Spacecraft Assembly

Instrument Testing

November 8, 2007

The LEND instrument engineering unit is in the Flatsat lab undergoing interface testing. The Flatsat lab contains engineering unit versions of the spacecraft electronics. We use this test bed to verify software performance, check out test procedures, test out operations procedures, and verify interfaces.

The successful interface test with the LEND engineering unit yesterday allowed us to try out all of our functional tests of LEND, so we will be ready to run when the flight unit arrives next month.

Todd Bentley prepares to mount one of the LRO flight reaction wheels to the cold plate in preparation for the thermal vacuum test. The wheels are now in the vacuum chamber undergoing temperature cycling. This test demonstrates that the electronics and mechanisms will perform properly in the vacuum of space over the mission's temperature extremes. Four of these reaction wheels will control the pointing of the Orbiter throughout the mission.

November 19, 2007

This week, the LOLA team held a review of the plans for environmental testing. The instrument has successfully completed all of its performance testing. We will now subject the instrument to the rigors of space travel, then test its performance again.

The LOLA instrument undergoing receiver testing. The instrument is the gold-colored box mounted to a supporting frame and pointed downward. The black optics underneath are directing light into the receiver telescope. The laser's beam expander is to the right of the receiver telescope.

November 29, 2007

The instrument has completed its EMI and vibration testing, and thermal vacuum started yesterday.

John Bousman at JPL prepares the Diviner instrument for testing.

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