No. 3 - TC-2 Ready to Roll

29 Jun 2004 10:22

During the readiness review held in Beijing on 23 June 2004, the launcher, spacecraft and ground system were reviewed by the Chinese Space National Administration (CNSA) and ESA.

The Double Star TC-2 spacecraft during the Sun simulation test. Image courtesy CNSA/CAST/CSSAR.

After intensive test activities, the LM-2C/CTS launcher, the TC-2 spacecraft, the Scientific Payload are now ready for shipment to the launch site. The Double Star Ground System has also been tested and is ready to support TC-2.

Reports of the above-mentioned four elements status have been presented to CNSA, ESA and the Principal Investigators for review. In particular attention has been paid to the solar array and boom issues, which both lead to modifications and improvements of the relevant TC-2 subsystems.

"We have reached an important milestone in the Double Star Programme", says Bodo Gramkow, ESA payload project manager. "It is a great success for China, ESA and the European institutes who managed to assemble and test the second Double Star spacecraft and make it ready on time, less than six months after the first Double Star launch."

Following a launch campaign that will last about one month, the launch will take place on 26 July 2004 at 07:31 UTC (15:31 Beijing time). The TC-2 spacecraft will then join TC-1, launched on 30 December 2003, to start the Double Star mission. Together with the four ESA Cluster spacecraft, Double Star will form the first coordinated 6-points measurements of the Earth magnetosphere.

Contacts

Philippe Escoubet
ESA Double Star Project Scientist (SCI-SH), ESTEC
Tel: +31-71-565-3454

Bodo Gramkow
ESA Double Star Project Manager (SCI-PRP), ESTEC
Tel: Tel: +31-71-565-7951