🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <IfG6hqu00XsFRFwEc9@andrew.cmu.edu>, bluelobster+@CMU.EDU (David O Hunt) writes...
>Is there anyway of telling that the hammering is making progress (aside
>from rib release)?

The sun sensor and wobble measurements are the two main indicators.  The
shadow of the antenna falling across the sun sensor is used measure the extent
the antenna is open.  Since the stuck ribs cause the antenna to be
more open on one side than the other (asymmetrically deployed) and the
spacecraft is spinning, a slight wobble exists which can be measured.
Also, when the antenna is fully open, a couple of switches will be activated.
After the first antenna hammering last week, the sun sensor and wobble
measurments indicated a change in the antenna, the first change measured
since the initial antenna deployment attempt in April 1991.  The recent 
sun sensor data indicates that the antenna is "more open", and this is either 
due to one of the three stuck ribs popping loose, 
or increased tension on the antenna is causing it to bend out more.  Several 
more hammering sessions are scheduled this month to keep applying more force 
on the ballscrew to free the stuck ribs.
     ___    _____     ___
    /_ /|  /____/ \  /_ /|     Ron Baalke         | baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov
    | | | |  __ \ /| | | |     Jet Propulsion Lab |
 ___| | | | |__) |/  | | |__   M/S 525-3684 Telos | Choose a job you love, and
/___| | | |  ___/    | |/__ /| Pasadena, CA 91109 | you'll never have to work
|_____|/  |_|/       |_____|/                     | a day in your life.