11 June 2015: Progress Update
The focal plane subsystem (including the focal plane assembly and the proximity electronics) has arrived. It is running ...
... and is now being powered via the CaSSIS power control module. Both the FPA and the PCM will get replaced by the final flight elements in 3 weeks or so. We have been commanding manually through the ground support equipment and it looks good.
The PCM, the rotation control module and the digital processing module (the latter two boards being flight) are connected and talking to each other. The hardware seems to be good.
The flight software has been loaded but is still not stable. It is stable when I sit next to it apparently. The guys have asked ESA to provide a seat for me on the spacecraft next to the instrument.
The telescope mirrors are mounted and aligned. We seem to be OK apart from a slight (1 mm) physical shift of the field of view which we have to compensate for. Not quite sure how yet but …. It will be OK. The focus looks good (<10 micron FWHM in the centre of field was the preliminary number). Delivery expected on 15 July.
Last parts for the structure (the heaters) are due here on 13 July. We begin integration of the rotation structure and mechanism in 1st week of July.
The next 8-10 weeks are going to be ….. ahhhh….. interesting.