The next phase in this whole process is to get the telescope sky-worthy as soon as possible so that we can proceed with testing the performance of the re-aligned SAC. The first of these jobs was to take down the SAC installation platform.
Appropriate rigging was attached to the carriage part & hooked up to the dome crane.
Then the threaded rods holding up the far end of the "diving board" were undone & the bolts on the near side removed. No - Eben's head wasn't really holding the platform up at that point!
This allowed the whole platform to be slid outwards & lowered with the dome crane.
The >650 kg monstrosity, nearly 3 times the weight of the SAC, could then be lowered safely.
Guide ropes were used to steer it down for a graceful landing :)
Tomorrow the guys will remove the primary mirror cover!
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