FUSE Satellite Status Report

Report #8
Star Date: Dec. 22, 1998

The FUSE Project has requested and obtained a change to the FUSE launch date.

NASA will request a launch opportunity in late May 1999 at the earliest, and possibly into June 1999, from Boeing (who controls the Delta launch manifest). An exact planning date will be selected at a later time.

It was our position that the practical, prudent, and realistic approach to mitigate on-orbit operational risk was to provide more test opportunity, as well as reworking the current Inertial Reference Units.

The Project plan is:

• Complete T-V in mid-January
• Place the Satellite in the SSDIF (HST Cleanroom) at NASA/GSFC.
• Remove the gyro for rework at Allied and modify the electrical harness to provide for the ability to utilize three IRU's.
• Continue to operate the Satellite in the cleanroom from the SCC during February and March.
• Install the gyros (two from Allied and the third from Honeywell or OSC), and conduct proper electrical/ACS testing.
• Ship to CCAS/KSC in mid-April.

The satellite environmental test program has been very successful and everyone's hard work has allowed us to uncover the problems which we are now so diligently trying to resolve.

Reported by: Dennis McCarthy, FUSE Project Manager

Photo: FUSE at NASA/GSFC.
(Click on photo to see enlarged version.)