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Posted by: ncc1701d May 29 2013, 04:22 PM

Does anyone know currently any of the engineers or scientists who worked directly on the Pioneer Venus Orbiter? Are they all dead or retired now? I have a specific yet simple question about how the pin puller latch locks cabling was attached or ran along the magnetometer boom. Ideally this person would have to have seen the real pioneer orbiter to answer the question.
All nasa pdfs info and photos I have found are inconclusive. I would prefer an expert as oppossed to lots of guesses. It would be easy question for them since they would have seen the real orbiter.
thanks

Posted by: djellison May 29 2013, 06:33 PM

I assume you've found the model hanging in the Smithsonian to be lacking somehow?

Doug

Posted by: ncc1701d May 29 2013, 09:29 PM

yes and even photographs of the real thing
arent clear enough to explain it.
The pin puller latch locks only show up in photos and couple illustrations but this detail is avoided. The cabling that connects them either runs along the etire boom along the outside or actually weaves into holes leading inside the boom from the underside. Confirmation for me could only really be determined by someone who actually was their to know for sure because its not talked about in diagrams. I could guess. The cables might go in holes but I dont really want to guess since I am creating educational art and I am kind of anal.

Posted by: cndwrld May 30 2013, 10:27 AM

I used to work at Hughes Space and Communications, which built the bus. I worked on Magellan, and there were a couple guys who had also worked on PV. They are all certainly dead or retired. But one guy who worked on Magellan (and is now retired) might know someone who might now. Its a long shot, but I'll send your question to him, and see if you get lucky.

Posted by: rlorenz May 31 2013, 11:52 PM

Bernie Bienstock (now at JPL, still active) worked on Pioneer Venus (at least on the probes, not sure about the orbiter) - would be worth asking him. He'll be at the International Planetary Probe Workshop in San Jose in a couple of weeks if that is relevant.

Posted by: rlorenz May 31 2013, 11:54 PM

though not anal enough to spell 'pin puller' correctly, apparently..... ;-)