Pictures from JP Aerospace's DSS3/Oklahoma flight

Day 5: Friday, March 22, 2002

Friday was the final day of preparations before the next morning's scheduled launch of DSS. Everything had to come together today. The hope was to have everything by 7PM so that the team could go back to the motel and get enough sleep before arriving for launch preparations at 4AM Saturday.

The previous evening's fiberglass repairs to the main spar on two of the arms were inspected and approved. The DSS frame was assembled for flight first thing in the morning, with all five arms attached to the core. Electronics boxes were attached to the frame as they became ready.

By now, many of the residents of Burns Flat were dropping in to see the preparations. Some brought their kids to see it. We hadn't planned for this but even with just the previous day's welcomes we had received, there was no question we'd do what we could to welcome them as well. I was among the people who was mainly doing odd-jobs that day so I helped with some of the tours. My primary task is the tracking and recovery, which wouldn't begin until our first weather balloon was launched Saturday. And my secondary task of hauling things in my truck was mostly done on Thursday (except for a trip to Canute to refill the propane tanks.)

Somewhere during this day, the Oklahoma University payload arrived, late and overweight. It was too heavy for the DSS weight budget and too late to enter into the integration process. (The agreement was something like it should have been ready when we arrived on Wednesday.) The way the story was told to me, everyone was unhappy all around about this until the plan came up to fly it on our weather balloon which we'd use to test the winds before flying DSS.

As Natalie and Norm finalized the roster for the launch day activities, I asked Natalie to consider having me be one of the recovery crews who left after liftoff. Since I was one of the people to drive all the way from California, I wanted to see the launch. (Besides, I had my turn being one of the downrange away-before-dawn teams at the DSS1 flight at the Black Rock Desert in Nevada.) Fortunately, Natalie anticipated the question since she had been the one to ask me to drive my truck there, and assigned me as requested.

Also that afternoon, the winds aloft and surface weather forecasts came in, indicating that we were not likely to fly DSS on Saturday. And Sunday wasn't looking any better - but at least there was still some uncertainty about Sunday.

As more visitors came by through the afternoon, I helped the DSS assembly crew by putting a crowd line up around DSS. Since DSS was now all in one piece, being supported standing on its central core or hung from the hangar crane, the sawhorses that had been holding up the arms were repositioned to hold the crowd lines. The orange "caution tape" that I kept in my truck was used for the initial crowd lines. This is something we weren't accustomed to. But it's probably good practice - we may have to deal with visitors and crowds again in the future. It's fine to accomodate visitors and set limits where only the team can go - we had to do that so they could get their work done.

When everything else was done at the hangar, I made a trip to the WalMart in Elk City for some things that others needed, and for my own supplies that I'd need during the next day's tracking and recovery mission. When I got back, the team was splitting up among those who were critical to what still had to be done and those who could (and should) return to the motel for sleep. I was one who could go to the motel. But I'm sure some people didn't get any sleep that night.

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(1488x992 974K) (500x333 33K) Friday morning, DSS structural repairs are complete and electronics installation is now in progress. Ralph (left) and Dave (right) work on installation in this photo. The white boxes contain electronics and insulation to protect them from the -60F temperatures in the Stratosphere. Work continued through the day Friday.

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(1488x992 544K) (500x333 31K) Craig works on integrating the altitude-encoding (Mode C) aviation transponder. The transponder is used to enhance FAA radar reception and return altitude info for any aircraft, including DSS. This would allow air traffic controllers (and collision-avoidance gear on board aircraft) to see DSS clearly on radar and well beyond visible range while it climbs through altitudes where airplanes fly. (Jet airliners are limited to 40,000 feet - DSS is made to climb to 100,000 feet.)

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(1488x992 421K) (500x333 16K) My truck (blue) and the JPA control van (white) are parked on the airport ramp where the high-gain tracking antennas are being installed in front of the hangar. A JPA team member (probably Matt) is tying down a guy-line to hold the antennas in place through the anticipated strong winds overnight. (Note that this part of the ramp is cordoned off so there is no danger of our antennas getting in the way of taxiing aircraft. Do not try this at your home airport without airfield management permission and pilot supervision.)

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(1488x992 660K) (500x333 30K) The crane inside the former B-52 hangar is used for balance testing of DSS as equipment is added to the arms. Team members visible in the picture, left to right: Cindy (background in blue), Phoenix (in black), Donna (behind Phoenix), Matt, Al (talking to Matt), Craig (ducking under the DSS reinforcing wire behind Norm), and Norm.

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(1488x992 661K) (500x333 32K) The crane inside the former B-52 hangar is used for balance testing of DSS as equipment is added to the arms.

(1488x992 683K) (500x333 29K) The crane inside the former B-52 hangar is used for balance testing of DSS as equipment is added to the arms. Phoenix is on the left and Matt in the center.

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(1488x992 658K) (500x333 25K) The crane inside the former B-52 hangar is used for balance testing of DSS as equipment is added to the arms.

(1488x992 472K) (500x333 15K) Sunset Friday over the Clinton-Sherman Airport, to become the Oklahoma Spaceport when the Sun rises again. The antennas are now braced for the overnight winds. Concrete blocks were provided by Oklahoma Spaceport Authority personnel (and probably with help from local Burns Flat residents.)

Back to Ian's Pictures of DSS3

(1488x992 974K) (500x333 33K)	Friday morning, DSS structural repairs are complete and electronics installation is now in progress. Ralph (left) and Dave (right) work on installation in this photo. The white boxes contain electronics and insulation to protect them from the -60F temperatures in the Stratosphere. Work continued through the day Friday.
(1488x992 544K) (500x333 31K)	Craig works on integrating the altitude-encoding (Mode C) aviation transponder. The transponder is used to enhance FAA radar reception and return altitude info for any aircraft, including DSS. This would allow air traffic controllers (and collision-avoidance gear on board aircraft) to see DSS clearly on radar and well beyond visible range while it climbs through altitudes where airplanes fly. (Jet airliners are limited to 40,000 feet - DSS is made to climb to 100,000 feet.)
(1488x992 421K) (500x333 16K)	My truck (blue) and the JPA control van (white) are parked on the airport ramp where the high-gain tracking antennas are being installed in front of the hangar. A JPA team member (probably Matt) is tying down a guy-line to hold the antennas in place through the anticipated strong winds overnight. (Note that this part of the ramp is cordoned off so there is no danger of our antennas getting in the way of taxiing aircraft. Do not try this at your home airport without airfield management permission and pilot supervision.)
(1488x992 660K) (500x333 30K)	The crane inside the former B-52 hangar is used for balance testing of DSS as equipment is added to the arms. Team members visible in the picture, left to right: Cindy (background in blue), Phoenix (in black), Donna (behind Phoenix), Matt, Al (talking to Matt), Craig (ducking under the DSS reinforcing wire behind Norm), and Norm.
(1488x992 661K) (500x333 32K)	The crane inside the former B-52 hangar is used for balance testing of DSS as equipment is added to the arms.
(1488x992 683K) (500x333 29K)	The crane inside the former B-52 hangar is used for balance testing of DSS as equipment is added to the arms. Phoenix is on the left and Matt in the center.
(1488x992 658K) (500x333 25K)	The crane inside the former B-52 hangar is used for balance testing of DSS as equipment is added to the arms.
(1488x992 472K) (500x333 15K)	Sunset Friday over the Clinton-Sherman Airport, to become the Oklahoma Spaceport when the Sun rises again. The antennas are now braced for the overnight winds. Concrete blocks were provided by Oklahoma Spaceport Authority personnel (and probably with help from local Burns Flat residents.)