News

Herschel separates from upper stage

	Herschel and Planck launch configuration

Ariane 5 fairing ejection

The critical milestones before launch include the launch readiness review, held on 9 May, and roll-out to the launch pad on 13 May. The launch also marks the beginning of the Launch and Early Orbit phase (LEOP), during which mission controllers will monitor the satellites 22 hr/day via ESA's ground stations at New Norcia and Perth, Australia; Maspalomas and Cebreros, Spain; and Kourou, French Guiana.
 
 
The Ariane 5’s solid boosters separate about 2.5 minutes into the launch and the fairing is jettisoned about 50 seconds later. The upper stage separates and its engine ignites about 9 minutes into the launch.

The velocity of the composite that includes both satellites will be about 10 km/s just before the satellites go their own way. Separation of Herschel from the upper stage is scheduled for 15:38 CEST, about 26 minutes into the launch. The 'Sylda' (a support structure for Herschel that also forms a protective cover for Planck) will be jettisoned 1.5 minutes later and Planck will follow at about 15:40 CEST, just under 29 minutes into the launch.
 
 

	Herschel’s cruise and arrival at L2

Separation will occur above the east coast of Africa, at about 1100 km altitude for Herschel, and at about 1700 km altitude for Planck, which separates some 2.5 mins after Herschel. After separation, the two satellites will have slightly different velocities.

Herschel's final orbit will be a quasi-halo orbit with an average distance of 800 000 km from L2. The final orbit for Planck will be a Lissajous orbit, with an amplitude of 400 000 km.
 
 

Planck's cruise to L2

The launcher will set the satellites directly on the path to L2. This means that no injection manoeuvre will be necessary for Herschel; the satellite will be close to its halo orbit around L2 right from separation. One major manoeuvre is planned to fine-tune the orbit about 24 hours after launch.

Planck will also be in orbit around L2 at separation, but since the amplitude of its orbit is half that of Herschel, engineers will execute manoeuvres to reduce its orbit to half that of the original. The first manoeuvre is planned about 30 hours after launch.

An expanded version of the timeline covering all critical events around and after launch is below.
 
 
ESA web coverage
 
Regular coverage leading up to and after launch, covering these critical milestones will be available at the following ESA websites:

• Herschel and Planck launch special
• Herschel
• Planck
• ESA Spacecraft Operations

Additional information is available via the following:

• ESA on Flickr
• ESA on Twitter

Timeline of critical events

Note:
- Times given as hours:minutes:seconds in Central European Summer Time (CEST) = UT + 2 hrs
- TCM: Trajectory correction manoeuvre
- LEOP: Launch and Early Orbit Phase
- ESOC: European Space Operations Centre
- - All times subject to change
 
 

Critical event Time +/- liftoff Time (CEST) Launch Readiness Review -5 days 9 May Roll out to launch pad -1 day 13:40:00, 13 May ESOC GO/NO-GO for launch -00:30:00 14:42:00 14 May Herschel on internal power -00:15:00 14:57:00 Planck on internal power -00:11:00 15:01:00 Start of Ariane 5 automatic sequence -00:07:00 15:05:00 Final confirmation of spacecraft & ground segment readiness -00:06:30 15:05:30 Last time to declare NOGO -00:04:30 15:07:30 Inertial platform release -00:00:03 15:11:57 Launch (Window open for 55 mins) 00:00:00 15:12:00 Ariane 5 solid rocket booster ignition & liftoff 00:00:07 15:12:07 Solid boosters jettisoned 00:02:18 15:14:18 Fairing jettisoned 00:04:02 15:16:02 Main cryogenic stage extinction and upper stage separation 00:08:55 15:20:55 Upper stage ignition 00:09:05 15:21:05 Upper stage extinction 00:24:30 15:36:40 Herschel separates 00:25:58 15:37:58 Sylda separates 00:27:24 15:39:24 Planck separates 00:28:29 15:40:29

 
 
 
 

Herschel  Time (CEST) Planck  Time (CEST) First signal acquisition (via New Norcia) 15:49:00 First signal acquisition (via Perth) 15:49:00 TCM 1a 14:36:00 15 May TCM 1a 21:27:00 15 May TCM 1b 13:42 17 May TCM 1b 14:43:00 17 May -- -- TCM 2 6 June -- -- TCM 3 3 July LEOP Phase out starts 16 May LEOP Phase out starts 18 May Commissioning begins 16 May Commissioning begins 18 May