The Payload Combined Functional Test, TC-186 will be complete by 9:30 PM

The Payload Combined Functional Test, TC-186, which started at 2:15 PM today will be complete by 9:30 PM. At which time we will re-configure for and collect the LROC images, TC-187 through TC-190. We will then dump the SSR, TC-191. These tasks should take us until 11:00 PM. At that point we will perform, TC-192, Reconfigure for the Orbiter Functional Test. The Orbiter Functional Test, TC-193, should start between 11:30 PM, tonight, 12/14/2008 and midnight.

TC-186 Payload integrated Funcition Start

TC-186 Payload Functional Started 1:30pm
LN_ powerup
LOLA switched to laser 2
S-band tx on
ka mod off
imu on
RWA on 0 torque
hg gce on
all instruments on
Thermal comfig F


Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I thought to myself, where the heck is the ceiling.

Payload Functional moved up to 13:00 EST

We will have a quorum there from Payload to start the Payload Functional by 13:00, which moves the schedule to the left by 14 hours against the schedule posted below.

Note that this moves the start of the orbiter functional up to approx. 22:00 EST tonight

Arlin has spoken

Arlin has been notified and the Payload functional will begin as planned

TC-186 Payload Integrated Functional will begin at 3:00 pm today.

Charles would have a better chance of guessing your weight

Charles says you shouldn't trust anything he says.

He has proclaimed soak. Only four hours early.

So TC-185 is complete at 1015

ready to start TC-186 Payload Functional but no one from payloads is here.

We are calling Arlin to see we can start.


The man who smiles when things go wrong has thought of someone to blame it on. - Robert Bloch

Trying to soak it all in

TC-180, DLRE Field of Regard Thermal Mapping, completed at 0630

TC-182 and 184 LROC B/G Imaging still running in background

TC-186 Payload integrated Functional will be starting 1400-1500


This one's for Kevin

There is a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot.

Make Your Saturday Plans with LRO

TC-179, Configure Instruments, completed at 12:44 am.
TC-180, DLRE Field of Regard Thermal Mapping, which runs in parallel with other activities, was started at 12:45 am.
TC-181 and TC-182, LROC B/G Imaging, procedures were started at 12:52 am will continue to run in the background.

At 12:55 am, the RW Torque Override Commanded was sent to command all the torques to zero. This was done at the request of thermal to help cool down the spacecraft a little faster.

And we continue on our path to Cold Soak #4. The Orbiter should be in cold soak conditions just in time for brunch.

My magic eight ball is also telling me that the Payload Functional, TC-186, will be executed later today around 3:00 pm.

MOC Procedure Testing will end around 11:00 PM

The MOC procedure Test, TC-178, will continue until 11:00 PM (+/-) a few minutes. Then we will configure the instruments per TC-179 and start the DIVINER Thermal Mapping, TC-180, and LROC imaging TC-182,& 183 (both in the background), while the Mini-RF, TC-182 tests will take center stage.

MOC MRF and MOC again

We ran MOC procedures (TC-178) from 4:00-5:15PM. The Mini-RF dual bore temperatures fell to 18C and we ran the MRF Calibration (TC-181) from 5:15-7:00PM.

We have turned commanding back over to the MOC to continue TC-178. We think that it will run another few hours before we will turn on some instruments (TC-179) including LAMP, CRaTER, Diviner and LOLA.

Everything is funny as long as it is happening to somebody else. Will Rogers (1879 - 1935).

The LRO LIFE

Once upon a fullmoon dreary, stars in sight, bright and glazy
Millions shining, bursting more, inside the milky way core-
While I nodded, nearly sleeping, suddenly there came a roar,
As of one laughing, hysterically howling at my door.
“Tis the LRO manager,” I shouted, “laughing at my cube door-
Only this and nothing more.”

Ah, distinctly I remember, it was 2008 in December.
Dress we must cleanroom garments piled on the floor.
Eagerly whishing for miday lunch, elevenzies or even brunch
Last copper taping makes me sore, blanketing aft deck forever more
For the race to launch in October, December, April, who knows for sure-
Launch in 09’ and nothing more

And the silken, sad, uncertain beeping of each rack
Scared me –but alas my confidence soars- they WILL work like before
So that now, Joanne impatiently waiting, are we powered I do not know
Take a break, Kevin fix it for heaven’s sake, it may be a while, his hair’s in style-
Engineers pooling through the GSE door-
That it is and nothing more

Deep into the TVAC chamber, darkness peering, long Charles stood there wondering fearing,
Doubting, dreaming Thermal no ME ever dared to dream before
But the silence was broken, MIMU purring and still gave no token,
C&DH Scrub errors flashing red once more, TC sitting and watching in a bore
Phil knows the answer, Dave agrees as he walks in the door
Merely this and nothing more

Then this bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
Cathy arrives from building twelve, truly is our biggest fan.
Arlin typing working unstoppable, Craig gives a speech explains unflappable
Trick’s so goofy what a loony, smart and confident is Ajiluni
Closing time, tap the fridge door, beers all around, come to the fore
Shall be lifted – forever more!

Welcome Back Craig!

Our fearless leader came back to Goddard today....some of us were able to welcome him back with a gianormous chocolate chip cookie (very D-E-L-I-S-H)!!

TC-177: Going Cold

We completed TC-174: the DSB Memory Test at 1:38p.

Started going cold around 2pm. Hope to get to cold soak sometime tomorrow night. Anywhere between 9p-2a.

We have powered on LROC so the MOC can run the background images while they check out more flight procedures. We transferred commanding to the MOC at 3p.

When MRF gets to 18deg C, we will pause the MOC activities to run the MRF calibration, TC-181.

Starting DSB test 9:23a

TC-164: S-band functional 5:00pm - 11:40p
TC-162: Payload Integration Functional 12:40a - 7:40a
TC-164a: Orbiter Trending 7:45a - 8:50a
TC-172: Power down instrument 8:51a - 9:00a
TC-173: Dump recorder 9:00a - 9:05a
TC-175: Start DSB Memory Test 9:05 (C&DH reset @~9:12a)

“A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory”

Payload functional completed 7:40am

The payload functional was completed at 7:40am this morning. We began the orbiter trending proc about 7:45am.

Status Update at the Wee Hour of 1:30am on 12/12/08

The S-Band Functional (TC-164) which was started at 5:00pm was completed at 11:40pm on 12/11.

Following this we took a little break to clean up some sockets to the instrument sites, go over some STOL procedures, and await the full complement of instrumenter’s to be present.

At 12:40am, we started the Payload Integrated Functional (TC-162). This Functional is expected to take at least 7 hours which should put the completion time around first shift.

TC-164 S-Band Functional Test Continues

As of 11:00 PM on 12/11/2008, we are still running the S-Band Functional Test. TC-164. This test started at 5:00 PM this evening and is scheduled to take 8 hours. We expect to be finished with this test around 1:00 AM tomorrow morning 12/12/2008. Following the S-Band Functional, we will run the Payload Combined Functional Test, here again the test takes about 8 hours. So the entire overnight shift will be devoted to the Payload Functional Test. This test will be followed, tomorrow morning, by dumping the SSR and performing the C&DH DSB test.

TC-164 in process

We are currently performing the S-band Functional Test (TC-164), which is expected to take til sometime around midnight. The Payload Integrated Functional (TC-162) will follow.

The more elaborate our means of communication, the less we communicate. Joseph Priestly.

Ka-Band Functional test Complete at 3:30 PM

We have completed the Ka-Band functional Test, TC-166, at 3:30 PM today. We are now proeparing for the S-Band functional Test, TC-164. This is an 6 hour test. Following the S-Band Test; at approx. 12:00 AM (midnight)or 00:00 AM 12/12/2008, we will run the Payload Combined Functional Test.

Hot Soak reached at 12:15pm

Now all we have to do is finish the Ka functional (2 more hrs), run the S-band functional (6hrs), the Payload Integrated Functional (7hrs), Orbiter Trending (2hrs), and the DSB test (5hrs).

Starting Ka Functional test @ 8:30am

The ITP is at Hot Soak temperature now, so we are going to start running the Ka functional. It will take about 8 hours to complete. Charles thinks the rest of the orbiter should be at hot soak in about 3 hours.

Transition to Hot Soak ongoing

We have successfully executed the spacecraft configuration for hot soak (TC-160). Things are heating up on the spacecraft. Once we reach hot soak temperatures, we will continue on with the S-band and Ka-band functionals (TC-164 and TC-166 respectively).

Hot operational balance achieved

Hot operational balance was declared at 4:00AM.
We've had a great time running LROC images in the background, the foreground, etc.
At around 8:00AM, we will begin TC-159 transition to hot soak.


You know how it is when you're reading a book and falling asleep, you're
reading, reading...and all of a sudden you notice your eyes are closed? I'm
like that all the time. -- Steven Wright

The Balance of Boredom or Boredom of Balance

Ok Tom asked me to Blog out.
We are still Transition to Hot Operational Balance ( TC-158 ) We almost there
so if anyone has anything they want to run let him know.
If not, stop calling! we won't be getting to hot soak till around 1000.

Humans come in all different states of disrepair

row row row your boat
gently down the stream
merrily merrily merrily merrily
I just have to scream

Changes from 4pm.

Run the MRF Hot Soak tests TC-167 thru TC-170.

We are waiting for the SAS to get to hot op balance. Hopefully it will be there when we finish the MRF testing.

After SAS is at balance, drive the ITP to Hot Soak temps.

Once ITP is at Hot Soak temps, run Ka functional (8hr) and then the S-band functional (6 hrs)

In parallel, we are waiting for LEND to get to Hot op balance, maybe around midnight?

Once LEND gets to balance, we will configure the chamber for Hot Soak.

Once LEND gets to hot soak, we can run the instrument testing.

You will note I put no times on anything. ;-) At the bottom of the blog is the updated schedule.

"I still don't know what I was waiting for
And my time was running wild
A million dead-end streets
Every time I thought I'd got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me
But I've never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker
I'm much too fast to take that test" - D.Bowie

Status as of 2:30pm on 12/10

OK, as we sit here waiting on our thermal conditions to be just right, we have diverged from the timeline ever so just slightly.

TC-167, Stop LROC Background Imaging, was started at 1:54pm (to terminate TC-155) and was completed at 2:00pm.
TC-168, Mini-RF Calibration Activity, was started at 2:00pm and is expected to run for ~1.5 hours.

TVAC Status Update on 12/10 @ High Noon

TC-153, The Start of SAS Orbit Cycling, was started at 7:28am and continues to run in the background. (The step was completed at 8:00am.)
TC-154, Mini-RF Calibration Activity, was punted by the Mini-RF team.
TC-155, LROC B/G Imaging – WAC / NAC, was started at 8:23am and is still running in the background.


TC-157, Mini-RF Calibration Activity, should begin ~2:00pm… if the paperwork is ready?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There is also a pending PRB concerning ST1 reporting glitches that seem to indicate an extra star being detected. However at this time, the data is still being reviewed for clarification.

Cold Operational Balance, TC-147, is Complete

AS of 10:45 PM, 12/9/2008, the thermal team has declared that the Cold Operational Balance (TC-148) is complete. We are starting the transition to Hot Balance, TC-149, in parallel with the transition, we will perform the Mini RF Calibration, TC-150. The Mini RF team wants to perform their test with the instrument at +5 degrees C, so we will delay starting the test until the instrument is closer to that temparature. Following the Mini RF test we can proceed to the mission simulation #30, TC-151; somewhere around 1:00 AM tomorrow morning 12/10/2008

Cold Operational Balance has been achieved

Cold Operational Balance has been achieved. The thermal team is planning on reviewing the situation after a 2 hour soak. At that point they will determine if we can move on or if we need to maintain the balance case for the full 4 hours. Stay turned for an update around 10:45 PM.

Transition to Cold Ops. Balance is going slower than expected

The transition to Cold Operational Balance is taking longer than expected. It is now 8:45 PM, and we still have not achieved thermal Balance. The thermal team thinks that we may achieve thermal balance in about an hour. From that point we officially need to sit at balance for 4 hours before moving on. The thermal team will review the data and determine if it is possible to shorten the soak. But for now, we are looking at as a minimum a 2 hour soak and most likely a 3-4 hour soak. This means that the test scheduled to follow the soak will be pushed past midnight The transition to Hot Balance will not start before midnight ( most likely 1:00 AMon 12/10/2008); this test (TC-149) takes 1.5 hours and it is followed by the Mini-RF Calibration (TC-150). Having said all of this, it appears that the mission simulation # 30 (TC-151) will probably not start before 2:00 AM tomorrow 12/10/2008

T-Vac Status 12/9 @4:15p

Here’s the status @ 4:15pm.

TC-126 Payload Functional 2:32a-9:25a

Dump SSR 9:25a-11a

TC-127 LAMP Functional 11a-12:03p

Star Tracker EEPROM Dump 12:06p -12:30p

TC-128 DLRE Functional 12:38p – 1:42p

TC-119 LOLA CPT # 7 1:58p – 4:09p

After the LOLA test is done, we will dump the SSR and then we are waiting on LEND to get to cold operational balance. Charles hopes we will be done with this around 10pm tonight. That means that Sim #30 will start around midnight.

Note: The sim is earlier than on previous versions of the schedule because there's a 24 hour wait at the beginning of the transition. In reality, the whole transitions takes about 24 hours. As soon as we configure for transition we will begin Sim #30. There is a plan to move the MRF calibration to before the transition configuration. Sorry for the confusion.

TC-126: Payload Integrated Functional Complete @ 9:25am 12/9

The payload functional ended at 9:25 am. We are currently dumping loads of data.

Once we finish dumping data, we will continue with TC-127, LAMP Functional; TC-128, DLRE Functional and TC-119, LOLA CPT #7.

LRO T-Vac update for December 9, 2008 at 05:28am, Cold Soak #3

We are currently in TC-126; Payload Integration Functional.

We have completed:

TC-118; LOLA CPT#4, Started 10:50pm, completed 11:00pm on 12-08-08

TC-119; LOLA CPT#7, Differed to end of cold soak

TC-120; LR CPT#1, Started 11:00pm, completed 11:15pm on 12-08-08

TC-121; LR CPT#2, Started 11:15pm, completed 11:30pm on 12-08-08

TC-122; LR CPT#3, Started 11:30pm, completed 11:45pm on 12-08-08

TC-123; LR CPT#4, Started 11:45pm, completed 11:51pm on 12-08-08

TC-124; LR CPT#5, Started 11:55pm, 12-08-08, completed 12:00 on 12-09-08

TC-115; LOLA CPT#9 Rerun, Started 12:10am, completed 01:05an on 12-09-08

TC-125; Dump SSR Recorder, Started 01:17am, completed 02:28am on 12-09-08

TC-126; Payload Integration Functional, Started 02:32am

Curtis Dunsmore

LRO Tvac update for December 8, 2008 at 11:15 p.m., Cold Soak #3.

We are currently in TC-118; LOLA CPT #4.

We have completed:

6:40 p.m. TC-108; Orbiter Trending

6:50 p.m. TC-109; LROC Collimator (Soak)

6:55 p.m. TC-110; LROC B/G Imaging (Fill Images)

7:30 p.m. TC-111; LOLA Functional

8:40 p.m. TC-112; LOLA CPT #9

9:25 p.m. TC-113; LOLA CPT #5

10:15 p.m. TC-114; LOLA CPT_CAL

10:40 p.m. TC-116; LOLA CPT #2

10:50 p.m. TC-117; LOLA CPT #3

LOLA CPT #1 and #7 are differed to the end of the soak.

Next We’ll continue with LR CPT testing

Massoud

Revision to the last entry

We are currently performing the TC-107 Transition to Cold Soak #3. this will take about 2 hours so. So we can move into Orbiter Trending (TC-108)by 5:30 PM

Cold Svrvival Survival Balance (TC-105) is Complete!!!

The thermal team has reviewed their data and decided that we have successfully completed the requirements for the Cold Survival Balance (TC-105). Survival Balance was declared over at 2:30 PM today, 12/8/2008.
We are now configuring for the Cold Soak Balance #3 (TC-106). This process will take about an hour after which we will continue with the transisition to Cold Soak (TC-107). This transistion should take about 4-5 hours.
When we reach soak temperature, (estimated to be 7:30-8:00 PM) we can perform the Orbiter Trending Test and the LROC Collimator Test, And LROC b/G Imaging Test. (TC-108, 109,& 110); (estimated elaspsed time is 2 hours). Following these tests we will run the LOLA tests.

Blame it on Charles

The Gods in their infinite wisdom. Have rescinded their proclamation of Thermal Balance. As of 0745 balance has not been archived. Charles would like Lend's internal temp to be the benchmark for balance. ETA for balance and I quote Thermal "a long time"

If you haven't got anything nice to say about anybody, come and sit next to me.

The Thermal Gods have spoken

Thermal has proclaimed Balance

TC-104 complete at 0600

TC-105 Cold Survival Balance will be finished at 1000.

TC-106 Transition to Cold Soak #3 will begin at that time and last 45min.

Configure for Transition to Cold Soak #3
- Configure for Thermal CFG F
- Power on USO 9600
- Clock Sync
- Set battery to 31.1V
- Set SAS current to 3.6A/segment
- RF Command/Telemetry
- Turn Ka on and dump data

TC-107 will follow with lend turn on.



Stress is when you wake up screaming and you realize you haven't fallen asleep yet.

I'm Just Waiting for a Balance

We are still waiting for Thermal to proclaim balance (TC-104). From the top of Olympus the best estimate is no earlier than 0800. So we wait.



"Someday we'll look back on all this and plow into a parked car."

Balancing Act

LRO Tvac update for December 7, 2008 at 8:45 p.m.



We met the 24 hour requirement for pressure stabilization at 7:45 p.m. We are currently in TC-104 waiting for Thermal to declare Cold Survival Balance. Anticipated completion time for TC-104 is additional 6 to 7 hours. Then we move to TC-105, Cold survival Balance which will be another 4 hours wait. Thermal best guess is; it will be sometimes during morning shift before we complete TC-105 and begin transition to Cold Soak #3.



We have completed:

7:00 p.m. TC-102; C&DH DSB Memory Test

7:08 p.m. TC-104; Set Batter Voltage to 28V

7:15 p.m. TC-104; RW ON, at 0 Torque

7:20 p.m. TC-104; Hardline command/telemetry

7:45 p.m. TC-103; Wait for 24 hour Pressure Stabilization



Massoud






Cheer up, the worst is yet to come.

FSW Memory Upload Complete (TC-101)

TC-101, Memory upload is complete. We are moving on to the C&DH DSB Test.(TC-102) This test takes about 4 hours. At that point we will have been at hard vacuum (less than 10-5 torr) for over 24 hours, so we can drop through the 24 hour hold for pressure stablization (TC-103), and go directly into Preparation for Cold Balance (TC-104), which takes 6 hours.

DIVINER Test and instrument Data completed

As of 9:54 AM today 12/7/2008, we have completed the DIVINER Thermal Mapping Test (TC-100) and we have dumped the memory to recover the instrument data for the DIVINER, NAC and WAC.

The instruments have been turned off in prepration for the memory upload, (TC-101)

We are planning on moving to the Flight software update (TC-101). We need to see if we can get the software folks in early so we can start the s/w upload, right now they are scheduled in here @11:00 AM

"We must either find a way or make one!"
-Hannibal, on crossing the Alps
"Many things which nature makes difficult become easy to the man who uses his brains"
-Hannibal, upon entering Rome
"As your mother tells you, and my mother certainly told me, it is important, she always used to say, always to try new things."
Hannibal Lecter, on on cannibalism

12/7/08 A New Day

Due to the issue with the SAS rack (PRB-734) today's plan is roughly 8 hours behind our original schedule.

DLRE Portrait (TC-100) will complete around 11:30AM.
Load FSW kernel (TC-101) will start around 11:30AM and maybe finish by 1:00PM.
DSB Memory Test (TC-102) will start around 1:00PM and maybe finish around 5:00PM.

Wait for 24 hours for pressure (TC-103) is a placeholder for waiting until 12/7/08 7:44PM EDT. The chamber reached 1E-5 Torr on 12/6/08 at 7:44PM. The chamber must be at 1E-5 Torr for 24-hours before any high voltage can be turned on. We can't proceed to TC-104 before 24-hours has elapsed. So TC-103 is going to be either short or long depending upon how the rest of the day goes.

With any luck we will finish TC-102 before the 24-hour mark, and we'll be back on schedule. The waiting time of TC-103 will just be shorter than originally planned.

"It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problems just with potatoes." Douglas Adams

Back in Black

We have successfully tested the "emergency power-down GSE to power the HGAS heaters" configuration. It works great.

We also made the quickest possible entry into the white room to fetch the soldering iron etc. to repair the SAS rack. A connector had decided that today would be a good day to wear out. We bypassed the offending connector and soldered the wire to the board. We've re-powered the spacecraft and the SAS rack works great.

We will now begin to cool the shrouds rerun the transition (TC-99) and when appropriate we'll begin DLRE field of regard thermal mapping test (TC-100), expected to take until about about 6.5 to 7 hours.

That means that the FSW load (TC-101) will be no earlier than 10:00AM, sleep in.
That also means that the DSB Memory Test (TC-102) will be no earlier than Noon. sleep in and have a big breakfast.

“If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.” Lewis Carroll

Loose connection.

Traced the problem to a loose pin in one of the connectors in the rack. We are working on a remedy.

12:00am Delays.

One of the power supplies on the SAS rack is not working. We are warming up the test enclosure so we can power down the spacecraft so we can look at the SAS rack. Tom believes a diode in the rack is blown and needs to test it. We are also going to use the external power supply to power the HGAS heaters.

After we check it out, we will resume with the Diviner mapping. This is delaying the FSW kernel upload and DSB testing. I'm sure it won't start until the morning. Stay tuned.

I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.

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