[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!