Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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We reverse engineer and power up the optical system of the B-52 Astrotracker. It's as clever as it is complicated!

B-52 Astrotracker Part 1: youtu.be/nkvN74wuT8w
B-52 Astrotracker Part 2: youtu.be/GkEjLqu-JH0

Michel's Channel: youtube.com/@UC4Kz0sEXSqNkfi7W1PBKyMg

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"Elevator Music" Credit: Crinoline Dreams by Kevin MacLeod

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00:00 Our astrocompass was once a secret B-52 nav system
01:26 First power up and next steps
02:36 Powering up the optics scanner
04:31 Optical modulation system explanation (with elevator music)
08:22 Laser star simulator
09:55 PMT circuit reverse engineering and low voltage power up
11:42 Turning on the 900 Volts!
13:20 Houston, we have a problem
14:16 It's even more complicated than we thought
15:43 Second try, we have a signal!
16:59 Discovering the Sun/Night mode solenoid
18:36 AvE sends us the analog computer!
19:39 It arrived. We shall not dumb with it.