Contents: 1) Problem found with the satellite gyros 2) Phase 2 submissions - Fixed Target GIs and Moving Target/TOO GIs 3) Puerto Rico ground station update 4) FUSE satellite testing 1) Problem found with the satellite gyros A problem was discovered last month with one of the inertial reference units (IRU) for the FUSE spacecraft. Each IRU contains 3 ring laser gyros. Thermal vacuum testing of one of the IRUs by the FUSE team revealed that the laser intensity is slowly decreasing in two of the axes during normal operation. While operational at the present time, if uncorrected, the IRU would fail prematurely in orbit, well before achieving the three-year mission lifetime. A team, with members from several organizations including the manufacturer, the FUSE team, and GSFC is working to find a timely solution to the IRU problem. We expect to know in about 30 days if FUSE will make the scheduled launch date of March 18, 1999. 2) Phase 2 submissions - Fixed Target GIs and Moving Target/TOO GIs The first phase 2, GI deadline passed on Oct. 9. Almost all of the concerned GIs met the deadline (thank you!). The FUSE Mission Planning staff will be reviewing your inputs in detail, and will contact you directly if any clarifications are needed. Please support them by answering any questions or providing any additional information in a timely fashion. The deadline for Target Of Opportunity (TOO) and Moving target (MT) programs is coming up soon, on the 13:th of November. Those of you with programs in this category should hopefully be close to finishing your inputs. For questions and/or further information see the web fuse_support@pha.jhu.edu 3) Puerto Rico ground station update As you may recall from the October newsletter, the FUSE ground station in Puerto Rico was rather severely damaged by hurricane Georges. We are now happy to tell you that it will be fixed! A new dish as well as a protective radome will be installed at the original site at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez (UPRM). Very recently the damaged antenna mount was removed from the rooftop at Mayaguez and shipped to California for refurbishment. A new reflector (dish) is being fabricated. The new antenna will be re-integrated in Puerto Rico by late January. Should the UPRM site not be fully commissioned at the time of launch, the Hawaii station will become our primary satellite communication station with some support from the LEO-T site at Wallops. 4) FUSE satellite testing FUSE is currently installed in a vacuum chamber at GSFC. A collimator with a UV line lamp is mounted above FUSE and will be used to measure the focus, alignment, and UV throughput during thermal-vacuum testing scheduled to begin during mid-November. The Comprehensive Performance Test (CPT) concluded last week, and Mission Simulation Tests (MSTs), in which typical mission timelines are simulated, are underway. As usual, information on the test results can be found on the Satellite ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Observer's Electronic Newsletter is published Monthly by the FUSE project and is aimed at the FUSE user community. Editor: B-G Andersson, FUSE Guest Investigator Officer. The FUSE Project is managed by Johns Hopkins University's Center for Astrophysical Sciences in Baltimore, MD, for NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. The FUSE Principal Investigator is Dr. Warren Moos, the FUSE Project Manager at JHU is Mr. Dennis McCarthy, and the NASA Project Scientist for FUSE is Dr. George Sonneborn. Further information about the FUSE Guest Investigator Program can be obtained from: Dr. George Sonneborn; sonneborn@stars.gsfc.nasa.gov ------------------------------------------------------------------------------