This is a picture of the four principal investigators of the four astrophysics experiments on the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory. The photo was taken in Building R7A of TRW in Redondo Beach, California. Of particular interest is the large dark cover on the left, which protected the OSSE experiment, as well as the fabric covers on the top of Comptel and Egret, which are affixed with string.
Many people ask about the hoses that run off the end of the spacecraft.
On the ground, the electronic systems of the satellite cannot be cooled as effectively as they are in space. These white hoses run air conditioning to the electronics, preventing them from heating up too much while tests are being performed in the high bay.