Successful Hang Test Completed for CREAM Payload

Before a science payload can be declared flight ready we have to hang it on the front of our launch vehicle and connect through our electronic systems, parachute, and flight termination systems. In order to test all communications we have to do this between noon and 5:00PM so it could communicate with the TDRSS satellite. The satellite is out of range at other times. The TDRSS satellite is how we and the scientists and communicate with our systems after launch when the balloon is more than 250 miles away from McMurdo. We also need a nice sunny day in order to test the solar panels to make sure they charge the batteries. Also, the solar panels themselves are quite fragile. They cannot withstand more than 10 miles an hour of sustained wind, and only 12 miles per hour in short gusts. So that's the forecasting challenge for me (and Chris our new meteorologist)..to predict a day in advance when we can take the payload outside and have those weather conditions or better between noon and 5:00PM. This is a pretty big deal since the hang test requires people at our home facility in Palestine, Texas to be on duty and it also requires the scheduling of time on the TDRSS satellite through their operations at White Sands Missile Range. On Saturday we identified Monday afternoon as the best time for the test, as the weather would deteriorate Tuesday afternoon and the rest of the week. The forecast correct and we had nice sunny skies and winds within acceptable levels. Winds were generally 5 to 8 miles per hour, with some periods of 10 to 11 miles per hour but that was all within limits. All of the CREAM and CSBF personnel in Antarctica and Palestine worked hard to complete this test and everything was completed by 4:00PM. You will see in my next post that our forecast of bad weather for Tuesday certainly came true. We were very glad to catch this window of nice weather. I have attached some pics of the CREAM payload, one inside before it was completely assembled, and then outside on the launch vehicle. Here is a link to learn more about the CREAM project:

http://cosmicray.umd.edu/cream/cream.html