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Gravity Probe B

Testing Einstein's Universe

WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS FOR WEEK ENDING 29 August 1997:

STANFORD HIGHLIGHT
Prof. John Lipa and his telescope group have completed the Image Divider Assembly (IDA) for telescope #3. All bonds meet requirements and the preliminary assessment is that the alignment meets requirements. Detailed acceptance testing of the IDA is in progress. The shim plates for the positioning of the IDA have been bonded to telescope #3.

SPACE VEHICLE HIGHLIGHT
The flight magnetometer sensor head and electronics were delivered to LMMS from Macintyre Electronic Design Associates Inc. in Hernon Virginia. Control gyroscopes 1 & 2 have completed their build cycle. The Relativity Mission Electrical Product Development Team visited Kearfott Guidance and Navigation Corporation in Wayne New Jersey to review and evaluate the two candidate sets of characterization data. Two additional gyroscopes are required for the redundant control gyroscope assembly. Their review is scheduled for late this year.

The cryopump was electrically tested and baked out early this week. It also underwent magnetic screening and final inspection. The thermal shoe assembly progressed with the successful bonding of one shoe to the mount ring. The shoe was successfully bonded without bonding the fasteners and other piece parts that clamped it to the ring. This method will be applied on the remaining shoes and it is estimated that the shoe bonding will be completed by mid next week.

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