UPDATED WITH EDITED VIDEO FILE - 16.02 20:41 CET
ESA's lead ATV Mission Director, Kris Capelle, explains what's happening today at ATV-CC as the mission operations team gets ready for tonight's Ariane 5 launch. Yesterday's launch attempt was scrubbed following a measurement anomaly in the liquid oxygen propellant tank of the cryogenic main stage of the Ariane 5 launcher. The new launch time has been set for today, 16 February, at 22:50:55 CET. (Thanks Jari for an excellent video edit!)
UPDATED FOR SECOND LAUNCH ATTEMPT 16 FEB 2011
15 16 February is ATV Johannes Kepler launch day - it's show time (again)! ATV lift-off is set for 23:13 22:50 CET on board Ariane 5 ES V200 (the 200th Ariane!) from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Below, we've listed the most critical steps that will take place today in the mission of Ariane 5 and ATV - we'll pin this post to the top of the blog so that you can refer back to it often.
ESA's Charlotte Beskow in Kourou just sent us a mail:
I am now on console. As I lift my head I see four clocks showing:
+14:53 || 21:50 || -06:57 || -06:57
... and my PC tells me "11:54" and my telephone tells me "15:54" - no wonder that it I feel slightly confused! Best to start today with a double coffee 
Actually, the only time I need to bear in mind is the countdown time showing hours to go until lift off, which is now -06:55. Seven hours to go - the filling of Ariane's main stage starts in roughly 2.5 hours. -- Charlotte
What happened yesterday?
At this moment, everything was still GO.
The final countdown was stopped 4 minutes and 1 second before the planned launch time because of a measurement anomaly in the liquid oxygen propellant tank of the cryogenic main stage for Ariane 5's Flight v200 launch.
Images from Kourou
The new launch time is set for tonight at 21:50:55 UTC = 18:50:55 local time in Kourou = 22:50:55 CET.
The teams here at ATV-CC have planned for launch delays many times in training; the trajectory calculations and related actions are now being verified and the control room is ready for the new launch attempt this evening.
ATV-CC on Wednesday morning at 9:50 CET
Countdown clock set to new launch time
It's silent in Toulouse right now: the calm before a storm of activity! Some of the ATV engineers and controllers are going home for a quick meal and rest before an action-packed night - but some are already now on console!
ATV-CC on 15 February at 18:20 CET
Observation room is already prepared for VIPs
This just in from ESA's Charlotte Beslow:
One bad quality photo and one taken this morning of the panneau des infos. Coming in to work, people gave me the thumbs up! We are in the Jupiter Control Room and have started the countdown. The CSG teams are busy checking the various means that allow them to stop/resume the countdown if necessary (i.e. the sending of RED/GREEN statuses from the applicable launch control team members). The VIPs are sitting in the designated area behind the glass partition. They are being given a presentation on the project and the planned activities. Needless to say it is all very exiting.
The latest (and possibly final?) installment from Charlotte Beskow in Kourou, sent in last night. She gives a review of what went on during yesterday's very impressive Ariane 5 roll-out. We've also pasted in a v. cool raw video extract courtesy of ESA TV (natural audio only - no narration) shot yesterday. Click on 'continue reading' below to read her full post - DGS
Kourou, Monday 14 February 2011
Today is D-1! Actually it is wrong to say "D-1" because it gives the impression we are almost at the end of the project. In fact, we are nearing the end of the preparation. The real fun is about to start!!!
Here in Kourou, it is easy to confuse the launch with the mission because for the people at CSG the launch **is** the purpose. As soon as we are off the ground and safely on our way to the ISS, their work with us is over and they have a new set of clients hammering at the door, waiting to get in [or get up? - Ed.].
Launcher is ready for roll out
If you are in Kourou, the launch preparations of Ariane 5 v200 with ATV Johannes Kepler on board are now also visible - no more mere simulations, testing or work inside the high-rise buildings.
Today, just like always before a launch, the launch vehicle is being rolled out and transported to the launch pad. For the 200th launch of Ariane and the second launch of ATV, this is happening now..!
ESA's Charlotte Beskow, in Kourou, has sent some great photos; check back in the blog for more images later today!
Road is closed!
ATV-2 on board Ariane 5
Today is 'Launch Monday' - noted as 'L-1' in the mission planning documentation - and there are a number of crucial activities that will be taking place at Kourou, French Guiana, and at ATV-CC in Toulouse. Tomorrow: the 200th flight will loft by far the heaviest payload ever launched by Ariane 5 - more than 20 tonnes - into a circular orbit at an altitude of 260 kilometres, inclined at 51.6 degrees.
Today, teams across Arianespace, ESA and CNES will be hard at work getting ready for the start of the countdown clock (due Tuesday, 15 February at 11:43 CET - 11hr30min prior to launch).
(1) At Europe's Spaceport in Kourou:
(2) And at ATV-CC Toulouse:
- Ed.)
ATV Johannes Kepler seen under the fairing of Ariane 5
Latest predicted launch time: 23:13:27 CET
ESA's Nico Dettmann sent in a note to say that the launch time of ATV Johannes Kepler has been changed by 5 minutes from 22:08 (UTC) to 22:13:27 (UTC) = 19:13:27 Kourou time = 23:13:27 CET.
The reason for the change is a very recent ISS reboost/altitude increase slightly affecting ATV-2 launch time.
He added that the final confirmation of this launch time is expected for tomorrow, however the change will only be in the seconds.
