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Hardware Status
ARCADE has shipped for the
launch site
in Palestine, Texas.
All 7 radiometers have completed cryogenic testing
and are ready for flight.
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The support structure for the ARCADE antenna apertures
undergoes thermal cycling using liquid nitrogen.
We cool the structure to 77 K (-352 F)
to ensure that thermal contraction does not cause
any warping.
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Paul Mirel is Boreas, Greek god of the North Wind.
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ARCADE 7 GHz radiometer
on the bench prior to testing.
The aluminum cylinder on the left
houses the internal reference load.
The rectangular to circular waveguide transition
for the horn antenna is visible on the right.
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Flight dewar during a test of the ascent cooling.
During ascent, approximately half of the 2000 liters
of liquid helium will boil away. We route this cold gas
through the aperture plane to pre-cool the external calibrator
prior to turning on the
superfluid pumps
at float.
The test shown simulated the payload ascent
by using a kilowatt heater
to boil off 900 liters of liquid helium in half an hour.
Yow!
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