From the ESA Sentinel-3 launch campaign team
Testing is going well. Today the satellite’s attitude and orbit control system was checked, and we ran tests on the Sea Land Surface Temperature Radiometer (SLSTR) and on the Microwave Radiometer (MWR).
All these tests were run using the radio frequency up & down link, this way our S-band subsystem was exercised.
This evening the authentication test and last part of the onboard computer (SMU) cross check is being performed.
Further testing of the S-band subsystem, the Synthetic Aperture Radar Altimeter (SRAL) and the last remaining test on DORIS (which is used for precise orbit determination) is planned for tomorrow.
Also, we have verified the communication link between ESA’s Space Operations Centre ESOC in Germany and the MIK here.
Tomorrow, we plan to perform the same checkout from the ‘under table’ room at the launch pad.
On the Russian side, the Rockot booster is ready and will be rolled out to the launch pad tomorrow. Electrical check-outs of the Breeze upper stage will also be completed tomorrow with the run of a final system test.
After that, the Breeze and the fairing will be assembled and rolled out to the launch pad for the dry run and electrical tests on the launch pad on Monday.
Since today and tomorrow some of the team members will leave and others arrive – Claudia and Patricia leaving and Leona, Jens and Johannes just arriving- we took the opportunity to take a group picture in the cleanroom.
Team ‘handover’ in the cleanroom (ESA)
Yesterday, the propulsion system check-out was concluded with the ‘mass flow’ test on the thrusters. This is an important test that not only confirms the thrusters are working properly, but also that the software is ok.
We had to suspended testing and switch off the satellite in the morning for a couple of hours because humidity levels dropped to 35%. They have to be 40–60% to be in spec. If they fall under 40% there is a high risk of electrostatic discharge, which could result in damage to some of the satellite components.
Thales Alenia Space checking Sentinel-3 (ESA)
However, payload testing continued with the Ocean Land Colour Instrument (OCLI), MWR and the SLSTR scan test.
During the morning a part of the team paid a visit to the launch pad to prepare for the activities on Friday and Monday, where we will install some of the satellite control equipment in the under table room and perform the umbilical check-out.
Access to this bunker is not straightforward (steep stairs, several doors, passages, narrow corridors) so moving of our 170 kg ground support equipment (GSE) equipment rack needs to be prepared in advance.
Also we performed an inspection of the launch tower, from where we will conduct the umbilical checkout between tower and bunker. In the cold, icy snow weather conditions of today this visit was an adventure… hopefully next week the weather will be better when some people will need to spend a few hours in the launch tower!
Weather is changing here by the minute. Yesterday was cold and snowy, but since last night temperatures are well above zero but…extremely slippery!
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