I dag utfördes en launch rehearsal av PoGO+ där man testade om förutsättningarna är rätt för rymdteleskopet att kunna lyfta. Nu hoppas man kunna sända upp PoGO+ natten mellan lördag och söndag. Under morgondagen kommer projektgruppen besluta om man ska börja försöken.
Nedan skriver Mark Pearce, projektledare för PoGO+, om förväntningarna.
Expectations are high
After what seems like an eternity, we’re now entering a period of better weather at Esrange. The last few weeks have been characterised by cloudy, rainy and windy conditions - not good for launching balloons or conducting tests outdoors. Now, though, we are expected to have several launch opportunities during the coming days. Today, we had a launch dress rehearsal and made final adjustments to checklists. Tomorrow, we’ll have a weather meeting after lunch and this will hopefully result in a decision to attempt a launch. If so, the launch will occur no earlier than 0100 on Sunday morning.
You can follow the launch preparations via the Esrange webcam, http://esrange.insupport.se and I’ll send updates as the day evolves over Twitter, @markp8183.
Hopefully, my next post will report a successful launch and the start of Crab observations.
Fingers crossed!
-Mark
