ESA Science & Technology - Journal Archive
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Journal Archive
#04: Gaia Phased Array Antenna delivered and integrated
6 July 2012The phased array antenna that Gaia will use to send its science data to Earth has been delivered and integrated onto the Service Module.
#03: Gaia Basic Angle Monitor delivered for integration
11 April 2012The protoflight models of Gaia's two Basic Angle Monitor (BAM) Opto-Mechanical Assembly (OMA) bars have been delivered to the spacecraft Prime Contractor and are being prepared for integration into the Gaia Payload Module.
#02: Gaia sunshield deployment test
2 December 2011Deployment testing of the Gaia Flight Model Deployable Sunshield Assembly has been successfully completed in preparation for the spacecraft mechanical test campaign.
Final view of Herschel at Kourou
12 May 2009On Sunday 10 May the Ariane 5 ECA fairing was lowered over the Herschel spacecraft and the SYLDA, under which the Planck spacecraft sits, to be integrated finally with the launcher. Both spacecraft are now ready for the launch on 14 May at 13:12 UTC.
Herschel mated with Ariane 5 ECA Launcher
11 May 2009The Herschel and Planck spacecraft now stand together in the launch configuration, above one another at the top of the Ariane launcher, at the European spaceport in Kourou
Planck mated with the Ariane 5 ECA launcher
29 April 2009After the successful fuelling of the Planck spacecraft in the S5A building a week earlier, the spacecraft was transferred to the final assembly building (Bâtiment d'Assemblage Final, or BAF), where it now has been mated with the Ariane 5 ECA launcher.
Helium for the Herschel cryostat
28 April 2009One of the last activities to take place in S5B is the filling of the Herschel cryostat with liquid helium and its conversion into superfluid helium-II.
Fuelling of the Planck spacecraft
20 April 2009The Planck spacecraft has been fully fuelled with 384 kg of liquid propellant at the European spaceport in Kourou, completing another milestone in the launch campaign
Herschel spacecraft is fully fuelled
15 April 2009The Herschel fuelling procedure has been successfully completed - the reaction control system tanks are now fully loaded with 256 kg of hydrazine liquid.
Planck activities completed in S1B cleanroom - spacecraft ready to move to fuelling facility
14 April 2009The past four weeks have been dedicated to the final Planck spacecraft preparations in the S1B cleanroom. The spacecraft is now ready to move to the S5A building for fuelling.
Herschel spacecraft ready for fuelling
9 April 2009The Herschel spacecraft has been moved from the S1B building to the S5B building where the hydrazine fuelling activities will be performed. Everything is in place for fuelling to be completed this week.
Steady progress towards launch - all Herschel instruments are 'good to go'
12 March 2009The three scientific instruments on the Herschel payload have passed their functional tests and have been declared 'good to go'. This marks another milestone in the steady progress being made in preparing the spacecraft for launch.
Planck spacecraft check-outs near completion
11 March 2009With the nominal launch date a few weeks away, the functional tests of the spacecraft sub-systems are nearly all completed and Planck has undergone its final cleaning during which the spacecraft's surface was closely inspected in UV light
Planck spacecraft preparation activities in Kourou
4 March 2009The last week of February has seen several important launch preparation activities with the Planck spacecraft, including the first functional tests, the spacecraft alignment stability tests, as well as the completion of the solar array integration
Herschel spacecraft inspection and final mirror cleaning
27 February 2009Following its arrival at CSG the Herschel spacecraft was unpacked and inspected. The first of a series of final preparations to ready the spacecraft for launch - the final cleaning of the primary and secondary mirror - was completed.
Planck joins Herschel at the European Spaceport in Kourou
23 February 2009The Planck spacecraft has arrived at the launch site in Kourou, French Guiana, and has now joined the Herschel spacecraft in the S1B cleanroom, ready for functional tests.
Launch campaign for Planck is now underway
20 February 2009Following the conclusion of the Planck spacecraft test campaign the spacecraft has now been transported to Kourou in French Guiana, where it joins the Herschel spacecraft.
Herschel arrives in French Guiana
14 February 2009The Herschel spacecraft arrived at Rochambeau airport, French Guiana, in the early hours of 12 February.
Herschel departs Europe - launch campaign underway
13 February 2009The Herschel spacecraft has left Europe on the evening of 11 February on a flight with a large Antonov cargo airplane that has taken it to Rochambeau airport in French Guiana
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