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Solar Array Deployment Begins

Solar array deployment begins. GPM has two arrays to power the spacecraft because of its orbit. It circles the Earth at an angle slanted 65 degrees up from the equator. This means it does not cross the equator at the same time every day – an advantage for monitoring rainfall at different times of day and night.

GPM Solar Array Deployment Test

GPM Solar Array Deployment Test
Friday, July 5, 2013
By Kasha Patel, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Original www.nasa.gov Feature (published 7/1/13) NASA successfully completed two pre-vibration solar array deployment tests of the Global Precipitation Measurement satellite on June 6 and June 15, 2013. This video montage shows scenes from the test deployments of both GPM Core satellite solar arrays in a clean room at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., in June 2013. Video Credit: NASA Goddard “Cross your fingers. Cross your toes,” said Art Azarbarzin, GPM project manager, as he watched engineers take their places around the...
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Solar Array Vibration and Acoustic Testing

GPM's two solar array wings completed vibration and acoustic testing at Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. The solar arrays were integrated to an identical copy of the Lower Bus Structure of the satellite for this testing. These tests and deployments demonstrate the ability of the solar array to withstand the vibrations and sounds the satellite will be subject to during launch as well as test the ability of the solar arrays to unfold once in orbit. Diagram of the GPM Core Observatory depicting various components of the Solar Array Assembly.

GPM Solar Array Deployment Test

Submitted by JacobAdmin on Wed, 12/14/2011

(ambient audio only)

This and other similar tests will verify the deployment function of the GPM Core Observatory solar arrays in ambient condition. Data such as deployment time, hinge forces, and system stiffness will be gathered and reviewed for requirement compliance. The qualification unit was assembled with flight and non-flight components. The flight components will be removed and integrated with the flight unit after qualification testing.  

GPM's Solar Array Wings in Testing

(ambient audio only) This and other similar tests will verify the deployment function of the GPM Core Observatory solar arrays in ambient condition. Data such as deployment time, hinge forces, and system stiffness will be gathered and reviewed for requirement compliance. The qualification unit was assembled with flight and non-flight components. The flight components will be removed and integrated with the flight unit after qualification testing. GPM's two solar array wings that extend to the right (+Y) and left (-Y) of the spacecraft are currently undergoing assembly and testing at Goddard
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