Preparing for O2 loading for ATV3. Credit: ESA/C. Beskow

Preparing for O2 loading for ATV3. Credit: ESA/C. Beskow

This report – written yesterday – was received a couple hours ago from Charlotte in Kourou, where the ATV-3 launch campaign team are hard at work – Ed.

Today (Saturday) at lunch time in Kourou! The TAS-I (Thales Alenia Space – Italy) and Astrium team have just started the transfer of 67kg of O2 (Oxygen) to ATV-3. At the rate of 2g/second, the total time is estimated to take around 10 hours.

It is one way to spend a Saturday; on the other hand, the rain is pounding down outside so we are not missing very much.

It’s a hazarduous operation, so I am watching from my office via the close-circuit TV. S5B is closed to everyone except the authorized workers. On Monday, we will transfer the remaining 33 kg (Air).

— Charlotte