NICER Range of Motion Time-lapse

  • Released Monday, April 11, 2016
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The Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) Deploy and Pointing System (DAPS) is tested at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

The DAPS is only capable of moving in the weightless environment on orbit, not in Earth’s gravity on the ground. DAPS therefore was tested on a platform structure with wheels and bearings.

The test includes motions responsible for tracking and slewing between neutron star targets in the sky with NICER's X-ray Timing Instrument, which is stationary during this test because it is too heavy to be moved by the DAPS motors in Earth's gravity.

Time-lapse of the NICER range of motion test on April 11, 2016, at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

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NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

This page was originally published on Monday, April 11, 2016.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:48 PM EDT.

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