The 8.7 ton dish is lifted by a crane and slowly transferred to the tower.
(MEAGHAN ARCHER / iNFOnews.ca)
May 07, 2014 - 11:12 AM
PENTICTON - No dishes were damaged this morning as National Research Council engineers and staff transferred an 8.7 tonne telescope reflecter dish.
The dish was brought to the South Okanagan conservatory in October via helicopter, but high pressure winds damaged the dish causing setbacks.
Research engineer Gordon Lacy worked on getting the dish back to its original shape, a process that included leveling, shaping and painting.
The dish has been lifted several times since the fall, so engineers were confident today’s transfer would be successful.
And it was. But this is still the beginning.
The dish, which requires a secondary tower and other add ons, does not yet have a radio signal. Lacy said the dish will be near full operation in the fall, if all goes well.
He explained the dish is a prototype that will be used for research. The main goal right now, he said, is to take physical measurements of the dish that can be used for future research.
Engineers secure the dish to the tower.
(MEAGHAN ARCHER / iNFOnews.ca)
To contact the reporter for this story, email Meaghan Archer at marcher@infotelnews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2014