Mirror being loaded into the Beluga transport
Date: 29 June 2004
Satellite: Herschel
Depicts: Primary Mirror Transport to Finland
Location: Toulouse
Copyright: ESA / EADS Astrium
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The Herschel primary mirror blank, mounted in its transport container, is loaded onto an Airbus A300-600ST "Beluga" ready for a flight to Finland, where the optical surface will be polished. The Beluga's 7.4 m diameter fuselage and 5.4 m wide load floor easily accomodate the mirror, which is too wide for normal transport aircraft.
Last Update: 1 September 2019