Sentinel-2A – Vega (VV05) – Куру ELV – 23.06.2015 04:52 ДМВ

[che wi]

Trial separation prepares for final release
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Trial_separation_prepares_for_final_release

Sentinel-2A is in the middle of an extensive testing programme to make sure this land-monitoring satellite is fit for launch next spring. As well as being shaken and stressed, engineers have also checked that it will separate fr om the rocket for its life in orbit.

Sentinel-2A is the next of ESA's satellites dedicated to Europe's environmental monitoring Copernicus programme. It carries a state-of-the art high-resolution multispectral imager with 13 spectral bands which, along with the satellite's wide swath of 290 km and frequent revisit times, will provide unprecedented views of Earth's land and vegetation.

To make sure this precious new satellite reaches orbit to deliver vital information for a range of applications that include monitoring plant growth and mapping changes in land cover, it has to be thoroughly tested before it is shipped to French Guiana for launch on a Vega rocket. Since August, the Sentinel-2A satellite has been at IABG's testing facilities near Munich in Germany where it has already been put through numerous functional and mechanical checks.

The latest round has focused on ensuring that it can withstand the noise and vibrations of liftoff and the shocks generated by the separation from the rocket. This involved joining the satellite to a launch adapter and a model of Vega's upper stage to check that they fit together as they should. The engineers also joined the umbilical connectors as part of this fit check. In an acoustic chamber, two simultaneous explosions made sure the satellite will be able to withstand the shock when the rocket's fairing is released shortly after the launch.

The Sentinel mission is based on a constellation of two identical satellites that are being developed in parallel. Sentinel-2B, which will be launched on a Rockot from Russia, will join Sentinel-2A in orbit in 2016. That means a similar separation test was also carried out using a model of the Rockot adapter.

Prior to these important tests, engineers have also carried out a 'light-tightness test' to check that no light can enter the cavity holding the multispectral instrument. They also filled the fuel tank with 133 kg of fluid to stress its interfaces as in flight. The satellite was then placed on a shaker to simulate the worst possible conditions during transportation and launch. In addition, the powerful sound system available in IABG's acoustic chamber, replicated the very high sound pressure levels that will be experienced by the satellite during liftoff and its journey into orbit.

Paolo Laberinti, ESA's Sentinel-2A Assembly, Integration and Test Manager, commented, "All these stringent tests have, so far, run very smoothly. Thanks to Airbus Defence and Space and IABG's expertise, we can look forward confidently to the next phase of activities that will take us to the end of the year. The next round will include the full deployment of the solar panels, a check on the satellite's alignment and the removal of the accelerometers prior to transferring the satellite to a thermal vacuum chamber wh ere it will be exposed to harsh conditions that simulate the environment of space."

The final Qualification and Acceptance Review will be held in March, before ESA gives permission to ship the satellite to French Guiana for launch.

[che wi]

Sentinel-2A: Testing Properties
http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2014/11/Sentinel-2A_testing_properties

Since August, the Sentinel-2A satellite has been at IABG's testing facilities near Munich in Germany where it is going through a six-month test campaign to make sure that it is fit for launch next year.

Sentinel-2A will be launched on a Vega rocket from Kourou, French Guiana, in spring 2015, while it is planned to launch Sentinel-2B on Rockot from Plesetsk in 2016. The satellites are being built in parallel.

[che wi]

Sentinel-2A: acoustic tests
http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2014/11/Sentinel-2A_acoustic_tests

[Salo]

Пуск запланирован на 11 июня.

[che wi]

Sentinel-2 practises laser spin
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-2_practises_laser_spin

As Sentinel-2A nears the end of testing before being shipped to its launch site, one of the last jobs has been to make sure the satellite's laser terminal is up to the job of delivering large volumes of data at breakneck speed.

Sentinel-2A is the next of ESA's satellites dedicated to Europe's environmental monitoring Copernicus programme. It carries a state-of-the-art high-resolution multispectral imager with 13 spectral bands which, along with the satellite's wide swath of 290 km and frequent revisit times, will provide unprecedented views of Earth's land and vegetation. This new mission will be used to improve agricultural practices, map changes in land cover, monitor the world's forests and detect pollution in lakes and coastal waters. In addition, images of floods, volcanic eruptions and landslides will contribute to disaster mapping and help humanitarian relief efforts.

Having access to imagery as fast as possible is essential for a number of these applications. Orbiting fr om pole to pole almost 800 km up, Sentinel-2A will transmit data to Earth routinely, but only when it passes over its ground stations in Europe. However, geostationary satellites, hovering 36 000 km above Earth, have their ground stations in permanent view so they can send down data all the time. Creating a link between the two kinds of satellites means that more information can be streamed to Earth almost continuously. New laser technology provides the means to do this.

Sentinel-2A is equipped with a laser terminal to transmit data to satellites in geostationary orbit carrying the European Data Relay System, EDRS. These satellites then transmit the Sentinel-2 data to the ground. Complementing the Sentinel ground-station network, EDRS ensures the timely availability of large volumes of data. This principle was first demonstrated in November 2014 when Sentinel-1A, which carries a similar laser terminal, linked up with Alphasat to deliver data.

Marking a significant milestone in preparations for launch, Sentinel-2A's laser terminal, or 'optical communications payload', has recently come through a set of rigorous tests. The tests, carried out at IABG in Germany, included a 'trajectory test' wh ere the unit's pointing assembly was swivelled, as it would in orbit to align itself with the geostationary EDRS satellite.

Janice Patterson, ESA's Sentinel-2 system operations and optical communications payload engineer, said, "The optical communications payload is very complex and the success of this recent test is a testament to our collaboration with TESAT-Spacecom GmbH, who developed the laser communication terminal and the downlink system, the DLR German Aerospace Center, who contributed to the funding, and Airbus Defence and Space, the Sentinel-2 prime contractor."

With launch from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou scheduled for June, the satellite is now going through final validation tests before the Qualification and Acceptance Review Board authorises its shipment.

[che wi]

Sentinel-2A: New eyes of Copernicus ready for space
http://www.space-airbusds.com/en/press_centre/sentinel-2a-new-eyes-of-copernicus-ready-for-space.html

[che wi]

Last look at Sentinel-2A
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Last_look_at_Sentinel-2A

Before Sentinel-2A is packed up and shipped to French Guiana for its launch targeted on 12 June, media representatives and specialists got one last look at the second satellite for Europe's Copernicus programme.

At an event held at IABG in Munich – where the satellite has been undergoing testing since September of last year – project managers provided an update on the status of the satellite.

Спойлер

"I have a smile in my eyes because we are very close to finishing all the tests of Sentinel-2A," said Michael Menking fr om Airbus Defence and Space, the prime contractor leading the industrial consortium that built the satellite.

"All tests have proven that the satellite is doing what it was built to do. We are very close to preparing it for shipment – only two more tests remain."

Offering 'colour vision' for Europe's environmental monitoring Copernicus programme, Sentinel-2A combines high-resolution and novel multispectral capabilities – a first for ESA. With a 290 km-wide coverage path and frequent revisits, Sentinel-2 will deliver views of Earth's changing lands in unprecedented detail and accuracy.

Information from this latest mission will help to improve agricultural practices, monitor the world's forest, detect pollution in lakes and coastal waters, contribute to disaster mapping and much more.

"Sentinel-2 is relevant for key societal challenges, like food security for a growing population and climate change," said Volker Liebig, Director of ESA's Earth Observation programmes.

Touching on the variety of the Copernicus services that will be supported by the Sentinels, Reinhard Schulte-Braucks from the European Commission paid particular attention to the applications in the area of health.

"We have been able to support anti-malaria measures in Africa, and hope to do this even better with Sentinel-2 data," said Mr Schulte-Braucks.

He went on to provide examples of how the satellite will provide information on the environmental factors that affect the number and breeding cycle of mosquitoes, leading to improved forecasting for areas at risk of malaria.

Markus Probeck from the German geo-information technology consultancy GAF-AG highlighted the improved coverage of Sentinel-2 – especially useful over the tropical rainforests wh ere cloud cover is persistent. Land service monitoring, such as settlement expansion and crop yield predictions, will also benefit as frequent updates are needed.

"In previous projects, it took me seven years to get full, relatively cloud-free coverage of Gabon," he said. "But with Sentinel-2, we would expect to get a cloud-free coverage within one or two years – maybe faster."

Sentinel-2A still needs to undergo final validation tests before the Qualification and Acceptance Review Board authorises its shipment to Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, scheduled for 19 April. The target launch date is 12 June.

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[PIN]

Начались тренировки. У нас новый Spacon  
https://twitter.com/esaoperations/status/570957468462948352

[Salo]

12 июня в 04:48:50 ДМВ.

[che wi]

Testing Sentinel-2's solar wing

This time-lapse video shows engineers at IABG in Germany testing the deployment of Sentinel-2A's solar wing. This is one of the last tests before the satellite is packed up and shipped to Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana for launch, planned for June 2015.

[che wi]

Time to pack up
http://blogs.esa.int/eolaunches/2015/04/09/time-to-pack-up/

After six months of being rigorously tested at IABG's facilities in Germany, the Sentinel-2A satellite has been placed in the container that will keep it safe during transit to Europe's Spaceport near Kourou in French Guiana.

The satellite will have one final test, a 'leak test', in the container to ensure its propulsion system is tight before departure from Munich on 20 April.

Once unloaded and unpacked, it will spend the following weeks being prepared for liftoff on a Vega rocket on 11 June at 22:52 (local time), 12 June at 03:52 (CEST).

[Salo]

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2015/1281.asp

Sentinel-2A arrives in French Guiana for Arianespace's next Vega mission as launcher assembly begins at the Spaceport
 
 April 21, 2015 – Vega Flight VV05
The latest in Europe's series of Sentinel Earth observation satellites landed at French Guiana today in preparation for its orbiting on an Arianespace Vega vehicle during June, while build-up of the lightweight launcher was initiated at the Spaceport this week.
 Sentinel-2A was delivered by a chartered Antonov An-124 cargo jetliner that touched down at Cayenne's Félix Eboué Airport, where the spacecraft's protective shipping container was unloaded along with support equipment for transfer by road to the Spaceport.
 To be orbited on Arianespace's Flight VV05, this 1,140-kg. satellite will deliver high-resolution optical images from around the globe – becoming part of Europe's Copernicus initiative that is headed by the European Commission in partnership with the European Space Agency. 
 Copernicus is one of the most ambitious Earth observation programs to date, established to provide accurate, timely and easily-accessible information for improved management of the environment, to better understand and mitigate the effects of climate change, as well as to ensure civil security.
 Airbus Defence and Space is the Sentinel-2A prime contractor, with the satellite designed to supply optical images ranging from the near-visible to the shortwave infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Sentinel-2A's launch is targeted for June 11 on the fifth flight of a Vega from the Spaceport. The satellite will join Sentinel-1A, orbited in April 2014 by an Arianespace medium-lift Soyuz vehicle, and which carries an advanced radar instrument for all-weather, day-and-night imaging of the Earth's surface.
 Assembly of the Vega for Arianespace's Flight VV05 with Sentinel-2A was initiated at the Spaceport this week, as the vehicle's first stage was rolled out to the launch zone. The first stage is powered by a P80 advanced solid propellant motor, and has now been positioned on the pad at the Spaceport's ZLV launch site – initiating the vertical build-up process for Vega.
 
   
Vega's first stage is moved to the Spaceport's ZLV launch site,


while the protective shipping container with Sentinel-2A is unloaded from the Antonov An-124 cargo jetliner after its arrival at Cayenne's Félix Eboué Airport.

[Salo]

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2015/1287.asp

Processing begins with the Sentinel-2A payload for Arianespace's Vega launch in June
 
 April 27, 2015 – Vega Flight VV05
The Sentinel-2A satellite on Arianespace's next Vega mission is being readied for pre-launch checkout at the Spaceport, which will enable this European Earth observation platform to be orbited in June from French Guiana.
During activity in the Spaceport's S5 payload processing facility, Sentinel-2A was removed from the shipping container that protected this 1,140-kg.-class spacecraft during its airlift from Europe to the South American launch site.  With Sentinel-2A now connected to its ground support equipment and successfully switched on, the satellite will undergo verifications and final preparations for a scheduled June 11 liftoff.
The mission with Sentinal-2A is designated Flight VV05, signifying the fifth launch of the lightweight Vega vehicle – which has joined Arianespace's medium-lift Soyuz and heavyweight Ariane 5 for a complete launcher family to orbit commercial, governmental, institutional, scientific and experimental payloads.
Sentinal-2A is the latest in Europe's series of Earth observation satellites for the Copernicus initiative, which is headed by the European Commission in partnership with the European Space Agency.  With its "color vision," Sentinel-2A is to deliver high-resolution and multispectral capabilities – offering a 290 km.-wide coverage path and frequent revisits.
By generating views of Earth's vegetation and changing landscape in unprecedented detail and accuracy, Sentinal-2A will provide information for agricultural and forestry, as well as help to manage food security. Its images of such Earth activity as floods, volcanic eruptions and landslides are to assist in disaster mapping and help humanitarian relief efforts.
 Airbus Defence and Space is Sentinel-2A's prime contractor.  The satellite will join Sentinel-1A, orbited by Arianespace in April 2014 on a Soyuz launcher, and which carries an advanced radar instrument for all-weather, day-and-night imaging of the Earth's surface.


 Sentinel-2A is positioned in the Spaceport's S5 payload processing facility for preparation ahead of its scheduled June launch on Vega.

[che wi]

An 124-100, Volga-Dnepr take cargo to ESA spaceport

[che wi]

Vega's third stage is integrated for a summer mission with Europe's Sentinel-2A satellite
http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2015/1294.asp

May 14, 2015 – Vega Flight VV05

The "stacking" of Vega's solid propellant propulsion systems is complete with integration of its Zefiro 9 third stage at the Spaceport in French Guiana.

This activity took place at the Spaceport's ZLV launch site inside a protective mobile gantry, where the Zefiro 9 was placed atop Vega's two other solid propellant stages: the Zefiro 23 second stage and the P80 first stage.

The next step will be Vega's "top off" with its bi-propellant liquid upper stage, called the AVUM (Attitude and Vernier Upper Module).

Спойлер

Vega's summer mission will loft the Sentinel-2A payload, which is the latest in Europe's series of Earth observation satellites for the Copernicus initiative – led by the European Commission in partnership with the European Space Agency.  The goal of Copernicus is to provide accurate, timely and easily-accessible information for improving management of the environment, as well as understanding and mitigating climate change effects, while also contributing to civil security.

The 1,140-kg.-class Sentinel-2A spacecraft is well suited for Arianespace's lightweight Vega, which was conceived as a capable lightweight launcher in the company's complete family – complementing its other two vehicles: the medium-lift Soyuz and heavyweight Ariane 5.

Vega's development was performed in a European program led by Italy's ASI space agency and industrial prime contractor ELV SpA.

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[PIN]

Снимаю тренировки, время свободное появилось.

[PIN]

19я тренировка по операциям, 2я смена группы управления.
Тренировка удалась - выбрались из safe mode за 3 витка, что у предыдущей смены не вышло за 2 попытки в первые 5 витков.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/esa_events/18417808312/in/album-72157650601833090/

[anik]

Peter B. de Selding ‏@pbdes
ESA: June 11 Sentinel 2A Earth obs sat launch scrapped after Vega rocket gas-pressure sensor issue. Sensor replaced, launch set for June 22.

[anik]

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-2/New_launch_date_set_for_Sentinel-2A

4 June 2015
The second satellite in Europe's Copernicus programme is set for launch from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on 23 June at 01:52 GMT (03:52 CEST 23 June; 22:52 local time 22 June).
Fuelling of the satellite was completed yesterday at the launch site.
An ESA and industry advisory board meeting over the past few days signed off on an investigation into Vega's fairing separation and the replacement of a gas pressure sensor on the vehicle, allowing the new launch date to be confirmed.
Sentinel-2 carries an innovative wide-swath, high-resolution multispectral imager with 13 spectral bands for a new perspective of our land and vegetation. The second in the two-satellite mission – Sentinel-2B – is being prepared for launch in 2016.

[Salo]

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2015/1302.asp

Fueled for its Vega launch: Sentinel-2A receives onboard propellant load at the Spaceport
 
 June 4, 2015 – Vega Flight VV05
The Sentinel-2A satellite has been fueled at the Spaceport as preparations continue for its launch on Arianespace's next Vega mission, which is scheduled for liftoff from French Guiana on June 22.
Built by Airbus Defence and Space as prime contractor, the spacecraft received its propellant load this week in the S5A fueling and integration hall – with the activity coming after Sentinel-2A's pre-launch checkout process.
The upcoming mission is designated Flight VV05, signifying the fifth launch of the lightweight Vega vehicle – which has joined Arianespace's medium-lift Soyuz and heavyweight Ariane 5 for a complete launcher family to orbit commercial, governmental, institutional, scientific and experimental payloads. Vega's development was performed in a European program led by Italy's ASI space agency and industrial prime contractor ELV SpA.
Flight VV05 also will mark Arianespace's fifth mission this year using a member of its launcher family, underscoring the company's sustained operational pace at the Spaceport in 2015. It follows two previous flights for Ariane 5, plus one each with Soyuz and Vega.
Sentinel-2A is the latest Earth observation satellite for Europe's ambitious Copernicus initiative, which is headed by the European Commission in partnership with the European Space Agency. Copernicus' goal is to provide accurate, timely and easily-accessible information for improving management of the environment, as well as understanding and mitigating climate change effects, while also contributing to civil security.
 The 1,140-kg.-class Sentinel-2A will deliver high-resolution and multispectral capabilities, providing a 290 km.-wide coverage path and frequent revisits; and is to join the Sentinel-1A spacecraft orbited by an Arianespace Soyuz mission in April 2014.


Sentinel-2A receives its propellant load inside the S5A fueling and integration hall of the Spaceport's S5 payload preparation facility.