Payload Recovery

The recoverable section of the payload includes the OGIVE parachute system, the attitude control system, the telemetry system, the XQC electronics section, the XQC dewar secction, and the re-entry shutter door. The payload landed with its parachute in a (mostly) dry lake bed which provided a very soft landing. Unfortunately the slightly damp soil completely filled the space below the shutter door which had to be cleaned out to check that the re-entry door did in fact close and protect the experiment. After the experiment was inspected for damage and the range safety officer had checked for leads from the readioactive calibration sources, the experiment was dissassembled into two pieces. Each piece was loaded onto its own transport helicopter and flown back to the vehicle assembly building for post flight calibration.


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This page was last updated July 1,1997 by Bradford Benson.