PI Daily, May 2020
By Lindy Elkins-Tanton Starting January 1, 2020…
a new series of daily mission activity Tweets from Psyche Principal Investigator (PI) Lindy Elkins-Tanton.
#PI_Daily
The goal? To share an inside look at the chores, challenges, tasks, assignments, duties, and more taken on by a NASA mission PI!
Follow along on @MissionToPsyche or below.
There are multiple checks and independent assessments of a mission's schedule and budget. Today we're online listening to the report of another one…would rather be working the science and building the @NASAPsyche spacecraft! pic.twitter.com/mrFaVfETrk
— Lindy Elkins-Tanton (@ltelkins) May 29, 2020
A day of @NASAPsyche rest!
Great chat with @adamspacemann about the small worlds in our solar system.
Work on @II_ASU pilot projects, and Technological Leadership major, and @beaglelearning's partnership with @Gilmore_MoveUp and his colleagues in Mesa. 🚀🛰️📡🌑
— Lindy Elkins-Tanton (@ltelkins) May 22, 2020
Fourth hot-fire test for the SPT 140 thrusters for @NASAPsyche spacecraft! Going well.
(this photo from previous test, but looks much the same!) pic.twitter.com/UjPrBQfdXc
— Lindy Elkins-Tanton (@ltelkins) May 21, 2020
Prepping for Center Mgt Commitment mtgs @ JPL, & Directorate Program Mgt Council mtg w NASA HQ, both post-CDR activities.
Also responding to requests for performance evaluations.
Who out there has an example of a great performance eval format? Asking for a friend.
— Lindy Elkins-Tanton (@ltelkins) May 20, 2020
#PI_Daily
Now: Webex presentations from capstone teams who designed landers, samplers, mission designs for future asteroid exploration (~20% of total @NASAPsyche teams). Prototypes: walkers, jumpers, bouncers, tethers, Archimedes screw propulsionGreat to hear the students talk! pic.twitter.com/C8IuXuF9Qk
— Lindy Elkins-Tanton (@ltelkins) May 19, 2020
Post-CDR, right back to work full-speed. Prepping for JPL & NASA HQ decisional meetings in the wake of CDR, also…
– optimizing launch and trajectory
– planning pre-launch book on instruments and science plans
– continued oversight and planning for hardware builds pic.twitter.com/VnhKStWp7S— Lindy Elkins-Tanton (@ltelkins) May 19, 2020
#PI_Daily @NASAPsyche festive Critical Design Review season, w its 18+ reviews, is officially over!
No official results for a few wks, until NASA HQ decisional mtg, but feeling hopeful, & thrilled w how team has faced challenges & created paths forward.
Our treat last night. pic.twitter.com/zBANBkF8kf
— Lindy Elkins-Tanton (@ltelkins) May 16, 2020
Day 5 of Critical Design Review: Now we wait.
Standing Review Board in caucus all morning. We'll hear a report-out to @NASAPsyche leadership this afternoon!
(image via Google search from joyfullifemagazine) pic.twitter.com/Gq4ZMQPeDx
— Lindy Elkins-Tanton (@ltelkins) May 15, 2020
Day 4 of @NASAPsyche project-level CDR:
Power
Avionics and Flight Software
Testbeds
GN&C
Business managementAwesomely connected and alert review board, really helping us.
Good time for a replay of this video. Bits of design out of date, but instruments are right! pic.twitter.com/QiMN5vRkbN
— Lindy Elkins-Tanton (@ltelkins) May 14, 2020
View from my desk this morning (out the bedroom sliding door). #tinyrabbit is supporting @NASAPsyche Critical Design Review, Day 3. #PI_Daily pic.twitter.com/4WMPVlNbsj
— Lindy Elkins-Tanton (@ltelkins) May 13, 2020
#PI_Daily@NASAPsyche CDR Day 2
45 min in and @nzw is giving a great state-of-the-payload as Payload Systems Engineer AND Payload Deputy.
GRNS from @JHUAPL
Magnetometer from @DTUtweet
Imagers from @ASU – @Jim_Bell PISun-blocking filters..temp sensors..survival heaters.. pic.twitter.com/1QKjoqMsI4
— Lindy Elkins-Tanton (@ltelkins) May 12, 2020
#PI_Daily @NASAPsyche Critical Design Review Update
Running 15 min ahead, 236 people online.
Worked through all the risks (sample matrix below) under Project Systems Engineering, led by brilliant @marstimrdad.
We've got no red risks at the moment, but some schedule stressors. pic.twitter.com/crSo4gqKND
— Lindy Elkins-Tanton (@ltelkins) May 11, 2020
Two things I can share from the first hour of CDR: My own remarks, and our mission schedule with on-brand color palette! pic.twitter.com/tc3sWO4Rlg
— Lindy Elkins-Tanton (@ltelkins) May 11, 2020
T minus 4 minutes to the first day of @NASAPsyche project-level Critical Design Review!
🌑🛰️📡🚀
— Lindy Elkins-Tanton (@ltelkins) May 11, 2020
As @AlanStern said, most every day for a PI includes work on their mission & other work.
Saturdays for me usually filled with work needing sustained concentration, not possible in weekdays. Today: revisions of a paper & SBIR proposal for @beaglelearning!
— Lindy Elkins-Tanton (@ltelkins) May 9, 2020
Wow double NASA week! Final prep for Psyche CDR done; start bright & early Monday. Also, wrapped up @EuropaClipperspecial team assignment (if you're not up on this mission, check it out! BIG one!)
Signing off with our Psyche model. https://t.co/U1i55GZPeI
— Lindy Elkins-Tanton (@ltelkins) May 8, 2020
At the heart of being a PI is challenge of coordinating & leading across many institutions – leading thru influence, bc the ppl you are working w do not directly report to you. A vast exercise in networking & team identity.#PI_Daily @NASAPsyche
(graphic:https://t.co/kgWgrsu0Sc) pic.twitter.com/Mm3el5poA8— Lindy Elkins-Tanton (@ltelkins) May 6, 2020
Good news: instrument hardware progress. Good news on plans for making up schedule, if we really are gently ramping up. 6 days to CDR.
Hard hard work ahead, but at least a path.
Good news in a hard time, like this Blackfoot Daisy in our backyard caliche. pic.twitter.com/vNhviiqDD8
— Lindy Elkins-Tanton (@ltelkins) May 6, 2020
Last day of combing through Critical Design Review charts! Making sure everyone who should be, is invited. Prepping introductory remarks.
And now, the final charts are done and delivered!
The board will have 6 days to read and review pic.twitter.com/KiU3q8bMi0
— Lindy Elkins-Tanton (@ltelkins) May 5, 2020