2 A prototype quartz block. This view is looking up at the base of the block, with the fixturing flanges protruding from the sides.
3 Early prototype quartz block with metal sleeves placed in the gyroscope bores.
4 Prototype model of the quartz block and the "bird-cage" fixturing assembly that would hold it in the probe.
5 Prototype quartz block against a blue background
6 Quartz block mockup used to test the precision manipulator
July 1988
7 An early version of the Science Instrument Assembly (SIA) being assembled in the class 100 clean room.
8 View of probe A in the class 1000 clean room.
9 This is a close-up shot of Probe A's necktube and liquid helium pumping system. Probe A was one of the early probes that were critical to the creation of of our super-conducting gyroscopes.
10 Probe C as the main neck tube was being assembled at Lockheed.
11 View of the probe on the precision manipulator, in the class 10 clean room.
12 Construction of the thermal baffles along the probe's neck tube. Lockheed based lab.
13 Technicians at Lockheed carefully install the dozens of valves that make up the probe's "top hat" section.
14 Close-up of a heat-exchange ring on the probe neck tube.
15 The Science Instrument Assembly, comprising the telescope (right) and the quartz block housing the four gyroscopes and SQUIDS.
16 The Science Instrument Assembly (SIA) just after completion. All 4 gyroscopes and the telescope have been integrated within the quartz block
17 Probe tophat and window 4.
18 Lockheed Martin entineer, Gary Reynolds inspecting the inside of the top hat during the probe thermal repairs.
April 21st, 2000
19 Looking down into window 3 of the probe. This was part of the thermal repair work performed on the probe
April 13th, 2000
20 View of the "rat's nest" wiring inside the top hat of one of the earlier non-flight probes.
21 Electrical leads on the inside of the probe C top hat.
22 Looking inside the probe's "Top Hat". Several windows have been removed, allowing a clear view down into the probe itself.
23 One of the three windows inside that sits inside the probe.
24 Outside view of probe window 4 that caps the probe on the tophat.
25 Inside view of probe window 4.
26 View of the partially assembled probe C.
27 Three technicians inserting gyros into their housing in the SIA section of the probe at Stanford.
28 John Stamets inspecting the horizontally-tilted GP-B Probe in the Class 10 clean room at Stanford.
29 Stanford's John Stamets and another Stanford technician inspect the probe in a clean room at Stanford.
30 John Stamets of Stanford removes the cover from window 4 on the probe's tophat in a Stanford clean room.
31 Final Integration of the science instrument assembly. The tech is pointing to a series of valves, out of which come the spinup lines that will start the gyroscopes turning. The SQUID readout devices are visible as the 3 small, flat boxes in the bottom right-hand corner. February, 1995
32 A tech carefully inspects the wiring and staking on the flight probe. Each bolt is wired and epoxied down to prevent it from coming loose during launch.
33 The Science Instrument Assembly (SIA) just after completion. All 4 gyroscopes and the telescope have been integrated within the quartz block
34 Closeup of the SIA showing two of the four gryos and SQUIDS.
35 Closeup of the SIA showing two SQUIDs, with two gyros (left) and probe wiring.
36 Paul Ayres of Lockheed Martin works on the complicated valve system that makes up the "Top Hat" of probe C.
37 View of probe C being assembled by Paul Ayres at Lockheed Martin.
38 The Science Instrument Assembly (SIA) is carefully slid into it's fixture on Probe C. The whole procedure was performed in a class ten clean room on a specially manufactured mounting and manuevering system.
39 A prototype probe is lowered into its hermetically sealed case to isolate the Science Instrument Assembly.
40 Russ Leese is shown next to probe C, mounted on the "piston".
41 View of the top hat, heat exchange rings and neck baffles of probe C, prior to dewar insertion.
42 Probe C wrapped and ready for transport into FISTOPs.
43 Probe C suspended from the ceiling of FISTOPs.
44 Ken Bower uses a green laser in a Stanford clean room to inspect the probe before it is inserted into its vacuum sealed casing.
45 Closeup of Stanford's Ken Bower inspecting the probe before inserting it into its vacuum sealed casing.
46 Looking up at the end of the probe as it is positioned in place. The lower rings will hold the vacumn can that the probe will be slid into.
47 The Science Mission Dewar (SMD), integrated with the probe, being lifted out of its tilt dolly.
48 View of Probe C's top hat, after insertion into the flight dewar.