From the ESA SEOSAT-Ingenio launch campaign team in Kourou.

Last week, on Tuesday 27th October, the Bilan Technique Plan Operations Cobinees (BT POC) authorised the start of SEOSAT-Ingenio’s combined operations with the launcher.

Then, on Thursday 29th, the TARANIS satellite, the auxiliary payload from the French Space Agency CNES, was integrated into the lower part of the Vega Secondary Payload Adapter (VESPA). Therefore, for this reason, SEOSAT-Ingenio was transferred from the Hazard Facility to the S5B room, as seen in the photos below.

Transfer of SEOSAT-Ingenio from the S5C to the S5B room of the Payload Processing Facility Credits (ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – P. Baudon)

 

Transfer of SEOSAT-Ingenio from the S5C to the S5B room of the Payload Processing Facility (Credits: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – P. Baudon)

During the two previous days, the spacecraft’s batteries were charged up to launch voltage. Then, on Friday 30th October, SEOSAT-Ingenio was mated on top of the upper part of the Vega Secondary Payload Adapter and braced with a clamp-band that was tensioned to the flight value.

Placement of SEOSAT-Ingenio onto the Vega Secondary Payload Adapter (Credits: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – P. Baudon)

Placement of SEOSAT-Ingenio onto the Vega Secondary Payload Adapter (Credits: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – P. Baudon)

The two electrical umbilical connectors, located on the bottom of the satellite, were also successfully mated with those on the VUP.

Read more about the SEOSAT-Ingenio mission.