Cryostat as of July 7, 1997.
The cryostat during its first cool-down. Helium and vacuum lines are connected.
Primary-Secondary Tank External Configuration as of 7 Nov 96
Tape holds tank to supports in case of earthquake. Bagged plastic pieces are used to wrap instrumentation wires around to keep wires from tangling. The blue outlined rectangle near the top end of the tank is a heater, covered with Aluminum foil. Teflon line hanging on bottom end of assembly goes to primary tank emergency vent line, and teflon lines on the forward part of the assembly are for the secondary tank coolant inlets and outlets.
Primary-Secondary Tank Internal Configuration as of 7 Nov 96
Foreground shows shield #1 forward cylinder and one secondary tank coolant line. Aft show insulated primary tank.
Cryostat side view on February 12, 1997.
This photo, taken February 12, 1997, shows a side view of the WIRE cryostat currently under assembly at Lockheed Martin in Palo Alto, CA. The forward aperture faces to the right in the photo; the aft dome of the second vapor cooled shield is to the left. The long dimension of the pictured hardware is about 30 inches. The primary vent line protrudes through the upper left portion of the aft dome. The ring visible at the right "shoulder" of the cryostat is the aluminum ring that connects the #3 composite support tube (installed, but hidden by the vapor cooled shield) to the #4 support tube (not yet installed). The central tube holding the cryostat is a fixture that will be removed later.
Cryostat top view on February 12, 1997.
This photo, taken February 12, 1997, shows the forward aperture of the cryostat currently under assembly at Lockheed Martin in Palo Alto, CA. The plastic bag holds instrumentation wiring. The cryostat assembly as shown has been built outward from the two inner tanks (not visible) to the second vapor-cooled shield seen in the photo. The ring located at the "shoulder" of the cryostat is the aluminum ring that connects the #3 composite support tube (installed, but not visible) to the #4 support tube (not yet installed). The central tube holding the cryostat is a fixture that will be removed later.