Post Scriptum

We have now received the MSG-3 first image. This is an evident proof that, after the successful launch on 05/07/2012,  the MSG-3 spacecraft is working very well and the LEOP and commissioning phases have been properly carried out. This is a reward for the all teams and staff that have been involved and which worked on this project for years now.

Just below, for memory, we offer the readers of this blog the first image taken by MSG-1 (METEOSAT-8) and MSG-2 (METEOSAT-9) respectively obtained in 2002 and 2006.

Long life to MSG-3 in orbit!

1-MSG-3 first image on 07/08/2012
Launch from Kourou 05/07/2012

Credits ESA/EUMETSAT

2-MSG-2 first image on 25/01/2006
Launch from Kourou 21/12/2005

Credits: ESA/EUMETSAT

3-MSG-1 first image on 11/12/2002
Launch from Kourou on 28/08/2002

Credits: ESA/EUMETSAT

Epilogue

Dear all,

Today 08/07/2012, some team members have started to pack their respective gears and equipment at EPCU S5 while some others are starting their trip back to Europe.

As the MSG-3 launch campaign, performed during this spring 2012 is now progressively coming to an end, it is time to leave Kourou and say good bye to each of you. It has been a great pleasure to share these exciting moments together.

For a little bit more than three months, more than 90 posts have been published (almost in real time) and illustrated by about 650 pictures. The goal was to keep the link with people not in Kourou and to tell them what was going on here at CSG (...it seems that even people in Kourou came regularly to visit these pages... :-). In parallel of the campaign reporting, we tried also to report few aspects of this unique and still very unknown place called French Guiana.  Considering the positive feed back we received as well as the number of connections, the outcome has definitely exceeded our expectations. After the campaign, we may consider to collect these pages on a CD or a DVD together with some other Launch Campaign material.

It is impossible to conclude this last message without emphasizing the outstanding performance of the THALES team (the Prime Contractor of the MSG programme): the talent and dedication of each individual in all disciplines has made this success possible. Congratulations!

Now, what is better than looking through a window to guess what the future will be?

Here above you can see a rare (or let's say unusual) picture taken in the THALES clean room at Cannes in December 2011. At that time the MSG-3 solar panels were put on a jig to enable an exhaustive solar cell inspection. One can see on this picture that through the large SEVIRI "hole" it is not  Earth (as it should be seen from space) but the 4th Model of the MSG series, i.e. MSG-4 spacecraft...

Through this "window" we can contemplate our future, i.e. the job waiting for us for the next two years: complete integration, testing and getting MSG-4 ready for a launch early 2015 (TBC) in order to take over MSG-2 which will become 10 years old at that time.

But back to recent events, roughly 48 hours after the launch, last news from the MSG-3 LEOP team are good: there are still few important milestones to be completed in the next 10 days but the first critical steps have been successfully completed. Our "baby" is in good health and doing well. Click here for a LEOP status update.

Before to leave you, thanks again for your interest and your friendly support.

From French Guiana with love!

Kirill Blogovitch

08/07/2012

What will happen to MSG-3 in the next days after launch?

After the launch, a new phase called LEOP will start. LEOP stands for Launch Early Operation Phase. This phase will aim to put MSG-3 in its final configuration and orbit where it will be ready to perform its mission. It will last about 10 days will end with the MSG-3 handover to EUMETSAT (the operator of the spacecraft). LEOP will be continued by the commissioning phase.
Just after launch, some of our Thales colleagues from Kourou and Cannes will join now very rapidly ESOC in Darmstadt, the European Space Operation Center, where these LEOP activities will be performed together with ESA and EUMETSAT.

The next LEOP milestones are summarized below:

(Real status in RED, according to info from the LEOP team)

•  Launch 05/07/2012 18:36 (Kourou) 23:36 (CET)
• Launch T+ 34 minutes: MSG-3 separation from the launcher (Malindi tracking station acquisition); Successfully performed
• T+ 4 hours, 1st spin up (55rpm): Successfully performed
• T+37 hours, First Apogee Engine firing by LAM: Successfully performed
• T+62 hours, Second Apogee Engine firing by LAM: Successfully performed
• T+ 111 hours, third Apogee Engine firing by LAM: Successfully performed
• T+134 hours, fourth Apogee Engine firing by LAM: Successfully performed
• T+ 6 days and ca 8,5 hours, Spin axis erection* (1st part): Successfully performed
• T+ 6 days and ca 14 hours, Spin axis erection* (2nd part): Successfully performed
• T+ 8 days and 6 hours, (13/07/2012 @ 06:06 am CET), Cover cooler and SEVIRI baffle cover release: Successfully performed
• T+ 8 days and 9 hours, (13/07/2012 @ 09:06 am CET), Spin up to 99.8 rpm: Successfully performed
• T+ 8 days and 9,5 hours (13/07/2012 @ 9:36 am CET) Start of SEVIRI operations...: Successfully performed
•  SEVIRI scan mechanism released, mirror moved from its launch position to a position in the the operational range: Successfully performed
• T+ 9 days and 22 hours, Circularisation maneuver: Successfully performed
• T+10 days and 9,5 hours (16/07/2012 @ 9:30am CET) Start of ESOC to EUMETSAT handover and end of the LEOP**: Successfully performed

*Up to that stage, the vertical axis of the spacecraft  (or spin axis) is within the orbital plane. The goal of the spin axis erection is to get it perpendicular to the orbital plane in order that the SEVIRI can "look" at Earth.
** For more information about the end of the LEOP phase, click here.

Echostar-17 declared a problem

According to a press article recently issued, it has become public that, MSG-3 co-passenger on the next Ariane 5 flight, Echostar-17, a telecom satellite, has a problem. Last week, Arianespace informed the MSG teams working at CSG that all available resources are put in place to resolve this issue as soon as possible but the flight VA207 will however have to be delayed. In simple words this means that the MSG-3 launch date planned on the 19th of June is not realistic anymore.
Formal consolidated information from Arianespace,  ESA and EUMETSAT will follow shortly.

Practically speaking, TAS, ESA and EUMETSAT teams are being redeployed to accommodate this "stand by" period till activity is back on track.

Be sure that very few only are of the opinion that they will spend the rest of their life in French Guyana....

Some other have planned to make some appropriate readings for morale boosting or personal development :-)

Credits: Amazon

Despite these unexpected news, things were going so far  very well on the MSG side (we just had a successful review authorising the fuelling!). All team members believe that, despite the delay, the job will be completed soon.
Let's wish a good trip back for those who have left Kourou and hope that we shall soon welcome them again. During this expected short period they certainly deserve to have a good rest at home and enjoy to meet with their respective families.
For those who stay, for sure the MSG-3 team spirit shall remain in order to complete the (expected short) babysitting phase that starts now. In addition, the morale here in CSG is very high!
Last but not least, let's wish Echostar-17 team good luck to quickly fix the issue.

Abreviations

This message, to be updated regularly, is a support to the reading of this blog in case Abbreviations are omitted to be explicited in the text.

•  AOCS Attitude and orbit Control Sub System
• ASI Agence Saptiale Italienne
• BAF Bâtiment d'Assemblage Final/Final Assembly Building
• CCU Container de Charge Utile (Paylaod Transport Container)
• CDL-3 Centre de Lancement Nr.3
• CNES Centre National de Etudes Spatiales
• CSG Centre Spatial Guyanais
• EAP Etage d'Accéleration à Poudre
• EDA Electronically Despun Antenna
• ELA Ensemble de Lancement Ariane
• ELS Ensemble de Lancement Soyuz (Soyuz launch complex)
• EPC Etage Principal Cryogenic/Main Cryogenic Stage
• EPCU Ensemble de Préparation de Charge Utile
• EPS Electrical Power Sub System
• ESA European Space Agency
• ESC Etage Superieur Cryogénqiue/Upper Cryogenic Stage
• HPF Hazardous Processing Facility
• LAM Liquid Apogee Motor
• LBC Local Control Blanc
• LEOP Launch and Early operation Phase
• MEOP Maximum Expeted Operational Pressure
• MLI Multi Layer Insulation
• MSG Meteosat Second Generation
• OSR Optical Sun Reflector
• PFEI PlateForme Elévatrice Inpérieure
• PFES PlateForme Elévatrice Supérieure
• PTS Pressure Test Set
• RCT Reaction Control Thruster 
• SCAPE Self Contined Atmospheric Protective Ensemble
• SEVIRI 
• SYLDA SYstème de Lancement Double Ariane
• TAS Thales 
• TBC To Be Confirmed
• TBD To Be Defined
• TCS Thermal Control System
• UPS Unified propulsion Systtem

Welcome !

View of a 1:1 scale mock up of MSG-3 exhibited at the Nice Airport

This blog will report, as from begining of April 2012, about the MSG-3  launch campaign that will take place at the Centre Spatial Guyannais (CSG*) in Kourou, French Guiana.

MSG stands for Meteosat Second Generation. It is a family of four identical spacecrafts aiming at weather forecast.

• Two have already been launched: MSG-1 on 28 August 2002 and MSG-2 on 22 December 2005.  They are today fully operational but of course ageing after almost 10 years in space for MSG-1
• MSG-3 (identified as Meteosat-10) is the third exemplar of the MSG family. It is planned to be launched mid june 2012 to ensure the continuity of service together with MSG-2 after MSG-1 "retirement"
•  MSG-4 is the last member of the MSG family. The satellite is already manufactured and is  in storage at the moment. The launch will be planned in the future in order to optimally bridge with the next Meteosat generation: MTG (Metosat Third Generation) that should be ready by end of the decade.

All MSG spacecrafts have been built by the THALES group and its branch located in Cannes, France.

This blog is informal and is intended to support families, colleagues, friends  and fans of MSG-3 who will follow the launch campaign from remote.

Important: Official information related to MSG-3 will be released in due time by ESA and EUMETSAT the owner of the Spacecraft.

See you all soon !

K.B.

*The CSG is operated by CNES , Arianespace (AE) and ESA.

Updates:
7/3/2012, ESA, MSG-3 satellite ready to continue weather-monitoring service
15/03/2012, BBC, Europe's latest weather eye set for launch
29/03/2012, From Thales: MSG-3 in clean room at Cannes ready to go!

Credits: Thales

04/04/2012, First members of the Launch Campaign team arrived in Kourou