Herschel spruced up after arrival in Kourou   Herschel arrives in Kourou     5 March 2009   Following Herschel’s arrival at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, the spacecraft has been unpacked and inspected. After an initial visual inspection, the telescope mirror, the largest ever to fly in space, was cleaned thoroughly to prepare it for launch.           Spacecraft inspection   The spacecraft arrived in Kourou on 12 February. Before the container was opened a day later, it was flushed with dry gaseous nitrogen, ensuring that the difference in pressure inside and outside of the container prevented any contaminants from entering.       Telescope mirrors cleaned     Once the spacecraft was removed from the container, a first visual inspection was carried out. Between 15 and 17 February, the telescope mirrors were cleaned thoroughly. This was done using carbon dioxide snow, or dry ice, that vapourises and carries away any foreign particles.         Herschel’s primary mirror is cleaned using dry ice.   The mirror was also inspected several times under ultraviolet light, without any other illumination. This was done to pick out any remaining particles that fluoresce and become visible under ultraviolet light.       Herschel telescope final pre-flight inspection in ultraviolet light     The next step will comprise a mechanical and electrical fit check of the spacecraft with the adapter that is its interface to the launcher.      •  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) Related articles  •  Planck follows Herschel to launch site (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEM52TWX3RF_index_0.html)  •  Herschel shipped to Europe’s Spaceport (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMRV0WX3RF_index_0.html)  •  Herschel and Planck ready to move to launch site (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMI0D05VQF_index_0.html)  •  Herschel acoustic and vibration tests (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMQP9SHKHF_index_0.html)  •  Herschel spacecraft assembly complete (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM0Z0QJCFF_index_0.html)  •  Planck update in pictures (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEM6PB6EJLF_index_0.html)  •  Planning for Planck’s science (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMYLKXXV2F_index_0.html) Read more  •  L2, the second Lagrangian Point (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMO4QS1VED_index_0.html)  •  Observations: Seeing in infrared wavelengths (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMS72T1VED_index_0.html)  •  Observations: Seeing in microwave wavelengths (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEM4B2T1VED_index_0.html)  •  Why infrared astronomy is a hot topic (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMX9PZO4HD_FeatureWeek_0.html)  •  Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMB3AR1VED_index_0.html) In depth  •  This article in depth (http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=44312)