(Betsy, Randy, Jim, Tyler, Travis, Jordan, Gerardo, Mitchell, Corey, Ibrahim, Danny on watch)
Ibrahim and crew prepped the BBSS yesterday for flight.
This morning Jim and I finished cable routing and stowing and made some final pre-flight preps.
This afternoon, we successfully flew the BSC2 Cartridge from the West Bay Test Stand to the BSC2 chamber and installed in onto the support tubes via the dome.
- We had a pre-flight meeting just before lunch, then met at 1pm to gear up and start.
- Moved the West Bay cleanroom South to allow for cartridge lift off. Cartridge was covered via the multiple C3 cover layers (ISI cover+BBSS cover+Cartridge mega cover top to bottom over the whole thing which then was rolled up as the cartridge lowered into the chamber.
- The cartridge was lifted off the test stand, checked for good level but no adjustment to rebalance the lifting fixture was needed - the setting used previously was good. Yay.
- With the load cell, the cartridge weighed 9430lbs (pretty spot on for what it weighed at de-install flight as a BSFM). It was then set back down, load cell removed and flown the pre-planned path East over the X-Arm Beamtube manifold section and around diagonally onto BSC2. (Stays still not included, nor the HRTS for BHD, nor the HR/AR BBSS baffles, nor 1 of 4 vibration absorbers - basically the same ish payload as before with the BSFM weighing not much more than the BBSS plus or minus some bits at flight)
- The hand rails with the notch worked well (switched in by Randy earlier this week) - no handrail sections needed removal as the cartridge passed right over this time. During the BSC chamber install the Platform tent was pulled back to allow for craning. Particle counts near the fans on the platform were 0-100 before the tent was pulled back.
- By 2:45pm the cartridge was landed on the support tubes in the BSC2 chamber. The tent was restored and the ISI left covered at the dome.
Tyler, Travis, Jordan, Corey, Jim in suits at the Test Stand for lift off
Randy on the Crane controls
Mitchell, Gerardo, Betsy in support
Jim and Ibrahim in the chamber for the lowering, alignment and support tube bolt attachments
Danny on Safety watch
More pictures to follow, but attaching a good one of the LVEA perspective actross the West bay and of Danny monitoring the flight.
Well done all, big job complete. Now tune-up, align and close! Easy button.