Herschel and Planck pass in-orbit 'exam'   Herschel and Planck     24 July 2009   Herschel and Planck have both passed an important 'exam' they were to take before they could go about doing what space telescopes and observatories do.   Both missions have successfully completed their in-orbit commissioning reviews. The spacecraft are in excellent condition, their instruments have been commissioned, and are now certified ready to begin the performance verification phase to attain optimum performance for scientific observations. This marks the end of the development phase and the start of the operational phase for both missions.      •  Herschel: ESA's giant infrared observatory (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Herschel/index.html)  •  Planck: looking back at the dawn of time (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Planck/index.html)  •  Space Operations & Situational Awareness (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Operations/index.html) Related articles  •  Herschel images promise bright future (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMAYT6CTWF_index_0.html)  •  Coolest spacecraft ever in orbit around L2 (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Operations/SEM0Y5S7NWF_0.html)  •  Herschel’s daring test: a glimpse of things to come (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Operations/SEM76A0P0WF_0.html)  •  Herschel cryocover is open (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Operations/SEMR943XTVF_0.html)  •  Planck satellite manoeuvre aims at L2 arrival (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Operations/SEMVHHVTGVF_0.html)  •  Herschel and Planck commissioning has begun (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMKN80OWUF_index_0.html) Read more  •  L2, the second Lagrangian Point (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMO4QS1VED_index_0.html) In depth  •  Herschel in depth (http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/area/index.cfm?fareaid=16)  •  Planck in depth (http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/area/index.cfm?fareaid=17) For specialists  •  Herschel Science Centre (http://herschel.esac.esa.int/)  •  Planck Science Team (http://www.rssd.esa.int/index.php?project=Planck)