26 September

2003: On 26 September 2003, at 10:15 local time, the Ariane 5 launch vehicle carrying ESA's SMART-1 payload was rolled out to the launch pad at Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

The launch readiness review had taken place the previous day, 25 September. The launch vehicle, its payload (SMART-1 and its companions INSAT 3E and e-BIRD) and the ground infrastructure were all declared ready for a launch on 27 September with a launch window opening at 23:02 UT.