 | | | | |
| | | | | |
|
Background About usProfile: The Right StuffSSA programme Space Situational Awareness Multimedia (click) Mission families Solar & planetaryAstronomy & Fundamental PhysicsEarth ObservationHuman SpaceflightTechnology DemonstrationPast missionsESA mission history- Find a mission: A...ZMission control centres ATV Control Centre (ATV-CC)Columbus Control Centre (Col-CC)Worldwide ground station network ESTRACK tracking stationsESTRACK Control Centre- Find a station: A...ZOPS Community Advanced Mission Concepts & Technologies OfficeHSO ExchangeKnowledge ManagementESA Ground Operation System (EGOS)Services PublicationsESA-sponsored conferencesHelpSubscribe
| | | | | | | News |  |
| | Launcher fairing ejection | |
Herschel and Planck talk to Earth
14 May 2009
At 15:49 CEST today, just under 40 minutes after liftoff, Herschel and Planck sent their first radio signals to Earth, confirming that they separated successfully from the launcher and are alive.
Herschel, the upper passenger, was the first to separate from the upper stage of the Ariane 5 at 15:38 CEST at an altitude of about 1150 km over the east coast of Africa. About 1.5 minutes later, the Sylda support structure that enclosed Planck came off and separated. It was followed by Planck at 15:40 CEST at an altitude of about 1700 km slightly East of the east coast of Africa.
The satellites switched on their attitude control and telecommunications systems right after separation, to re-orient themselves and establish contact with Earth for the first time from space. The signals were received by ESA’s 35-m deep space antenna at New Norcia in Australia.
| | | Herschel separation |
The mission control teams will continue to receive telemetry from Herschel via New Norcia, and for Planck via ESA’s antenna at Perth, also in Australia. Spacecraft Operations Engineers at the Mission Control Centre will use these data to assess the overall health of the satellites after launch.
Almost immediately after telemetry reception starts, engineers will determine the actual trajectory of each satellite so that it can be fine-tuned for planned trajectory correction manoeuvres.
| | | Planck separation |
For more information on the critical events following launch, see:
The Herschel and Planck launch timeline
The Herschel-Planck channel on Twitter
| |
| | Herschel and Planck launch special Herschel: ESA's giant infrared observatory Planck: looking back at the dawn of time Related articles Ariane 5 carrying Herschel and Planck lifts offESOC confirms: 'GO' for launchHerschel and Planck launcher declared fit for launchFairing lowered over satellites in KourouHerschel and Planck launch timelineRead more L2, the second Lagrangian PointIn depth Herschel launch campaign journalPlanck launch campaign journalHerschel in depthPlanck in depth
|
