Dennis WIngo: Status early afternoon: The FR-900 tape driveis down for the want of a 2″ long 11/64th ID piece of tubing. This is inside of the head and routes the vacuum from the vacuum pump that pulls the tape up against the female guide on the tape machine. This vacuum keeps the tape in a proper shape for the disk shaped head assembly that is spinning at several thousand RPM to not cut the tape to ribbons. This small part failed after two tapes this morning. Ken Zin is going to Grainger and can hopefully get the piece of hose without having to buy a whole 50′ roll! Seven more tapes to go.
Official website of the Lunar Orbiter Image Recovery Project (LOIRP)