One milestone - looking good
The challenge to get the best, started already when EUI was still on Earth. There were some 'issues' with the high resolution telescope HRIEUV which sharpness was not as expected. In such situations, when time is ticking and you have to stay on schedule, one has to think fast, one has to be pragmatic, cleaver and inventive. Frédéric combined these skills which resulted in a magic trick with a bucket of Scotchweld 3M 2216 glue. No idea what he exactly did, but the result was an instrument with a very sharp look.
Another milestone - this is a test
Once the instrument is in space, the testing starts. Emil threw himself on this task: 'This basically means that you tell the instrument to take images using those and these settings and filters, such that we learn how to take the best possible images. When the science phase of the mission starts, we should know all about EUI up to the smallest detail.'
Still more - down to Earth
Taking pictures is 1 thing. Getting pictures down to Earth is another thing. David explains: 'The communication with the distant Solar Orbiter satellite is limited and difficult. We have a complex computer onboard that manages for us which images to take at what time. Like every computer, also the EUI computer needs input and delivering that input in time litteraly across the planetary system is taken up LOTS of our time.'
But time to work on this problem is the least. If you are with more, the time to work on it increases. But this rule doesn't apply on the telemetry available to send data down.
The EUI team has to share the Solar Orbiter band width with other instrument teams. They have to make sure that the EUI data fits the part that is assigned to them. But at the end, it all works out fine and pictures go down.
One more thing - science
Once the highly compressed telemetry data is down, these data packages need to be transformed into solar images and movies. Emil is also involved in this and keeps himself busy with setting up data pipelines in which he puts in highly compressed data and gets out images. Scientists on their turn 'play' with images, look at them up side down, try to make scientific sense out of it. One of the results:
Frédéric, Emil and David were of course not alone. They are part of a team in which all sorts of talents and expertise is gathered. Everybody: 'It has been a busy year. But it was worth it, also because EUI discovered tiny campfires. The campfire images are the result of a complex chain of engineering, IT and scientific processes and we all are part of this!'
