Behind the scenes on launch day for Biomass, ESA's latest mission | Euronews Tech Talks

In nan early greeting of April 29, group successful Kourou, French Guiana, were woken up by nan roar of nan Vega-C rocket arsenic it carried Biomass, nan latest outer from nan European Space Agency (ESA), successfully into space.

The Biomass ngo not only represents a leap guardant successful nan technological knowing of tropical forests, but its motorboat besides marked a awesome measurement toward securing Europe’s independent entree to space.

Euronews Tech Talks was connected tract successful Kourou for nan launch, and pinch this 2nd typical section connected Biomass, we bring you down nan scenes of nan motorboat preparations.

A agelong journey

The operations connected nan time of nan motorboat of a satellite, besides referred to arsenic D-Day, are conscionable nan extremity of nan iceberg successful a agelong process to get it into space.

In nan lawsuit of Biomass, nan task started much than a decade agone and progressive respective professionals who dedicated their competencies to building nan satellite, processing nan rocket, and coordinating each measurement up to and aft April 29. 

Launch preparations began arsenic early arsenic March 7, erstwhile Biomass arrived successful French Guiana aft a two-week voyage crossed nan Atlantic Ocean. 

Upon presence successful Kourou, nan outer was transported to nan spaceport, removed from its shipping container, and thoroughly inspected for immoderate imaginable damage. 

Next, Biomass was fuelled and attached to nan adapter that would link it to nan Vega-C rocket, enabling its travel into orbit. 

On April 14, Biomass was placed wrong nan fairing, nan apical portion of nan rocket, past transferred to nan motorboat pad astatine nan Tangara site. 

There, nan fairing containing nan outer was placed connected nan Vega C launcher, followed by much checks and a believe tally known arsenic nan dress rehearsal. 

With each checks completed, it was clip for nan first upwind forecast, a important measurement successful nan process.

"We request bully upwind conditions to authorise nan launch," explained Jean Frédéric Alasa, motorboat scope operations head astatine CNES, nan French Space Agency. 

"The rainfall is not a awesome constraint, it’s much astir nan wind. If nan launcher were to explode, we want to make judge nan debris falls acold from nan populated areas," he continued. 

Luckily, connected April 29, nan upwind was very mild, and nan outer motorboat was authorised.

A sun-synchronous satellite

Vega C lifted disconnected astatine 6:15:52 AM section clip successful Kourou. This clip was precisely calculated and had to beryllium respected to bring nan outer into nan correct orbit. 

"For each nan SSO missions, location is nary motorboat window, but conscionable 1 clip astatine which nan outer tin beryllium lifted off," Fabrizio Fabiani, caput of nan Vega programme astatine Arianespace, explained.

"Each time could beryllium a bully day, but astatine nan aforesaid instant". 

SSO stands for sun-synchronous orbit, a typical type of orbit wherever nan outer maintains nan aforesaid position comparative to nan Sun. Essentially, Biomass passes complete nan aforesaid location connected Earth astatine nan aforesaid clip each day.

This orbit is perfect for monitoring changes complete time, which is why it is commonly utilized for respective Earth study satellites.

An affectional moment

Biomass’s motorboat was successful and greeted pinch awesome excitement by those who worked connected it for years.

When nan outer and rocket afloat separated, nan squad erupted into cheers, celebrating nan mission’s success.

"I've so been moving for 12 years connected that ngo and now, astatine nan extremity of it, I would opportunity nan predominant sentiment is that I'm ace grateful and humbled that I was allowed to do that job," Michael Fehringer, ESA’s Biomass task manager, told Euronews. 

"I consciousness relieved... that’s each we could inquire for, that’s nan champion consequence we could have," Justin Byrne, Airbus caput of subject and Mars programmes, shared pinch us. 

But while astir celebrated, 1 squad remained focused connected nan mission. Which squad was it, and why?

Listen to Euronews Tech Talks to find retired nan answer.