27 Jul Alex Birck, LASP, Week 8

Hello everyone!

It is crazy to think that this was already my eighth week at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP). The summer has gone by incredibly fast, and with only one more week left, this week was another busy one with more work on SPRITE, time in the cleanroom, and helping with several different projects around the lab.

Me with SPRITE

The week started with continuing SPRITE’s thermal vacuum (TVAC) testing. After the testing from last week, we continued checking that the spacecraft was operating properly after being exposed to different temperature conditions. During the testing, we also tested SPRITE’s radio system and antenna. To do this, we placed an aluminum enclosure around the radio so the radio waves would not reflect around the chamber and interfere with other hardware. Once those tests were complete, the TVAC testing was officially finished.

Flat Tire

After the testing was finished, we packed SPRITE back into its Pelican case and wrapped it with ESD-safe material before transporting it back to the cleanroom in ARL. Since SPRITE is flight hardware, everything had to be carefully protected and kept clean during the move between buildings. After SPRITE was safely back in the cleanroom, we went back to move the cart that normally supports it. While moving the cart, we found that one of the tires had gone completely flat. We tried pumping it back up, but it would not hold air, so we grabbed a pallet jack and carefully moved the cart back to ARL. It was an unexpected problem, but we were able to get everything back and continue setting up SPRITE.

Once SPRITE was back in the cleanroom, I helped reconnect the computer and other equipment since everything had been moved along with the spacecraft and its cart. After everything was powered back on, Briana and I positioned a light in front of SPRITE to test one of its detectors and helped set up a way to remotely monitor the spacecraft’s vital systems. This allowed us to keep track of important information from SPRITE without needing to be directly next to the spacecraft during testing.

Later in the week, I helped move the INFUSE sounding rocket payload into the long vacuum tank so the camera and optics could be calibrated before its trip to Wallops. Before lowering it into the tank, we cleaned the payload and made sure everything was ready for testing. Once it was positioned inside, I helped change the size of the pinhole, which changes both the size and brightness of the light source used to align the optics. I also had the opportunity to operate the overhead crane while we carefully positioned the payload. Getting everything aligned took many hours since the payload had to be positioned very precisely before the calibration could begin.

I also spent some time working on a few motors that may eventually be used with MANTIS. I was trying to get them working to see if they could be used for the project, although I am still not sure if they will. During the week, I also helped put mission patches onto ESD jackets that will be worn at Wallops during launch preparations. I learned about Project Kay, which recycles used nitrile gloves into material that will eventually become a bench in Kay’s memory.

INFUSE being loaded into the Long Tank

I also got to spend more time talking with people around LASP. I talked with Brian, who oversees Isaias and me during the internship, about life, college, and what Boulder is like. It was nice getting to know more about the people at LASP outside of the projects we were working on. I also talked with Wyatt, who helped us during SPRITE’s TVAC testing. We talked about life, CU Boulder, and his work at LASP, and he was a really lovely guy to talk with. He also helped me get to see parts of the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA) that were at ARL, including a spacecraft panel and the star tracker, since most of the spacecraft is currently in California.

Outside of work, we made homemade meatball subs one evening, which turned out really well. We also watched The Odyssey, and I watched Obsession, with Obsession definitely being the scarier movie. Today, I went swimming before heading to Pearl Street, where we got ramen and spent time walking around trying to find a geocache. We searched for quite a while but failed miserably, but it was still fun exploring more of Pearl Street.

Week 8 was another busy week at LASP. Between finishing SPRITE’s TVAC testing, getting it back into the cleanroom, helping with INFUSE, and working on a variety of other projects, I continued learning about the different types of work that go into preparing spacecraft and scientific instruments for missions. It is hard to believe there is only one week left, and I am looking forward to seeing what the final week brings.