ESA Science & Technology - Disconnecting the launcher adapter ring from the CCU3 pallet

On Wednesday 29 April the Herschel spacecraft was transported to the final assembly building (Bâtiment d'Assemblage Final, or BAF) at the Ariane launch site of the European spaceport in Kourou, for integration of the spacecraft on top of the Ariane 5 ECA launcher.

This image, taken the next morning, shows personnel on the pallet of the payload transport container (Conteneur Charge Utile 3, or CCU3) disconnecting the launcher adapter ring from the raising cylinder underneath. The spacecraft remained integrated on top of the launcher adapter ring.