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Herschel and Planck are on the launch pad

Herschel and Planck are on the launch pad

13 May 2009

14 May 2009: The launch can be followed live on the ESA mogulus channel, and on the Arianespace webcast pages:ESA channel on MogulusStarts at 12:00 UTC(14:00 CEST)Arianespace webcastStarts at 12:47 UTC(14:47 CEST)See timeline of key events for the Herschel and Planck launch at the end of this page.

13 May 2009: Roll-out of the launcher carrying Herschel and Planck

On 13 May at around 13:40 CEST, 8:40 local time at the launch site in Kourou, the Ariane 5 carrying Herschel and Planck rolled out of the BAF en route to the launch pad.

The roll-out of the launcher was announced at 8:40 local time (13:40 CEST) after which the launcher was pulled out of the BAF (final assembly building). The 2.6 km journey to the launch pad was completed at 10:15 local time (15:15 CEST).

Launch is scheduled for 14 May 2009 at 13:12 UTC (15:12 CEST). Details of the sequence of events can be found in the timeline at the end of this page. The launch will be broadcast live on the ESA channel on mogulus starting at 11:55 UTC (13:55 CEST).

Above and left: The Ariane 5 ECA launcher leaves the BAF, travelling the 2.6 km route to the launch pad in about 1.5 hours.

Credit: ESA

The Ariane 5, ECA launcher, enclosing Herschel and Planck, at the Ariane launch pad, Centre Spatiale Guyannais, Kourou, French Guiana. Credit: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2009

Thomas Passvogel, ESA Herschel and Planck Project Manager. In the background is the Ariane 5 ECA launcher with Herschel and Planck on its way to the launch pad. Credit: ESA

Thomas Passvogel (ESA Herschel and Planck Project Manager), Luca Chiecchio (Arianespace Payload Manager), and Jacques Louet (ESA Head of Projects). Credit: ESA

Timeline of key events for the Herschel and Planck launch

Note: All times are subject to change

Acronyms:
- TCM: Trajectory correction manoeuvre
- LEOP: Launch and Early Orbit Phase
- ESOC: European Space Operations Centre

Key event Time +/- liftoff Time (UTC)
Launch Readiness Review -5 days 9 May
Roll out to launch pad -1 day 11:40:00
13 May
ESOC GO/NO-GO for launch -00:30:00 12:42:00
14 May
Herschel on internal power -00:15:00 12:57:00
Planck on internal power -00:11:00 13:01:00
Start of Ariane 5 automatic sequence -00:07:00 13:05:00
Launch control final confirmation of readiness -00:06:30 13:05:30
Last time to declare NOGO -00:04:30 13:07:30
Inertial platform release -00:00:03 13:11:57
Ignition of main cryogenic stage 00:00:00 13:12:00
Launch
(Window open for 55 minutes)
00:00:00 13:12:00
Ariane 5 solid rocket boosters ignition and lift-off 00:00:07 13:12:07
Solid boosters are both jettisoned 00:02:18 13:14:18
Fairing jettisoned 00:04:02 13:16:02
Main cryogenic stage extinction and upper stage separation 00:08:55 13:20:55
Upper stage ignition 00:09:05 13:21:05
Upper stage extinction 00:24:30 13:36:40
Herschel separates 00:25:58 13:37:58
Sylda separates 00:27:24 13:39:24
Planck separates 00:28:29 13:40:29

Key events after separation

Herschel Time
(UTC)
First signal acquisition
(via New Norcia)
13:49:00
TCM 1a 12:36:00
15 May
TCM 1b 11:42:00
17 May
LEOP phase out starts 16 May
Commissioning begins 16 May
-- --
-- --
Planck Time
(UTC)
First signal acquisition
(via Perth)
13:49:00
TCM 1a 19:27:00
15 May
TCM 1b 12:43:00
17 May
LEOP phase out starts 18 May
Commissioning begins 18 May
TCM 2 6 June
TCM 3 3 July

Last Update: 1 September 2019
8-Dec-2024 19:50 UT

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