RadioAstron Monthly Notices

April 2003

 

Tasks and developments completed in the ASC

 

1.       Checkout of EM of all devices installed in the Focal Container has been done as a preparation to deliver them to LA.

2.       Engineering models mentioned above were packed and delivered to LA to be assembled with the SRT.

3.       Zero Baseline Interferometer Tests (ZBIT) were successfully completed with on-board EMs and decoder for space arm of the interferometer and standard DAS for ground arm of the interferometer. S2 recording system and software correlator were used to carry out the tests. The tests were conducted with 6-cm receiver in 2x4 MHz recording mode with 2-bit sampling.

4.       LNAs for 18-cm and 6-cm receivers have been tested in the laboratory; the receivers will be installed at Kalyazin 64-m radio telescope.

5.       22-m radio telescope in Pushchino was tested at 12-GHz for future usage as RadioAstron Tracking Station antenna.

6.       Technical Task (TZ) for the development of on-board antenna-feeder system of VIRK was agreed between ASC and LA.

7.       Second version of RadioAstron Mission Operation Handbook has been issued (in Russian).

8.       Option of ASC RadioAstron web-pages was constructed in Russian language; English version has also been modified: www.asc.rssi.ru/radioastron/index.html

 

Tasks and developments completed in Lavochkin Association

 

1.       Special handscreens (shields) to cover airspaces between STR petals were manufactured and tested using three petals.

2.       Measurements of SRT surface accuracy were conducted during several successive unfolding and folding of the petals in order to prove unalterability.

3.       Device Container (DC) equipped with the thermal models of scientific payload was assembled with the Thermo-Vacuum Model (TVM) of the Spacecraft Bus.

4.       Focal Module equipped with the thermal models of scientific payload is prepared for thermal tests of special cryogenic system which will be used for LNA cooling during Pushchino test.

 

Appendix - the list of used acronyms

 

ASC     - Astro Space Center of Lebedev Physical Instutute

LA        - Lavochkin Association

SRT      - Space Radio Telescope (all scientific payload including 10-m dish)

TMS     - Spacecraft Telemetry System (technical)

VIRK     - Scientific high rate (up to 2x72 Mbit/s) radio complex, including    transponder

EM       - Engineering Model

FM       - Focal Module = Focal Container + Cold Plate

DC        - hermetic device container (part of payload); it contains Formatter, Rb oscillators, synthesizer, control unit and is placed under dish

DM       - Device Module = DC + H-maser

TVT      - Termo-Vacuum Tests

Cold Plate - cooled LNAs and antenna feed

Electronic Complex - all SRT electronics

Focal Container - hermetic package with the scientific payload; it contains receivers, microwave synthesizer, control unit and is placed in focal site of dish

Service Module, Spacecraft bus - spacecraft itself (without payload)