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June 2009 |
To the Moon
Right after launch June 18th, LRO's transmitter came on as planned and sent its status to us in the control center.
Launch Success!
LRO and LCROSS are bound for the moon after a flawless liftoff from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida aboard an Atlas V rocket.
LRO on the Launch Pad
LRO has been moved to the launch pad. Last minute details, tests and reviews are being taken care of to prepare LRO for launch!
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May 2009 | Fueled, Stacked and Ready for Encapsulation
LRO is now stacked on LCROSS and ready for encapsulation. We completed fueling of the LRO spacecraft. The Orbiter now weighs almost a ton more than it did the week before! We completed an aliveness test, and have bagged the Orbiter in preparation for stacking.
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Apr 2009 | Solar Arrays Installed
The solar arrays were installed on the Orbiter. With this complete, all that remains is some final checks of the attitude control system sensors, some blanket touch-up, removal of red tag/green tag items and filling the tanks with propellant!
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Mar 2009 | The Launch Site
It has been a busy 5 weeks at the launch site! We have confirmed that all of the instruments are still performing well, and we have checked their alignments...
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Feb 2009 | LRO Ships South in Preparation for Launch
The Orbiter is on its way to Florida! We loaded it on the truck and sent it on its way early this morning after successfully completing our Pre-Ship Review (PSR).
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Dec 2008 | Comprehensive Performance Testing
Comparing the results to the CPT we ran before environmental testing, making sure the environments did not change anything.
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| Oct 2008 | Thermal Vacuum Testing
Varying the temperature of the walls around the spacecraft to simulate the moon, deep space, or sunlight, and measure the Orbiter temperature in different locations to observe the heat flow through the system.
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| Aug 2008 | Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) Testing
Operated the Orbiter as if it were in space, with the control team at the Mission Operations Center and the engineering team in the Launch Support Room.
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| July 2008 | Environmental Testing
Completed sine vibration, acoustics testing, and shock testing. Sine vibration shakes the spacecraft to simulate oscillations that may occur during launch. In the acoustics test, we blasted the Orbiter with the noise of launch.
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| June 2008 | Solar Array and High-Gain Antenna
The Solar Array System was assembled as a stand-alone subsystem. The High-Gain Antenna System completed its thermal vacuum testing...
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| May 2008 | Completing Integration Phase
Tests ensure that we can properly communicate with our spacecraft during flight. All of the instruments are on the Orbiter! ...
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| Apr 2008 | Instrument Installations
We installed two instruments on the Orbiter this week. LEND is fully integrated, both electrically and mechanically. Both the Optical Telescope Assembly and the Main Electronics Box of LOLA are mounted on the spacecraft.
Ka-band communications system
Completed the electrical hook-up of the Ka-band modulator and tested it with the C&DH, installed the +Z panel of the spacecraft (the last major structural panel), and installed and tested CRaTER and Diviner.
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| Mar 2008 | LAMP, Star Trackers and More...
Mechanically integrated the Star Trackers, the Ka-band modulator, and the LAMP instrument onto the Orbiter. We electrically integrated the Instrument Module and the LAMP instrument.
The Propulsion System
Completed electrical integration of the propulsion module and the reaction wheels. Performed the end-to-end test of the propulsion system, using the spacecraft electronics to control everything.
Attaching Panels
Attached the -Y and -Z panels to the propulsion module, and we also installed the +X panel for stability.
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| Feb 2008 | The High-Gain Antenna
The High-Gain Antenna arrived, and we integrated the S-band feed and performed some alignment checks. Measuring the RF beam in the anechoic chamber.
Telemetry, Tracking, and Command Subsystem
Installed and connected the Miniature Inertial Measurement Unit (MIMU). Integrating the Telemetry, Tracking, and Command (TT&C) subsystem.
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| Jan 2008 | Integration Process
The flight harness completed bake-out. The propulsion module completed its environmental testing. We had our first official power-up of the spacecraft last week, successfully sending commands and receiving telemetry.
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| Nov 2007 | Instrument Testing
The LEND instrument engineering unit is in the Flatsat lab undergoing interface testing. The LOLA instrument is undergoing receiver testing.
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| Oct 2007 | Power System Electronics
The Power System Electronics (PSE) is in the vibration laboratory. This test will ensure that the box can handle the rigors of riding on a rocket. Work is continuing on the heater circuits, which will prevent the fuel from freezing during flight.
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| Oct 2007 | Spacecraft Bus Testing
The LRO team completed the last of over 200 welds on the propulsion module. We will now pressurize the system and check for leaks. After this proof pressure testing, we need to finish wiring the heaters and thermostats, then we will perform a shake test.
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| Apr 2007 | FlatSat Testing
LRO has recently made an important pit stop to a place called FlatSat. Before any of the electrical components are assembled on the spacecraft bus, they must be checked and double-checked to assure that they can communicate with one another.
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