC<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Vy and arts and crafts <\/div>
<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Ellen and Richard test the data drop packages <\/div>
Outside to check satellite communication<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Group action shot <\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Steven crawling back into awkward places <\/div>
<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Group action shot <\/div>
Covering bare aluminum on the solar panel frames<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Barth tests final balance <\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Steven too <\/div>
<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Outer frame electronics <\/div>
Mostly motor controllers and the solar\/battery power system<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>BIT back from the door <\/div>
To make room for EUSO<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Giving BIT a socially distanced hug? <\/div>
<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>The lab, cleaned <\/div>
In advance of a visit from the NASA Administrator and Deputy Administrator<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Canadarm (Canadwing?) <\/div>
On the space kiwi that we've agreed to carry with us<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>Running trail, sunrise edition <\/div>
<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>I spent my day off playing disc golf <\/div>
At the beautiful course overlooking the lake and mountains<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/a>
<\/a>![\"Nighttime](\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52767877328_057184b9c2_n.jpg\")
During my second week, the main goal was to point BIT at the sky to test operations from the ground. This first involved some final assembly, followed by a few days of long and late shifts. After more clear nights than we expected, we were happy with the testing and moved BIT back away from the door to proceed with more flight preparation. That is, doing all the extra preparation needed to actually operate in the stratosphere, not just from the ground. We were also joined by the “Durham crew”: Ellen (now in Sydney), David, and Richard. And at the end of the week, were briefly visited by the NASA Administrator and Deputy Administrator, while they were visiting New Zealand for other reasons. For my day off, I tried out the disc golf course. Other maybe-players all decided on long drives or hikes instead, but after the previous weekend’s adventure I felt like something more chill. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[19,25],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/droppingballast.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6680"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/droppingballast.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/droppingballast.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/droppingballast.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/droppingballast.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6680"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/droppingballast.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6680\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6681,"href":"http:\/\/droppingballast.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6680\/revisions\/6681"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/droppingballast.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6680"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/droppingballast.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6680"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/droppingballast.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6680"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}