Almost dressed to kill

In order to complete the  electrical testing, Solar Arrays (SA) have been (re) mounted for testing on the spacecraft and the protection covers removed. Tests which have been performed are called "flood tests". The spacecraft was powered by its own batteries and the SAs were, one by one "flooded" with light generating as expected electrical current.The successful performance of this test proved that everything was properly connected and Telemetry (TM) was indicating that the solar panels were illuminated. The good health of the SAs was checked last February in Cannes by the successful performance of flasher tests.
The picture below shows MSG-3 as it was configured for the flood test.

Here under, a closer view on the solar cells (Silicone type) at the bottom edge of the SA.

The flood test was successfully completed by a grounding tests.
Then MSG-3 was straighten up...

Credits: Emilio

to be ready as from 14/05/12 to start the antenna connection tests.
As it can be seen below, a horn mast opposite the the MSG-3 antenna platform has been installed on the transportation dolly for that purpose.

There are four types of antennas on MSG:

• S/L Band TPA, the large part of the black cylinder
• S Band TTC, the tip on the black cylinder
• UHF Band EDA (white crosses)
• L Band EDAs (small tips on the silver cylinder)

A glance at MSG-3 as it stands now in the clean room shows a close configuration to the one that will hopefully fly next month. Obviously few thermal blankets still need to be mounted to cover the rectangular Solar Array cut outs.
For keeping memory of this milestone, few official pictures have been taken by the ArianeSpace photographer.

That is why we dare to say that as from today MSG-3 is already almost dressed to kill...

Introducing EPCU S5B

If the schedule is met, MSG-3 is planned to move by end of May from EPCU S5C (where it is now tested) to S5B where it will be fuelled. The fuelling is for a satellite equivalent to go to a pump station for car. The difference being in the type of fuel to be delivered and the associated hazards linked to fuelling operations.
Hereunder is an external view on the EPCU S5B (fuelling) building at the CSG.

MSG propulsion, like many other spacecrafts and rockets, is achieved by a classical bi-propellant system, i.e. the combustion of two components: a liquid fuel with a liquid oxidizer.

For MSG-3 the fuel is the  Monomethylhydrazine (MMH) and Mixed Oxides of Nitrogen (MON) the oxidizer.
These two substances should NEVER EVER be in direct contact except in the combustion chamber of the rocket or satellite engines.Therefore, as showed by the picture below, the handling of these two substances follows physically separated routes: one on the right for the MON and another one on the left for the MMH.

At the moment, MSG "drums"containing these two propellants are still in a remote fuel farm (also called ZSE for Zone Stockage d'Ergol).
The S5B facility which has now been accepted for MSG-3 fuelling is now under preparation for performing this operation.

Inside S5B clean hall, Thales staff is validating a special device called DMRP  i.e. Dispositif Mobile de Remplissage et de Presurisation (Fill and Drain Cart). Note there is one cart for the MON and one other for the MMH.

The view below gives an idea of the area where the tank filling will be made. After a transfer from the airlock through the door into the clean hall with a crane, MSG-3 will be put in the middle on the fuelling stand. On the opposite side of the clean hall the MON and MMH rooms will accomodate drums. After being weighted, the MON drum will enter the clean hall the first. When the MON filling is completed, MMH filling will take place. In between decontamination operations is carried out in order to remove any residues of these (extremely) toxic substances inside the facility as well as in the filling material.

The fuelling stand on which MSG-3 will be installed for the fuelling

The propellant team will operate with SCAPE suits (a kind of diving suit) in 4 hour session shifts. The limitation is made by the battery of the radios. Before to don-off  their filling gear, operators have to take a shower. Facilities are foreseen just next to the filling hall.

Before and after the fuelling, the spacecraft is powered on, there fore a cooling device in necessary for the battery. The MICE used in S5C (see previous message), becomes an ICE (for Indoor Cooling Equipment) as it is built-in the facility and no longer a mobile device.

Once the fuelling is made, the SC will move to another area: the BAF (Batiment d'Assemblage Final or Final Assembly Building). At this moment the launch campaign turns into a new phase. The mating on the rocket is getting closer... but we shall let that open for further reporting :-)

Love letters

On 11/05/2012, the acceptance of the EPCU S5B area, where MSG-3 will be fuelled, took place. S5B is an hazardous processing facility (HPF) which will be described in more details in a dedicated message.
Once fuelled, each Spacecraft (SC) is transferred from this S5B building to the BAF (Final Assembly Building/Batiment d'Assemblage Final) where it will be mated on an Ariane 5 rocket. The transport between these two places will be carried out with the CCU (Container de Charge Utile/Payload Transporter Container).
The (empty) CCU-2 is now ready in S5B for further MSG-3 use and can be seen in the transfer hall.

Once the SC is loaded onto the CCU, this is the last moment the propellant teams may see their own "baby". Therefore, this emotional moment often triggers some farewell words, ranging from love letters to humoristic slogans as it can be seen below...

"it was not always easy and sometimes you made my life miserable. Whatsoever there was great moments!, For all of us and for my daughter (7 months old), that I missed a lot, after 4 weeks drinking Rhum, show us how brave you are..."
David, Mechanical chief

CCU-2 tagging may also offer new perspectives for anonymous artists...

Finally, the presence of old project stickers reveals that this CCU-2 was already used in the MSG-2 launch campaign (2005). Unfortunately the signatures of the propulsion team and the launch manager were erased by effects of time or erosion...

Anyway, Archaeology is never far when working on MSG project :-)

Campaign status on 10/05/2012

After the propulsion tests, another series of tests is in preparation. The presence of an unusual mast in the clean room gives a flavor of what is going to happen next week.

If you have also noticed the presence of the TPA (Toroidal Pattern Antenna) which has been very recently mounted on the top of MSG-3, it will be become crystal clear that the next series of tests will be related to RF (Radio Frequency) or antennas connection tests.

The spacecraft (SC) needs first to be put in a configuration more representative to flight. Therefore the solar arrays (SA) which have been dismounted at the MSG-3 arrival in Kourou for inspection, and giving access to the various subsystem inner to the spacecraft, will be reassembled.
Before "closing" MSG-3, a careful check of the thermal blanket or MLI (Multi Layer Insulation) is performed. The inventory of red tag (to be removed) and green tag (to fly) items is checked. Nothing should be forgotten inside the SC that could jeopardize the mission later on as long as when the panels are mounted there are very little not to say no access inside.

The reintegration of the SA is a very delicate operation that can only be done by skilled personnel.

Once the eight panels will be on MSG-3 (in principle by 11/05) an electrical check on the SA will be made to confirm their good health.

So far MSG-3 campaign activities carries on as planned.
Keep you posted

K.B.

Breaking news:
Our co-passenger (Jupiter 1 renamed Echostar 17) has just arrived in CSG. It is a telecom satellite and will be put into space by an Ariane 5 ECA rocket with MSG-3 on 19/06 (flight VA207). The US launch campaign team will sit next to us in the southern aisle of the S5 Building. En passant, one can can notice the very short duration of the launch campaign for telecom satellites: roughy one month difference with MSG.


For information, the next flight from CSG (VA206) is still planned on Tuesday May 15th @19:23 (Kourou time). This is an important date for us as well.

Make sure you get the right dictionary

Is there a place in the world where so many languages can be spoken in a so limited area as it is the case here in French Guiana (and Suriname)?
The variety and number of languages will certainly strike the attention of anyone interested in languages.  This peculiar situation is likely the results or the combination of several elements:

• the survival of few original ethnic groups (e.g. Amerindians), despite the deforestation/urbanisation,
• the contribution or influence of the colonisation into the local languages (e.g. Creole),
• the various immigration flows (e.g. Chinese, Hmong communities),
• the vicinity with large linguistic groups (Portuguese and Spanish),

The map below provides a snapshot of this diversity:

Credits: SIL international

Here below are tentatively  listed 19 living languages that are spoken in French Guiana:

• 5 European languages: French, Portugese, Dutch, Spanish, English
• 3 Asian languages: Hmong Njua, Hakka Chinese, Vietnamese
• 2 Creole languages: French Guiana Creole, Haitian Creole
• 6 Amerindian languages: Arawak, Palikúr, Kali'na, Wayana, Wayampi, Emerillon
• 3 Maroon dialects: Saramaccan, Aluku, Ndyuka

This list is certainly not exhaustive not taking into account dialects or languages imported by numerous immigrated people. For instance, the taki taki (known as sranan tongo = Suriname tongue) spoken by the Surinamese community of French Guiana (this language belongs to the creole group above) or even North levantine spoken by Arabic people originated from France...The permanent installation of Soyuz in CSG (ELS) will also bring more and more native Russians in French Guiana.
What makes also difficult to know exactly what we are talking about, is that a single language may show alternate names: For instance, Wayana language may be quoted as Ajana, Uaiana, Alucuyana, Guaque, Ojana, Orcocoyana, Pirixi, Urukuena, Waiano etc...
Even if some languages are spoken by a very limited number of persons (< 1000 for the Wayampi) and some other may even not be written, this diversity does reflect the culture of very ancient ethnic groups and the richness of the  local patrimony. For this reason, they need to be protected in order not to disappear due to the side effects of the globalisation.
Other information can be collected on the web page of the Ethnologue, languages of the world.
So, before packing your stuff to French Guiana don't mix up the dictionaries to bring with you :-)

Les îles du Salut (Salvation islands)

Credits Wikipedia

Several images can be associated to French Guiana (e.g. peper, rain forest, rockets, etc...), but only one image is associated to the Salvation islands: Prisons.
to be continued....

Batteries have been integrated

The two Nickel Cadmium batteries which have been successfully reconditioned have been now integrated onto the spacecraft. The reconditioning consisted to perform after a long storage period in cold conditions two charging/discharging cycles. The batteries performances where compared to specifications and even to similar tests performed seven years ago for MSG-2 just before launch. The outcome of the reconditioning tests last week showed a remarkable expected performance proving  that the 10 year old MSG-3 batteries are in excellent condition and ready to start their flight mission.
The pictures below show one of the battery mounted on the spacecraft and a general view of MSG-3 in the clean room today.

Note the reflecting thermal protection (OSR = Optical Solar reflectors) on the outside surface of the battery.

En passant, a nice view on the large oval cover protecting the SEVIRI imager. Its purpose to prevent contamination on the optical parts of the instrument. This cover will be ejected by pyrocutters few hours after launch.

ESA Party

On Sunday May 6th, ESA invited all launch campaign teams and families of the CSG colleagues living in Guiana, for a party at the Base de loisir, ULM Equateur at Macourin (PK6 CD5 Route de Monsinéry, 97355 Macourin).

The day started with a Quad tour in the (flooded) forest, then a buffet-lunch was organised followed by a karting race. This place being an ultra light aeroclub, those who volunteered could also go for a short flight over the Monsinéry zoo and the Guyanese coast.

All participants enjoyed this very nice day extremely well organised by Francois and Elaine. We also had luck with a very sunny day!

The party was a real success for small and... tall kids :-)