Come Together
and that is just what is happening: The pinnacle of coming together here in Baikonur.
It has been quite a week as joint operations have gone into overdrive. After the satellite was mated to the Breeze M, everyone watched as the assembly, over 15000 pounds (6900 kg) of hardware, was tilted horizontally to be in mounted with the payload fairing (PLF), the nosecone of the rocket. Now that the PLF is installed, the assembly is referred to as the ascent unit, or the AU.
There is a small break in the operations as all team members have a chance to sign the logo decals of the organizations involved in the launching of the AMC-14 spacecraft. These logos are mounted onto the PLF. Our names and those of loved ones will go for a ride, out of orbit.
As we continue, the assembly will need to be moved to the KhSC side of building 92A-50, to Hall 111. This is accomplished by lifting the AU onto a rail car, and a train takes the assembly to its next stop. This is the side of the building that houses the launch vehicle: the rest of the rocket, over 130 feet of it, laying sideways on a support system. Incredible! The PLF is rolled to a stop next to the rocket, it is lifted off the rail car, set into its own support rack, and finally, it is rolled to a position that allows the KhSC specialists to mate the two sections together. After some electrical and mechanical tests and verifications, the final stage of launch vehicle integration will begin: preparing the LV for transport to the launch pad. By the time you read this, the coming together will be completed.
Operations continue to run smoothly, the weather is great and we are slightly ahead of schedule!
