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This ISTP project office has provided a
978K QuickTime
movie of the launch.
Current instrument status:
Drs. C. J. Pollock and P. D. Craven of ES83, aided by R. Robson of of Hughes Research Laboratories, conducted the first operations of the Plasma Source Instrument (PSI) on the POLAR spacecraft on 1-3 March 96, from the POCC at GSFC.
TIDE was powered up during the afternoon of 1 March, and operated nominally. PSI was first powered in the evening of 2 March, and immediately underwent a 4.5 hour bakeout period to prepare its hollow cathode for operation in the discharge mode. The PSI discharge was then ignited and operated for a period of 1 hour, during which it operated nominally.
PSI will be operated twice more during the early orbit checkout of the POLAR spacecraft, in conjunction with measurements made as the electric field instrument booms are extended. This will permit thorough documentation of the spacecraft plasma sheath, with and without PSI in operation.
On 3 March, the TIDE aperture dust cover was successfully retracted onto a double-negator-spring spool. Both a microswitch and spacecraft accelerometers recorded the retraction. Full activation of the TIDE instrument for science operations will be performed beginning around 15 March 96, after the instrument is completely outgassed on orbit.
Summary of Activities:
- TIDE Power on - Friday 3/1
- PSI activation and power off - Saturday 3/2 17:15 GMT
- TIDE cover open - Sunday 3/3 18:45 GMT
- PSI activation, checkout, and power off - Tuesday 3/5 20:15 GMT
- PSI ignition in conjunction with EFI data collection. - Wednesday 3/6 20:15
- TIDE Low Voltage Checkout - Friday 3/8 12:15 GMT
- PSI Power On and Conditioning - Friday 3/8 18:15 GMT
- PSI Power On and Ignition - Monday 3/11
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