The instruments meet each other!
This week, Brian, Jef and I delivered the CuPID micro-dosimeter to Nick , Norm and Michael at Goddard Space Flight Center where the CuPID chassis and X-ray instrument currently reside. Until now, the instruments have been built and tested separately. After some individual testing that morning to document functionality, the instruments were integrated into the chassis and mounted inside a vacuum chamber.
The instruments as they are installed in CuPID chassis. Top Left: The X-Ray telescope from the side. Top Right: The micro-dosimeter suite dis-assembled. Bottom Left: The view down the optical axis of the X-ray telescope looking through the magnet array and light baffles to the MCP detector. Bottom Right: The chassis and instruments in the vacuum chamber to begin testing!
After being seated in the vacuum chamber, the instruments were powered on and data from each instrument were collected! The instruments both operated nominally and produced data to the spacecraft bus emulator which combined data into files that will one day be sent from orbit to ground!
Left: Emil and Nick deliberate over instrument wiring to the computer. Right: Brian, Jef and Norm intensely watch instrument data come through the spacecraft avionics emulator. Every test was a success!
I like to joke that it was an instrument love story planned from the beginning and this was their first date! They behaved well!
