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The back end of the Gemini North telescope
This image was taken before Hokupa'a arrived on the mountain. The future home of Hokupa'a is of the 5 possible balast weight modules (4 on the sides and one on the back) visible on this image.
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The back end of the Gemini North telescope
This image was taken before Hokupa'a arrived on the mountain.
The future home of Hokupa'a is of the 5 possible balast weight modules (4 on the sides and one on the back) visible on this image.
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A view of Mauna Kea before the move to Gemini.
The shiny dome slightly to the right of the center of this image is the Gemini telescope, in which Hokupa'a is soon to be installed.
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Buzz is being harsh with the Gemini balast weight module.
The balast weight module has to be modified so that Hokupa'a's optical bench can fit in it. No problem for Buzz and his "Buzz saw".
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The balast module after modification.
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Balast weight module at the IfA.
The electronics and cooling system of Hokupa'a are on the upper part of the balast weight module. The lower part is now ready for the optical bench which mates to the lower rails and slides in.
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Buzz and Dan O'Connor are inspecting the balast weight module in the machine shop at the IfA.
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Another view of the balast weight module at the IfA prior to shippment to Gemini.
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Side view showing the arrangement of the electronics and cooling system of Hokupa'a.
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The optical bench and the balast weight module.
Hokupa'a's optical bench can be seen on the left part of this image and awaits its insertion into the balast (background).
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Hokupa'a's optical bench before incorporation into the balast weight assembly.
Note the half parabola necessary in the off-axis design.
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Another view of the optical bench in the machine shop at the IfA.
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Top view of the electronics and cooling system. The glycol heat exchange units are shown below the center bar of the top of the balast weight module.
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Another view of the optical bench at the IFA.
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Buzz next to the optical bench.
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The ballast with just electronics in, waiting for the optical bench to "slide" in on the rails below.
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Buzz, Giving the shaka with the optical bench touting the many uses of surfboard wax.
Just prior to this photo, Buzz waxed up the lower rails of the optical bench with surfboard wax for easy sliding
with the aluminum rails on the balast weight module. Did it work? We will find out in a few pictures down...
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Transfering the optical bench from the optical table to the forklift.
Here Freddy, Dan O' and Buzz perform the delicate transfer manuver. Don't slip!
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More of the last image.
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Even more!
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Sliding easy.
Looks like the surfboard wax worked well! Once alligned, the optical bench smoothly glides on the rails into place where it is secured with large nuts and bolts. Whew!
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The optical bench inside the balast weight module.
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Dan O' performing the final inspection at the IFA before shipping off to Gemini.
After all the peices were in place, the full assembly was secured, wrapped in plastic, crated and then sent by air to Hilo, Hawaii. From there, the unit was taken by truck up to the telescope at the summit of Mauna Kea.
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Same as last.