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.
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NASA ID
GSFC_20160411_NICER_m12529_RangeofMotion
Date Created
April 11, 2016
Center
GSFC
Media Type
video
Photographer
Rich Melnick
Location
Goddard Space Flight Center
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