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Three days in one...
Jun. 18th, 2004 12:26 pmYesterday, after having slept from about 6:30 am until 11:30 am, I found myself thinking of the launch as having occurred "yesterday" when it jolly well had occurred the same day. This was one of the few stray thoughts that crossed my mind as I helped the Astrium folks clear the vault of two umbilical racks (equipment sets that connect, via a route that goes underground and through the launch vehicle, to the satellite).
I have to tell you, I have rarely seen people work so fast.
The time from when we got there to when we left must've been under an hour. As the equipment was being strapped down in the truck that would take it back to the полтинник (where the shipping containers are located), I looked around the area. The pad, which had been painted green before the launch, was black. Looking at the flame trench (structures under the pad that direct the rocket's exhaust off to the side), I saw what appeared to my failing eyes to be some kind of deposits here and there.
When I asked about the deposit, I found out it was concrete that had been melted and blasted away by the Proton's engines during liftoff. This concrete "vapor," if you will, then hits the concrete surface of the trench, cools down (relatively speaking) and sticks. I was able to pry off a little shard of the stuff; it's got a shiny surface, has a green color (like cement), and little pockets that give one the impression it solidified quickly.
Once I finished working with the racks, I returned to the hotel for a nap, to prepare for the evening's farewell banquet being thrown by Khrunichev.
The banquet was much different from the one held at the close of last year's campaign. For one thing, there were no management-led toasts before the assembled multitudes. (That is good.) On the other hand, though, there was quite a bit of one-on-one interpretation between management types, who did not like to see interpreters with empty glasses (if you get my hint). While it was interesting to see everyone let their hair down, it was nevertheless a long night of work.
I've got to be at the полтинник in about half and hour, and I'm still sitting here in shorts, having just finished laundry and a preliminary packing of my bags. Time to get moving.
Cheers...
I have to tell you, I have rarely seen people work so fast.
The time from when we got there to when we left must've been under an hour. As the equipment was being strapped down in the truck that would take it back to the полтинник (where the shipping containers are located), I looked around the area. The pad, which had been painted green before the launch, was black. Looking at the flame trench (structures under the pad that direct the rocket's exhaust off to the side), I saw what appeared to my failing eyes to be some kind of deposits here and there.
When I asked about the deposit, I found out it was concrete that had been melted and blasted away by the Proton's engines during liftoff. This concrete "vapor," if you will, then hits the concrete surface of the trench, cools down (relatively speaking) and sticks. I was able to pry off a little shard of the stuff; it's got a shiny surface, has a green color (like cement), and little pockets that give one the impression it solidified quickly.
Once I finished working with the racks, I returned to the hotel for a nap, to prepare for the evening's farewell banquet being thrown by Khrunichev.
The banquet was much different from the one held at the close of last year's campaign. For one thing, there were no management-led toasts before the assembled multitudes. (That is good.) On the other hand, though, there was quite a bit of one-on-one interpretation between management types, who did not like to see interpreters with empty glasses (if you get my hint). While it was interesting to see everyone let their hair down, it was nevertheless a long night of work.
I've got to be at the полтинник in about half and hour, and I'm still sitting here in shorts, having just finished laundry and a preliminary packing of my bags. Time to get moving.
Cheers...
