“Today after nearly four years of non-use we opened latch valves and fired a pyrovalve to repressurize the propellant tanks on the Juno spacecraft. Everything went well as we had hoped.”
The events as told to VACCO by Lockheed Martin were as follows; Lockheed first opened the two VACCO high pressure latch valves which brought GHe back on line to pressurize the fuel tanks. The latch valves opened fine and the VACCO check valves showed proper crack and reseat. Then, they fired a pyrovalve and repressurized the OX tank (the same good check valve performance was repeated). After a 4 hour period the two high pressure latch valves were closed. The spacecraft was then pressurized for Juno’s Orbit Insertion phase or JOI and the valves were reopened Sunday afternoon (33 hours before JOI) for the orbit burn which we later learned to be as successful.
Lockheed Martin
VACCO Industries congratulates Lockheed Martin on their successful mission, and we are proud to be aboard the Juno spacecraft.
