On October 5,
2009, the RAIDS (Remote Atmospheric and Ionospheric
Detection System) instrument, part of the recently launched HREP
mission, has successfully achieved first motion. After docking at
the ISS JEM-EF (International Space Station Japanese Experiment Module
– Exposed Facility) in late September 2009, the instrument successfully
progressed through a series of internal electrical verification checks
that culminated in the release of the latching mechanism and the
initiation of the scanning motion for the sensor section of the
instrument. The instrument will continuously scan the atmosphere
between altitudes of 90 and 350 km over a waveband of 55–870
nm.
RSI's
Contribution
Research
Support Instruments designed, built, and fabricated, the FUV,
MUV, NUV, and NIR spectrometers, telescopes, detector modules, and
power supplies for the RAIDS instrument under contract to the Naval
Research Laboratory. It was manifested as part of NASA’s
HREP (HICO [hyperspectral imager for the coastal ocean] / RAIDS
Experiment Payload) mission. HREP was launched from Tanegashima
Japan on September 11, 2009 at 2:01 AM JST. Approximately 1 week later
the HTV (H2B Transfer Vehicle) cargo carrier was captured and docked to
the ISS by the ISS remote arm. Four days later HREP was removed
from the HTV and deployed at node 6 of the JEM-EF.
