yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (02/06/91)
Payload Status Report Kennedy Space Center February 5, 1991 GAMMA RAY OBSERVATORY/STS-37 (April, 1991) Final electrical testing of the Gamma Ray Observatory was completed on Jan. 23. Engineers are assessing the significance of an increase in resistance measured in a diode of one of the remote interface units (RIU) which recently underwent repair and retesting at the vendor. These are the electrical interface between the observatory subsystems and experiments, and the spacecraft's modular power system and command and data handling system. The flight batteries were reconditioned on Jan. 29 and a trickle charge established. On Jan. 30 the Observatory was rotated to the vertical configuration and placed on its associated transporter. Interim closeouts of the thermal blankets were then completed. Yesterday the transportation cover was placed around the spacecraft in preparation for the one-mile trip to the Vertical Processing Facility which is scheduled to begin at 4 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 7. TETHERED SATELLITE/STS-46 (March, 1992) In the Operations and Checkout Building, the satellite was hoisted into its deployer for the first time on Jan. 18 to begin a series of fit checks. Since that time it has been periodically removed and reinstalled to make adjustments, which were completed on Feb. 1. The satellite is presently located in an off-line laboratory for further testing. The reel assembly, currently holding a non-flight tether, was hoisted onto the flight pallet and installed Feb. 2. The deployer will be mated to the pallet in late April.