SIRTF Update October 6, 2003
sirtf
This is Day 43 of the 90-day in-orbit checkout and science
verification period. SIRTF is in focus, and cold! Telescope
performance meets or exceeds all requirements for image quality. The
telescope temperature is now below 5.5 K, the design temperature and
the temperature required for observations at 160 microns. Some parts
of the cold telescope assembly are still cooling and will not reach
steady-state for another week or two, but achievement of 5.5 K on
the telescope itself is an important milestone for SIRTF.
