STARDUST
Status Report
July 10, 1998
Ken Atkins
STARDUST
Project Manager
Assembly, Test, and Launch Operations
(ATLO) activities: The Lockheed Martin Team completed the close out and
loading of the spacecraft into the shipping container for move to the
Multiple Test Facility (MTF) on schedule -- July 11!! This signals a major
step in readying the ship for flight. In the MTF it will be subjected
to the vacuum, thermal and other environments it will experience in actual
flight to the comet. This literal "spin, shake, and bake" is intended
to unmask any weak spots in Stardust's flight readiness. The move to
the MTF is like the "roll out" before first flight tests of new airplanes.
With the vehicle now assembled, the team is now anticipating a chance
to see how designs and manufacturing will work all together in the crucible
of space. It is an exciting time.
Certainly for those visiting
this site regularly, you have been able to follow the action on the vidicam
of the dedicated folks in the "bunny suits" as they have carefully brought
all the pieces together. We know Stardust is "alive" in the protective,
air-filled comfort of the "room-temperature" high bay. Now we're moving
the camera with the ship to chronicle the adventures in the tougher regime
of environmental and thermal test. So, stay tuned.
We announced
with the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund that all 58,214 names from the
Vietnam Memorial will be added to the second microchip as a tribute to
those who fell in America's longest war. Approximately 2,500,000 people
visit "The Wall" each year, making it the most-visited memorial in Washington
D.C. The full text of the press release is available by clicking on
"Stardust
in the News" under the "What's New" beacon on the homepage.
We
are now more than 600,000 "passengers" for the Wild-2 ride!
For
more information on the STARDUST mission - the first ever comet sample
return
mission - please visit the STARDUST home page: http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov
