Preparing for Launcher Integration
25 November 1999
The satellite campaign preparing XMM for launch, has entered its last straight run. The Combined Operations (POC) have begun with the fastening of the spacecraft onto the payload adapter.Umbilical and purge lines have been connected and electrical checkouts are continuing. Green and red tag items, that have to be attended to before launch are being verified and the last remaining pieces of thermal insulation on the spacecraft have been refastened. XMM is practically ready for its highest hoisting on Earth, to the summit of the launcher, due to take place on 25 November.
Irish and Finnish children
More winners of ESA's "What's new Galileo" competition have arrived in Kourou. The Irish class from Malahide Community School, Dublin and the Finnish group from Helsingin Suomalainen Yhteiskoulu, Helsinki were able to meet children from a school in Saint Laurent du Maroni, a town along the coast, near the frontier with Surinam.
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Finnish and Guianese children exchange addresses |
Part of the Irish group with Wil Davies from CAPTEC. In the distance on the left are the lightning towers at the Ariane 5 launch zone |
The Irish children were also welcomed by staff from CAPTEC, one of the Irish sub-contractors on the XMM project. Dublin-based CAPTEC has been responsible for the design, development and testing of the software for spacecraft's Attitude and Orbit Control system.
XMM football victory
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The ESA/Dornier winning team wearing the firemens' T-shirts |
The Dornier/ESA team comprised off Dornier staff and ESA's Daniel de Chambure. The match also saw a great performance by the visitors' goalkeeper Konrad Reichle from Dornier. It was a very friendly meeting, finishing with champagne offered by the Sapeurs Pompiers.