DON'T EVEN BREATH ON IT!

I am the guy that, at almost every meeting, takes frantic notes. Not really because I per se care about what the person is talking about, but because I write down things I need to Google later. This is week 3, and I'm finally out of the "jaw dropping" phase, but have entered the "actually doing work" phase. For the past little bit, I've been reading up on vacuum physics and Googling things like "quartz crystal microbalance", but now it's time to do work.

One of the things I'm doing is a satellite that will be shooting lasers at the north pole to see ice thickness. Most of it is being built in the "why humans suck" building. I recommend this building to anyone that denies climate change or that humans are behind it. It gives you many MANY images of earth over time and the decrease in arctic ice, deforestation, desertification, and explosions in human pollution, CO2 and other emissions. If you ever want to a) depress yourself or b) get motivated to recycle, I recommend this building. 

The other thing I'm doing looks like something out of Star Wars. It's large. Tennis court sized large. I'm working with a team of people that will be in charge of making sure instruments are clean and free from contamination. This is much harder than one would think. Especially when you're assigned to an instrument that's so high tech, I'm pretty sure it's the only one in the world. 

The idea is awesome, I'll spare you the details, but it's basically hundreds of micron sized shutter that can capture light at a whole bunch of wavelengths. The problem with this is the shutters. They are small... couple hundred microns small. So, while I'm working to take samples off the cover and shit, the guy in charge of assembly gives me the background. Apparently, the damn thing is so sensitive, that if you tighten the screws in from the wrong side, you'll mess it up. So, if you go in on it's left side, instead of the right, IT'S FUCKED! The best though, THE BEST thing about this amazing piece of equipment is you can't breath on it. If you come close, hold your breathe. I feel like if I stare at this thing too long it'll just destroy itself. The project lead on this has a long pony tail that he start growing when this project started, 8 years ago... I am convinced that this is his version of the Fidel Castro beard... it's like he won't cut it until this thing goes into space VIVA LA REVOLUCIóN!!

So, you're not supposed to breath on it...check. I can do that... except for today when I was inspecting the compartment this instrument was supposed to go in, I almost ram a UV flashlight right through it. Yay...new guy...

Good thing I didn't... good thing it still works