[img]http://www.ilslaunch.com/assets/Images/Media/ASTRA-1M-Blog/2-the-signing.jpg[/img] As we get closer to our launch date, the number of activities is increasing… One of the more “technical” operations that we have to perform is to sign the payload fairing. The biggest decision is what to write and who to dedicate the launch to: parents, children and loved ones… all of the names are on the fairing as a tribute from the launch team members. When signing festivities were complete, the rail transporter was positioned in Hall 101 so the Ascent Unit could be lifted from the tilter and positioned over the transporter. The transporter is a locomotive car designed to support the AU on its journey to Hall 111. This is the hall that houses the complete Proton Breeze M rocket, which will take the ASTRA 1M satellite into orbit. Very little time was wasted before the AU was mated to the launch vehicle (LV). With the AU on its rail dolly, the Khrunichev specialists hand- cranked the unit and aligned it with the LV. Mating operations were performed and there were no anomalies. It was finally one complete unit, known as the Integrated Launch Vehicle (ILV). Needless to say, there was a lot of excitement as everyone saw all of the pieces together for the first time. All of the teams are now wrapping up preparations for the final leg of a long journey. Tomorrow we are off to the Breeze M fueling station and then to Launch Pad!

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It has been a very busy few days here in Baikonur. After a successful mating of the SC to the Breeze M, it was time to say goodbye to the SC, at least, visually. As the SC hovered horizontally above the rail track, the bottom half of the fairing was situated on a rail car below. Sitting in its cradle, the lower half of the fairing was hand cranked into position under the SC. Then the upper half was hoisted up by crane, positioned above the SC and lowered to mate with the bottom half. Under the watchful eyes of the Astrium and KhSC teams, the maneuvers were successfully executed and the Astra 1M SC was officially encapsulated in preparation for its ride into orbit. This newly assembled configuration is called the ascent unit (AU). Now that the two halves are secured, the team will spend the next couple of days performing electrical tests and verifying that, although encapsulated, it is still possible to communicate with the SC. Soon it will be time to mate the AU to the Proton launch vehicle!

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[img]http://www.ilslaunch.com/assets/Images/Media/ASTRA-1M-Blog/Mating-Blog-Astra-1m.jpg[/img] Yesterday morning we started the next major phase of our campaign. The SC was rolled out from Hall 103 into Hall 101 and prepared for mating to the launch vehicle adapter. By 8 a.m. it was suspended from the lift and the gentle process of setting it down on the adapter was underway. The specialists from RUAG (formerly known as SAAB Space) installed and tightened the clampband, which holds the SC to the adapter. Next, the whole SC (with the adapter now attached), will be lifted and placed atop the Breeze M upper stage. As always the team work was remarkable, they don’t call this phase joint operations for nothing!

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[img]http://www.ilslaunch.com/assets/Images/Media/ASTRA-1M-Blog/58-End-of-Camel-ride-bloga1.jpg[/img] Yesterday, October 14, the propellant team loaded the hydrazine fuel onto the SC. This operation is the second half of the propellant load. It marks the completion of the propellant loading phase of SC preps. Kudos to all the ASTRA 1M teams for an excellent job! Everything went smoothly and according to plan. If anything was to be said about the day, it would be “uneventful.” But an “uneventful” day during fueling is a great day, and that is exactly how we want operations to continue! Because the propellant loading is a hazardous operation, the building was of course cleared of all non-essential personnel. Once again the team had the great fortune of being able to return to the Soyuz Launch site, this time to the pad. Yes, only 2 days after the manned launch we were able to visit the launch pad. Several of us actually walked up the same stairs as the astronauts/cosmonauts did on Sunday (no rocket of course). Thank you, KhSC, for taking such great care of us. During our stay here in Baikonur the normal form of transportation is bus, van, walking or bicycle. However, this afternoon we had the pleasure of a true Kazakh experience… the camel! I think we all prefer the camel.

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