WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS FOR WEEK ENDING 27 November 1998:
STANFORD HIGHLIGHT
The Gyroscope Suspension System (GSS) group's Testing and
Verification Team
led by Mr. Robert Brumley has finished
a series of detailed simulations
that indicate that the current
GSS design complies with all fundamental
science requirements.
Because the same electric fields used to control the
rotor's
position can also create torques that masquerade as relativity,
the
requirements on the GSS are particularly severe -- requiring
subnanometer-level positioning at key frequencies and microvolt
stability.
The simulations measured the response of the integrated
gyroscope-GSS
system, and included advanced models of the GSS
components,
appropriate noise levels, and all steady-state
on-orbit disturbances.
Photo: GP-B gyroscope/2 housings
and the rotor
SPACE
VEHICLE HIGHLIGHT
A successful Relativity Mission (GP-B) Integration Working
Group Meeting was
held at Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB)
on November 18. The Payload
Fairing requirements were
finalized including five mission-specific 24-inch
access
doors. Facility space and capability issues were discussed
during a
tour of the GP-B vehicle processing facility in
building 1610, and Program
Introduction document comments
were exchanged.
Photo: LMMS engineers Marc Campell and Ken
Shaul in front of VAFB building 1610.