NuSTAR Bringing the High Energy Universe into Focus

 

Final Pre-Launch Mast Deployment

Final_deployment

The final pre-launch deployment of the NuSTAR articulated mast occurred on in late 2010. The mast was launched in a compressed state, expanding to 10 meter (33 feet) when deployed. This provided a compact, low weight, stable platform to separate the NuSTAR optics modules from the detectors at the focal plane. The mast was designed and built by ATK Goleta, and has significant flight heritage, including the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) which flew on the Space Shuttle Endeavor in February 2000 and made high-resolution elevation (topographic) maps of most of our planet. In the foreground is the deployed NuSTAR mast, with key NuSTAR people in the background. The next time the mast extended like this was one week after launch, in low Earth orbit.