 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| . |  |
. |
Planck Follows Herschel To Launch Site
Paris, France (ESA) Feb 23, 2009 Planck, ESA's microwave observatory that will study the relic radiation of the Big Bang, was shipped from Liege, Belgium, to Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on 18 February. The spacecraft is scheduled to be launched in tandem with ESA's Herschel infrared observatory on 16 April. The spacecraft took off from Liege airport on board an Antonov cargo plane early in the morning on 18 February and arrived at its destination that evening. This follows the earlier shipment of its sister spacecraft Herschel, which left for Kourou on 11 February. Before it was shipped, Planck successfully underwent a thorough test campaign at the Centre Spatial Liege. The spacecraft was subjected to environmental tests that simulated the conditions of space and tested its cooling system. Now the launch campaign for both Herschel and Planck has officially begun in Kourou. The campaign involves teams of engineers and scientists from ESA, industry (led by prime contractor Thales Alenia Space France), science institutes, and Arianespace. Like Herschel, Planck will undergo functional tests in the first phase of the campaign, to verify its health after transportation. The second phase of the campaign involves the delicate operation of fuelling the hydrazine tanks - which will provide the fuel necessary for the spacecraft to manoeuvre in space - and to fill the helium tanks, part of the sophisticated cooling system that will keep Planck's instruments at temperatures close to absolute zero during operation. The third phase is the integration of the Herschel and Planck satellites with the Ariane 5 launcher that will carry them into space. Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links Herschel Space Telescope News and Technology at Skynightly.com
Pre-Launch Inspections Underway With The Herschel Telescope
Kourou, French Guiana (SPX) Feb 20, 2009The Herschel space telescope has completed what could be called the "blue phase" of its pre-launch preparations for Arianespace's next Ariane 5 mission, with the spacecraft's mirror inspected for cleanliness using ultraviolet light. |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2007 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
YahooMyWeb
Google
Facebook