| Nov. 1/2 | Rockot • SMOS |
| Launch time: 0150 GMT on 2nd (8:50 p.m. EST on 1st) Launch site: Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia  A Eurockot Rockot vehicle will launch the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity satellite for the European Space Agency. The launch will also carry the Proba 2 microsatellite into orbit. SMOS will measure moisture in soils and salt content in oceans during its mission. Delayed from July and September. [Sept. 21] | |
Contact: Robert Meisner
robert.meisner@esa.int
39-069-418-0874
European Space Agency
Final look at ESA's SMOS and Proba-2 satellites
As preparations for the launch of SMOS and Proba-2 continue on schedule, the engineers and technicians at the Russian launch site say goodbye as both satellites are encapsulated within the half-shells of the Rockot fairing.
Volker Liebig, ESA's Director of Earth Observation Programmes, said, "Today, with the encapsulation of the SMOS satellite in the launcher fairing, we have made an important step towards the launch of this key environmental mission, which will investigate two parameters of the complex climate system. I am looking forward to the launch in a few days!"
The small Proba-2 satellite had already been mated to the Breeze-KM, which is the upper stage of the Russian Rockot, and sealed from view by the SMOS launch adapter above. In launch configuration, Proba-2 sits underneath the SMOS satellite, for injection into orbit after SMOS. Proba-2 is the second in ESA's Project for Onboard Autonomy series. Although it is less than a cubic metre, incorporates a total of 17 technology developments and four scientific experiments that focus on solar and space weather.
Michel Courtois, ESA's Director of Technical and Quality Managment, said, "The encapsulation of the Proba-2 satellite was an emotional moment for the project team in Plesetsk. After five years of hard work, our satellite is one step closer to launch, ready to show the importance of in-orbit demonstration of new technologies."
The Proba-2 technology demonstrator is taking advantage of the launch of the 'Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity' (SMOS) mission, which will make advances in our understanding of Earth's water cycle.
By employing novel technology in space, SMOS will provide the data to produce global maps of soil moisture at least every three days and global maps of sea-surface salinity averaged over 30 days. Through this regular and consistent mapping, the mission will improve our understanding of the role these two key variables play in regulating the water cycle.
Information from SMOS will also improve weather and climate models, and have practical applications in areas such as agriculture and resource management. The data on sea-surface salinity will further our knowledge of ocean circulation patterns and the role they play in the climate system.
Both Proba-2 and SMOS have been at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia since September, initially taking turns in the cleanroom for the early part of the launch campaign. Over the last week or so, the teams have been working in parallel to mate the satellites to the upper stage of the launcher and now encapsulate them within the fairing. This proved quite emotional for the teams, as both missions have been a number of years in the making.
Now protecting both satellites from the rigors of launch, the half-shells will not open until three minutes after launch, which is scheduled for 2 November at 02: 50 CET (01:50 UT). The next important step in the preparation schedule will be to roll out the 'upper composite' to the launch pad on 26 October, for mating with the rest of the rocket.
SMOS satellite joins launch adapter
14 October 2009
As preparations for the launch of SMOS on 2 November continue to progress well at the launch site in Russia, a milestone in the schedule has been passed as the satellite joins the Rockot launch adapter.
ESA's 'Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity' (SMOS) satellite arrived at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia on 17 September. After it had been installed in the integration facilities and unpacked, the team of engineers and technicians carried out initial tests to ensure the satellite had arrived in good shape.
By employing a novel use of technology, the SMOS Earth Explorer mission will make global observations of soil moisture over land and sea-surface salinity over the oceans to improve our understanding of Earth's water cycle. Data from SMOS will be important for weather and climate modelling, water resource management, agriculture and also contribute to the forecasting of hazardous events such as floods.
The measuring technique involves measuring microwave radiation emitted from Earth's surface within the 'L-band', around a frequency of 1.4 GHz. To do this, the instrument, which is called 'MIRAS' – short for Microwave Imaging Radiometer with Aperture Synthesis, carries 69 small antennas distributed along three arms that fold out to form an unusual three-pointed star shape. The clever bit is that these small antennas mimic the size of a much larger single antenna that would normally be needed at this frequency to obtain the required coverage and resolution.
The campaign to prepare the SMOS satellite for launch has now been underway for almost four weeks. The satellite has undergone a series of electrical tests and also the hazardous task of filling the satellite with 28 kg of hydrazine fuel was carried out by team members from Thales Alenia Space. In addition, multilayer insulation has been secured around certain components on the satellite.
The most recent milestone involved hoisting the satellite off the working stand on the fuelling frame and then lowering onto the launch adapter. As the name suggests, the adapter forms the interface between the SMOS satellite and the upper stage of the Rockot launcher. Since the satellite already holds fuel, this task is somewhat dangerous, so everyone involved had to wear special protective clothing as a precautionary measure.
Once the satellite was positioned on the adapter, a clamp band, which is a crucial component that secures the satellite to the adapter, was fitted and tension then carefully applied. As ESA's Proba-2 mission is being launched on the same rocket, there are, in fact, two of these clamp bands: one to hold the SMOS satellite on the adaptor and one to connect the two halves of the adapter, which separate after SMOS is released into orbit.
The small Proba-2 satellite sits under the SMOS adapter during launch, so the release of the adapter halves enables the Proba-2 satellite to be injected into orbit. This happens almost two hours after SMOS has been injected.
The Proba-2 team has also returned to Plesetsk as the launch campaign activities for both satellites are now being combined in the run up to liftoff at 02.50 CET on 2 November. The next major step will be when teams have to say 'goodbye' to the satellites as SMOS and Proba-2 are encapsulated together within the fairing, which is scheduled to take place on 19 October.
For more information click here.
Source: ESA
Good Clear Skies
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Astrocomet
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Colin James Watling
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Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
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Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
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