Log Book for January 22, 2011

Engineering Report

Haritina Mogosanu Reporting



Generator/Electricity:

Kitty (Diesel Generator) (Used? Yes/No): Yes, running all day

Honey (Gas Generator) (Used? Yes/No): Not used

Battery Charge Level:?
29.5 V everstart
34.6 V armor plate
40.7 V green

Notes/Comments (include how many generator runs, approximately when, and any times you needed to turn the generator on/off):
1 generator run all day ok


Fuel Status:

Diesel (Full/0.75/0.5/0.25/Empty): 0.5

Propane Tank (Full/0.75/0.5/0.25/Empty): 0.35

Gasoline Tank (Full/0.75/0.5/0.25/Empty):1 containers full x 5 gallons 1 half

Notes/Comments:


Oil: not checked DG said to leave it to him

Kitty Oil Quantity (# of Quarts in storage):2.5 gal

Honey Oil Quantity (# of Quarts in storage):3 gal

ATV Oil Quantity (# of Quarts in storage):on the engineering work bench
2 x 946 ml

Car Oil Quantity (# of Quarts in storage):where is it?


Water Status:

Outside Potable Water Tank Level (inches from bottom): 11

Trailer Potable Water Tank Level (inches from bottom): almost full

Hab Potable Water Tank Level (inches from bottom): 8

Potable Water Meter Reading: 411762

Notes/Comments:


GreenHab:

Condition of plants in Tank 1: plants dead please advise

Condition of plants in Tank 2: very poor

Condition of plants in Tank 3: improving

Greenhab notes/ comments:
Please send a new shipment if plants for aquatic tank 1 as they were all dead. Also, aquatic tank 2 needs some reinforcements.


Observatory:

Telescope Used? (Yes/no) yes - please see additional report below

Observatory Notes:


Transportation:

Hab Car (NOT RENTAL)
Used (yes/no):No
Oil Checked (yes/no):No
Tire Status:not checked
Odometer at end of day:-123188
Notes/Comments on Hab Car:

ATV 1 (Opportunity):
Used: y/n y
Oil Checked: y/n y
Fuel Consumed: filled
Tire Status:checked
Comments:

ATV 2 (Spirit):
Used: y/n y
Oil Checked: y/n y
Fuel Consumed:replaced
Tire Status:checked
Comments:

ATV 3 (Viking I):
Used: y/n n
Oil Checked: y/n n
Fuel Consumed: replaced
Tire Status: not checked
Comments: started

ATV 4 (Viking II):
Used: y/n y
Oil Checked: y/n y
Fuel Consumed: replaced
Tire Status: checked
Comments:


Heating and Ventilation:
Thermostat setting upstairs (Farenheit): 65
Actual temperature upstairs (Farenheit): 70

Thermostat setting downstairs (Farenheit): 55
Actual temperature downstairs (Farenheit): 60


Computers/Networking Infrastructure:

Notes/comments on internet/computers?: all ok


General Engineering
1. Notes/Comments:
DG was here again and made major repairs to the plumbing and the insulation as you may know.


Supplementary - Musk Observatory Status Report

1. Dome
Engine not functional, the box in which the engine is located needs reinforcing or replacement;

2. Telescope
- Fully functional, I practiced polar alignment last night all night and I was happy with the result.
- Fit to use for visual astronomy albeit there was a small error that could be easily corrected in the finderscope provided the person who uses it knows the sky well.
- Both slew and slow motions work perfectly.

2. Robofocus is working very well

3. Alignment and safety:
3.1 Pier - offset alignment with the telescope mount (A, B, C)
3.2 Pier-to-telescope Mount - has one screw broken (image D) and DG who came today was not able to remove it in order to replace it. This makes the telescope wobbly on the altitude axis. This is not acceptable for the safety of the telescope not to mention imaging with it. DG reinforced the other two screws. We took the telescope down and tried to look inside the pier but we decided that it was not safe to open the cylinder with the controls without knowing what was in there. We put the telescope back. (Note: The telescope is designed to be transportable - and it could sit very well on a tripod too - therefore I considered the risk of removing it from the pier acceptable as I have handled these telescopes before.)

There are two options to fix this without opening it, either to cut the screw or light weld a reinforcement bar and DG he said that he could do that. Please advise ASAP, it would be great to take advantage of me being here and get the telescope issue out of the way, leaving it fully functional - to include astrophotography. Besides it would make me happy too as I would have the chance to be useful :)

3.3 Leveling - telescope is now leveled (Image "F" before, Image "G" after). To do that we screwed the bolts at the bottom of the pier.

PDF of telescope mount images