Past Weekly Report Extracts

SOFIA Weekly Report Extracts for March 12, 2004

USRA Program Management:

• USRA began negotiations for SOFIA Operations and Maintenance with Evergreen Air in Tucson, Arizona, from 8-10 March.  A model contract, negotiation memorandum, Performance Evaluation Plan and all consent requirements to meet NASA contracting standards have been assembled for delivery to Ames Research Center.  Weekly follow-up telecons and meetings will take place in order to meet the 31 March 2004 date for contract signing.
• USRA led a joint planning and scheduling effort for the remainder of Telescope Assembly test and verification phase, June through October 2004
• SOFIA made its first trip in 6 years, coming down off its cradle support structure and out of the scaffolding before being towed to another hangar.

Aircraft Modification and AITV:

• Spare engine was shipped to an engine test cell for data required for flight test
• Kayser-Threde (German) engineers arrived and successfully completed potting (sealing) around Telescope Assembly Cables that cross the aircraft pressure boundary.  This was a necessary precursor of the Aircraft Proof Pressure test, scheduled for April.

Information Systems Development:

• Prepared and presented materials to NASA on the subject of Cavity Door Drive System deliverables
• Began integrating the Proposal Development tool with the Data Cycle System (DCS) Core
• Began hosting the standard DCS user-interface components on the DCS hardware

USRA Engineering:

• Completing drawings of weights to bring SI Counterweight Rack with Joint Observatory Testing and Integration Group (JOTIG) electronics installed up to 150 kg weight
• Completing drawings for Primary Mirror Recoating Facility Alignment hardware

Science and Mission Operations Development:

• Formulated Rev B of White Paper on the SOFIA Observing Program.  This will be circulated to the Core Science Working Group (CSWG) for a review meeting next week.

Safety, Reliability, Maintainability and Quality Assurance:

• Participated in the RFA Summit while in Waco focusing on closing issues connected with safety and the Oxygen Depletion Monitoring System Flight

Operations and Maintenance Planning:

• B747SP engine options
• will recommend 2 engines for purchase

Education and Public Outreach:

• Identified SOFIA logo to be promoted for uniform use in slides and hardcopy across instrument teams and USRA/SOFIA
• Took lead in beginning process of defining "Early Release Observations" (EROs), that can be made during early SOFIA science flights as good PR for the observatory

Page Last Updated: March 25, 2004