Connecting the Yoke
Although fitted on the ground, the nearly 3 million pound yoke of our 140-foot dish telescope could not be lifted into place fully assembled. The yoke supports the telescope’s tilt axis and keeps the giant 43-meter dish telescope balanced as it arcs across the sky. Pacific Crane and Rigging Company completing the finalassembly of the yoke components (made by Sun Shipbuilding) to the hub section (built and machined by Westinghouse). The hub section consists of a 3.5% nickel steel casting welded to 6 inch, A 201 plate for a finished machined weight of 190 tons. When completed the entire yoke is a single weldment, all welds inspected by radiograph.
Credit: NRAO/AUI/NSF
