[meteorite-list] MUSES-C Update - August 6, 2002

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:52:14 2004
Message-ID: <200208151829.LAA21459_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.isas.ac.jp/e/new/release/2002/06_01.html

 Status Report of MUSES-C Overall Testing
 ISAS
 August 6, 2002

 The fuselage of the MUSES-C engineering spacecraft that was temporarily
 away from the Sagamihara Campus for rigging a chemical propulsion engine
 returned to Sagamihara at the end of April and started the second half of
 its overall testing. A preliminary meeting was held on April 26 where
 everyone involved participated to discuss testing arrangements. As it is a
 planetary explorer, its launch window is restricted, which allows almost no
 leeway in the schedule for unexpected delays. During the public holiday
 after the meeting, therefore, the MUSES-C group could not take any days
 off. The intensified competition between instrumental adjustments and
 restricted timeframe also shows that the launch is approaching.

 With an addition of a new clean room, there are now three spacecrafts
 placed side by side: SOLAR-B in the new clean room, and MUSES-C and ASTRO-F
 in the old clean room. Three satellites in a row is in fact a rare
 occurrence. From 9 to 9:30 in the morning, many people can be seen coming
 and going between A and C Buildings. It is only here at ISAS where you can
 hear people asking which morning meetings they are heading for. So many
 people are involved in so many mission projects offering support to each
 other. As rocket-related work has also started recently, we see many
 manufacturers coming in one after another.

 There have been increasingly more visitors and reporters after the new
 fiscal year started. Although we are a little annoyed at the same old
 question, "Can you really do such an outrageous thing?", repeated so often,
 we welcome and are happy to see their interest in space.
Received on Thu 15 Aug 2002 02:29:54 PM PDT