Planck is hoisted up to the Ariane 5 ECA launcher
In the morning on 23 April the Planck spacecraft was hoisted up inside the BAF airlock and through the shaft into the adjacent high hall. With the launcher adapter ring (Adaptateur Charge Utile, or ACU) already integrated at the base of Planck's service module the spacecraft was lifted by an overhead crane, using the Planck vertical lifting device to handle the spacecraft.
Around the ACU four protective panels are in place at the base of the service module, covering the spacecraft's circular solar array.
Last Update: 1 September 2019