karn@petrus.UUCP (Phil R. Karn) (03/18/86)
Posted: Mon Mar 17, 1986 2:24 AM GMT Msg: MGIG-2422-8559
From: JFLASKA
To: AMSAT
Subj: IIIC STATUS #5
IIIC Status #5 16 March 1986
Today was a good visiting day at the Amsat lab. Greg Barr,
Administrator of the L5 Society and Jill Steele, President of the
Colorado Front Range Chapter of the L5 society were our guests.
The members of the construction team were delighted to welcome
them and to provide a running narrative on what was being done.
Also, WB5PMR, Al and family, visited the lab enroute to a vacation
in the High Country. On 20 March we're expecting KA0OOQ, Gerry, for
a short visit, and on 23 March, W8GUS, Ron, is expected to be with
us. The Colorado group welcomes all who might be interested in the
IIIC project. Should you be in the Denver area in the next 8-10
weeks and desire a tour, you can call W3GEY at 530-9340 or the
writer at 238-3274 and we'll do our best to oblige. The area code
is 303.
Latest word on the Mode S transponder is optimistic. The electronics
design and bread-boarding is going well. The final amplifier design
has been completed by N6CA, Chip Angle, and the amplifier is
presently undergoing tests. While still slightly behind schedule,
the Mode S transponder has a good chance of being completed on
time. The box, or enclosure, for the transponder is in process
of manufacture locally.
The Main Wiring Harness was installed today. While the installation
was a loose one, everything seemed to be nominal. The Wiring
Harness Plug brackets for the solar cells were mounted in all 3
arms.
W3GEY, Jan will be in the Washington area all of the coming week.
He has with him the design drawings for the oversize mounting
stringers for the IHU in arm 3. These were described earlier as
being needed to resolve a space problem in mounting the Helium
Bottle Bracket. We expect these parts by next weekend.
We're advised the Kick Motor Mounting Brackets are enroute from
Amsat DL. Additionaly, parts for the Rudak Experiment will be
sent to Germany on 17 March from local inventory.
Machine Shop work is being done on the lower ring of the Helium
Bottle Bracket. As previously indicated, a fix for this problem
is decided on and no further problem should be experienced in this
area.
Thanks to all who have relayed this info via packet systems. W3GEY
reports that these updates are on one of the UoSat satellites.
More next week.
73, WB0RLY