LRO's modular spacecraft design is really paying off right now. While the electrical team connects the Power System Electronics (PSE), the Command and Data Handling (C&DH) system, and the Propulsion and Deployment Electronics (PDE) to the flight harness, the propulsion team is putting the finishing touches on the propulsion module, the mechanical team is installing the reaction wheels on the -z panel, and the facilities team is baking out the Instrument Module. The PSE and C&DH each attach to all of the other electronics in the Orbiter, and we must check out every signal on every connector, so the integration took a few days. We are currently working on the PDE electrical integration. We had our first official power-up of the spacecraft last week, successfully sending commands and receiving telemetry. The Gimbal Control Electronics are mounted to the panel, but not yet connected. Also last week, CRaTER completed its post-ship functional.

The reaction wheels are mounted on the -z panel. The black heat pipes come together between the wheels and carry heat out through the hole in the -z panel to the radiator panel. By changing the speed of the wheels, the attitude control system can rotate the Orbiter and precisely point the instruments. Note the extra printing on the cover of the wheel on the top left.

Al Lacks (left), Gordon Casto (center back), and Giulio Rosanova prepare to move the instrument module to the vacuum chamber (behind Gordon). The flight heaters, thermostats, and temperature sensors are already installed on the panel. Aluminum tape covers the heaters and spreads the heat out. Vacuum bake-out of the instrument module last week removed volatile contaminates, ensuring that we don't fog over the instruments when we install them..

We hope this small memorial, which will end up on the surface of the moon after LRO's mission ends, provides some comfort to Joe's family.

Kevin Blahut and Rex Richardson (wearing headset) perform safe-to-mate checks of the flight harness during integration of the PDE.

Al Lacks (left) and Carroll "Trick" Trickey perform the incoming inspection of the CRaTER instrument.