The Ohio State University College of Mathematical & Physical Sciences Department of Astronomy

Attendees: Darren DePoy, Jen Marshall, Tom O'Brien, Mark Derwent, Paul Byard, Ed Teiga, Dave Steinbrecher, Dave Brewer, Jerry Mason, Andy Krygier, & Rick Pogge

Ray Gonzalez will be arriving on January 10th to become our main software engineer for MODS. We've got computers ordered for him, and are getting his office space ready.

MODS Construction

We are now scheduled to take delivery of the first MODS steel framework in early February 2005. Space will immediately become an issue as MODS is big, and it will fill up about half of our highbay shop space (including work areas around the instrument). The shop's A-frame crane is being readied for its arrival, and we need to rearrange the work space. Tom and Andy Krygier are working on a detailed plan.

The arrival of MODS, and the shift from design to construction phases, space becomes an even more critical issue than before. Starting 2005 Feb 1, we will need 100% of the space in the "Solarium" room, which needs to be reconfigured into one big work room plus workbenches and computer stations in order to be able to work on at least 2 subsystems simultaneously (or one big one with lots of room). To help in this planning, Tom is working on a document that will give the working floorspace requirements for each MODS subsystem. "Working" space consists of the actual subsystem footprint (e.g., a camera on its handling cart) plus the room around it needed to work on the system effectively.

For most of the first year of the process, most subassemblies will be worked on and stored OFF-instrument. Only during the final grand assembly phases will subsystems be mounted more-or-less fulltime in the main structure. This means we need both work and storage space. We are continuing an assay of available storage space, some of which has been allowed to accumulate junk over the last few years, and are going to be ruthless about clearing space.

Every work space is on the table. Jerry and Rick are working to reconfigure the "engine room" to better situate the computer racks (including the new racks needed for MODS control computers) and make room for testing of one subsystem and the AGW cameras. The student lab will be primarily set aside for IMCS testing and integration, but there is room at the other end of the student lab to work on small subsystems like the instrument hatch or the calibration system.

All team members are tasked with assaying their work and storage areas to compile lists of unused or seldom-used equipment that could be stored off-site (or surplused) during the MODS assembly and testing phases. Please report these to Darren by the start of Winter Quarter (2005 Jan 3).

Tom reported on progress to put together the rigging for the MODS structure that lets us lift it onto the truck for shipping, and then off the truck and into the shop. We're in very good shape in this regard. He and Mark found a very nice 10-foot loadspreader that is perfectly suited to the job, with 8-tonne capacity and only costing $1200. We also find that we have a lot of chains, shackles, and other lifting hardware leftover from the Aluminizing project that can be turned to MODS use. We only need to purchase a couple $100 of new parts to complete the rigging set. The loadspreader has been ordered, and is being delivered direct to Indian Creek Fabricators so they can rig it up, tune the system, and make a few practice lifts ahead of the shipping date.

Total weight of the rig is about 3000kg, roughly 2000kg for the frame plus 1000kg for its handling cart. Right now the framework has been disassembled from its cart and is being prepped for painting at Indian Creek. Once painting is done, it will be ready for shipment.

In the McPherson shop the crew has been making excellent progress on cranking out grating-select turret frame pieces and invar camera truss rods.

Mark Derwent has assembled the two calibration towers and their rail systems, preparatory to wiring up the motors and sensors and starting to test the systems.

Pictures of the Calibration Towers

The baffle tube for the calibration system is currently being fabricated by Indian Creek. The baffle tube is about 20-cm in diameter and about 0.5-m long. It connects the integrating sphere to the calibration tower when the latter is in its "in-beam" position to direct calibration light (continuum and line lamps) into the MODS beam.

Finally, both darkslides are back from the anodizers, and have been assembled and readied for testing.

Pictures of the Dark Slides