Ok, you may remember that I told you all I would try and describe different parts of the station in my blogs. Well it seemed fitting to tell you about the radome now, as it is something we look after in Comms, and it is also the place we had Friday drinks last night.
Wikipedia describes a radome as “A radome (the word is a contraction of radar and dome) is a structural, weatherproof enclosure that protects a microwave or radar antenna. A radome is often used to prevent ice and freezing rain from accumulating directly onto the metal surface of the antennas.”
This is remarkably correct for Wikipedia. The radome is basically a big ball, 12 meters in diameter that houses the satellite dish we use to communicate to the outside world.
You will see it in any pictures of the station, it is the big golf ball looking thing.
It is a bit like the Tardis inside the radome, with lots more space than it looks like there would be form outside.
Andy and I set up the inside for Friday drinks, we had a stereo and some coloured lights, along with a table that Kim and Squeeze our two chefs covered with cheese, dips and biscuits. We also had a couple of kegs of beer inside.
How hard is the surface??? And you know I can see you cheated :P :P
ReplyDeleteok the photo of the dish, there's a guy in shorts, t-shirt and thongs......... is it really warm enough for that in there??
ReplyDeleteBron
Ok, to answer both of you. The surface is made of kevlar panes with an aluminium fram. It is a meterial, so it flexes when you push it, but it is strog enought that you can stand on the panels and they will hold your weight.
ReplyDeleteYes bron, out of the wind shorts and t-shirts are ok, however it is a bit chilly going between buildings. That is link in the picture, and he is a bit strange always wearing t-shirt and shorts.
5 degrees here today.