Ariane 5 and Jules Verne ATV arrive at launch pad (Forwarded)

ESA News
http://www.esa.int

8 March 2008

Ariane 5 and Jules Verne ATV arrive at launch pad

Yesterday's roll-out of Ariane 5 ES and Jules Verne ATV started over 3 hours
late after an anomaly with the mobile air conditioning unit. Once underway,
transportation of the 760-tonne launcher and Jules Verne from the Final
Assembly Building at Europe's Spaceport to the launch complex 3 (ELA 3)
proceeded without a hitch.

Around 300 people watched from a safe distance as the huge 2000-tonne
platform carried the 57 metre-high Ariane 5 launcher to the launch pad at
Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. "It was a moving moment. And
now to see the Ariane 5 ES and Jules Verne on the pad represents a special
step for me after eight years of effort," said Jean-Michel Desobeau,
Arianespace's ATV Programme Director.

The roll-out was able to proceed thanks to good weather in the Kourou area
-- no thunderstorms, lightning or strong winds. A powerful diesel truck
pulled the massive platform along a 2 km-long road, reaching speeds of just
5 km/h. Behind the convoy, an optical cable constantly connected the
platform to the Final Assembly Building and the Launcher Control Centre.
From there, Arianespace specialists monitored the health of the launcher.

The air conditioned airflow was also constantly checked -- keeping the
hardware cooled and avoiding humidity getting inside the launcher. After 2
hours, the Ariane 5 arrived at the pad. Overnight about 50 Arianespace
engineers and technicians worked until 04:00 Kourou time (07:00 CET [0600
UTC], Saturday) at the pad to reconnect all wiring on the launcher and the
ATV.

Meanwhile, Astrium and ESA engineers checked all connections with Jules
Verne ATV which is encapsulated under the Ariane 5 fairing at the launch
pad. They also ran a radio frequency test of Proximity Link with the folded
antenna mast of the ATV. This 'ProxLink' allows the ATV to communicate
automatically with the ISS during the crucial rendezvous manoeuvres
scheduled between 29 March and 3 April.

On Saturday, filling of the main stage with cryogenic propellants starts at
22:00 Kourou time [0100 UTC Sunday], and will take three hours, almost up to
launch time. The 10-hour launch countdown starts at 15:00 Kourou time (19:00
CET [1800 UTC]).

The latest weather forecast remains favourable for launch.

The launch for this inaugural ATV flight is scheduled during the night of 8
to 9 March 2008 at the following time:

05:03 CET on 9 March 2008
04:03 UTC on 9 March 2008
01:03 Kourou time 9 March 2008

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