Introducing LBC room

MSG-3 is getting prepared for a pressurisation tests with Nitrogen gas. It is in fact  a safety test to verify that tanks can withstand the required pressure once filled with propellant. A large shield screen has been installed for protection between the spacecraft and the Thales operators who are putting in place the set up for running the procedure.

Here under is a closer view on the propellant tanks that will be tested and a view on the LAM (Liquid Apogee Motor) that will enable MSG to get for the transfer to the geostationary orbit.

But, while the test is in preparation, there is another important room which is now almost ready: the LBC room. LBC stands in French for Local Blanc de Control, it is the Check out Equipment room from where telecommands will be sent and telemetry received. As showed below, LBC is adjacent to the clean room as the MSG-3 Antenna platform is visible trough the window.

In other words, it is from the LBC room that engineers will "talk" or keep in contact with the spacecraft from now on up to the launch, the spacecraft being located successively :

• in the EPCU S5C clean room, 
• in the BAF (Building Assemblage Final) where MSG-3 will be mated on the Ariane 5 rocket) 
• and finally at the ELA-3 launch pad (Ensemble de Lancement Ariane).

 During the count down, the RPS (Responsible Preparation Satellite) will sit behind this special desk providing the Jupiter control center with all information needed or requested. The two hanging TV screens will provide real time images of the launch pad and likely the inside of the Jupiter control room (?). One clock will provide the time and the other, the count down.