Over the past few days, we’ve received good news from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana: Sentinel-2C is ready to be fuelled!

The Operations Readiness Meeting was held at the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC), in Germany, and the satellite successfully passed the propulsion leak tests – which gave the green light that Sentinel-2C is ready to be fuelled.

As the fuelling operation is considered a hazardous operation, the satellite was relocated to a different building near the launch pad, a few kilometres from the testing site.

To transport the satellite by road, it is placed in a special rolling housing called a CCU. The images below show the CCU platform. Once the satellite is secured on the platform, an enclosure is added to maintain a clean environment during transport.

Ready to roll

Sentinel-2C on the move

The fuelling equipment has also been set up by teams, along with the COTE2 system, which provides backup power and data link support for the launch. COTE2 is temporarily installed to assist with fuelling operations and will then be moved back to the launch pad to ensure redundancy.

A preliminary fairing inspection also took place which means that all launcher elements are now available and are being prepared for combined operations.

Happy team in front of the VV24 half fairing

ESA’s Andrea Simonini, Product Assurance & Safety Manager, said, “The Sentinel-2C launch campaign is progressing well in accordance to plan and all is in good order for satellite fuelling this Friday 16 August.

Also, the preparation of the Payload Launcher Adapter and of the Fairing is progressing nominally in view of the start of the combined operations next week. ESA and ADSF teams cooperation is excellent and launch on 4 September is getting closer and closer!”

At the launch pad, the primary power and data link equipment for the launch, has been set up. The verification of the umbilical lines, from the base to the top of the launcher, is being re-performed to ensure the entire launch setup is validated. This process is expected to be completed this week, along with fuelling.