This Thursday, the same procedure as for the final launch chronology has been executed by the launch base, the VEGA launcher, the S2C satellite team in CSG and the Ground Segment Operations team in Esoc. The lift-off time was simulated at 16:00 UTC, and the first operations started 8 hours before, synchronized between the different entities by a common timeline.

This is what it looked like in Esoc, in the Project Support Room:

… and in the Main Control Room.

Marc, Bogdan, Jesus and Erwin (and many more experts from ESA and ADS) in the PSR were analyzing the satellite real time telemetry transmitted from Kourou via the NDIU routers. Ana and Davide in the MCR coordinated the interactions between Project Support and Operations teams. All the systems were “green”, including the Ground Stations.

During that time in CSG, from the LBC, ADS check-out team configured the satellite for launch while Luca was managing the communication with Esoc.

Finally, from CSG Jupiter 2 control room, Constantin, Patricia, Gunn and Martijn were coordinating with Arianespace the execution of the chronology procedure between satellite, operations, launcher and launch base.

This is when the simulation stopped for us all. It was a good training for all entities involved and only few minor points were noted to be adjusted for D0.

During the same day, somewhere in Tuscany, another “Dress Rehearsal” took place, for another major event which also required long and careful preparation…

Andrea, you are also “GREEN” to walk your daughter down the aisle!