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| MOST (Microvariability and Oscillations of STars) |
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MOST Prelaunch Activities
MOM L-0
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On June 30, 2003 the Multiple Orbit Mission was successfully launched by Eurockot Launch Services from Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Northern Russia.
Europe's small launcher Rockot confirms its reliability by launching
eight satellites into an elliptical and a sun-synchronous orbit.
ROCKOT - Multiple Ignitions into Multiple Orbits
Successful launch of Canada's first space telescope from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia. Called MOST
(Microvariability and Oscillations of STars), the telescope was launched at 10:15 AM EDT, June 30, 2003, and released into orbit at 11:46 AM EDT, on a Rockot booster operated by Eurockot Launch Services GmbH of Bremen, Germany.
MOM L-5
EUROCKOT's MOM Daily No. 18
Cosmodrome Plesetsk, June 25 (L-5):
Mating and integration activities between booster, upper
composite and launch container continued today according to schedule. Electrical checkouts also prove that all units and interfaces are ok. Everything is on
go for June 30.
With the launch time approaching, the team increases. Most people arrive with the overnight train from Moscow
with its luxurious two-bed sleeper cabins.
Figure 1: Integrated Rockot launch vehicle within service
tower
Figure 2: Extension mounted on launch container
Figure 3: Plesetskaya railway station
MOM L-6
EUROCKOT's MOM Daily No. 17
Cosmodrome Plesetsk, June 24 (L-6):
Sorry, no pictures, today. However, the launch vehicle processing went on according to schedule.
It included removal of the passive thermal cover which was used during the transport to the pad, hoisting of the
upper composite from the seventh level of the service tower onto the booster, removal of the hoisting devices, mechanical and electrical mating between booster and
upper composite and mounting of the container extension which surrounds the
upper stage and the lower part of the payload fairing.
The spacecraft team has shifted its working place to the hotel, launch day procedures and documents are finally discussed and adjusted.
MOM L-7
EUROCKOT's MOM Daily No. 16
Cosmodrome Plesetsk, June 23 (L-7):
The launch campaign slowly comes to its end. Today we had to say goodbye to the upper stage and the spacecraft in the MIK as the roll-out of the
upper composite to the pad and the lifting operations into the seventh level of the service tower were performed today. Everything went extremely smooth and fully compliant with the schedule.
On the first picture (Fig. 1) you can see the upper
composite on its railcar close to the air-conditioning railcar providing air with the correct temperature, humidity and cleanliness during the complete ride to the pad. (Fig. 2) shows the train coming out of the Eurockot integration and office facility (MIK).
After arrival of the train at the pad, the upper composite
is brought on rails directly into the service tower, from where it is lifted by a crane. As this is certainly a hazardous operation because of the fuelled upper stage, everybody is provided with personal protection equipment, see below.
During the next days the launch vehicle (LV) integration has to be completed with mechanical, electrical and fluid connection mating, as well as thorough check-outs before the LV can be fuelled.
Figures:
Figure 1: Upper composite ready for roll-out
Figure 2: ROCKOT Train for MOM leaving the MIK
Figure 3: The author during instruction on personal
protection equipment
Figure 4: The upper composite brought into the service
tower by train
Figure 5: Lifting of the upper composite
MOM L-9
EUROCKOT's MOM Daily No. 14
Cosmodrome Plesetsk, June 21 (L-9):
Looking at the countdown - only nine days left - excitement grows slowly, but steadily. In particular, as today was the last time we could see the spacecraft before encapsulation. Everything went according to plan. The fairing halves first where mated which each other (vertical split line) and then mated with the Upper Stage (horizontal split line).
Pushers to rotate the fairing are integrated and the so called
upper composite (Upper Stage, Fairing and payload) will be transferred into the
general hall of the MIK. Here, a hoisting structure and a passive thermal cover will be applied before the
upper composite is lifted onto the dedicated railcar for the transport in vertical orientation out to the pad. During all that time the air within the payload fairing is controlled regarding temperature, humidity and cleanliness. All these operations will continue through Sunday to support a roll-out of the
upper composite on Monday morning.
Figures:
Figure 1-3: Encapsulation steps and good-nye to the
spacecraft
MOM L-10
EUROCKOT's MOM Daily No. 13
Cosmodrome Plesetsk, June 20 (L-10):
The last preparations for the encapsulation were performed. This included final adjustment of the
upper stage thermal covers, electrical checks and the hoisting of the payload fairing halves into the encapsulation provision.
Figure 3-5: First fairing half shell hoisted into the
encapsulation provision
MOM L-11
EUROCKOT's MOM Daily No. 12
Cosmodrome Plesetsk, June 19 (L-11):
There is currently not much to be monitored by the customer regarding the LV operations as the Khrunichev team is performing electrical checks before encapsulation.
Therefore, we are more and more transferring our office capabilities to the Hotel Rockot in Mirny.
Figure 3/4: Impressions from Lake Mirny
MOM L-12
EUROCKOT's MOM Daily No. 11
Cosmodrome Plesetsk, June 18 (L-12):
The dispenser/upper stage mating operations continued today with performing electrical connections and checkouts. As no customer operations have to be performed on the spacecraft anymore, the biggest group left Plesetsk today. MOST and MIMOSA teams are still present at the launch site, packing equipment and monitoring the key launch vehicle operations.
Figure 6: The MIMOSA spacecraft after protective covers have been removed
MOM L-14
On that Monday another milestone towards the launch in two weeks was achieved. The mating of the spacecraft to the
multi satellite dispenser has been completed by installing all nanosatellites and the
monitor spacecraft mock-up. Everything went flawless and smooth, so some time remained for extended documentation of the success for our multinational team (Austria, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Russia and USA), see below.
Figures:
Figure 1: Freddy Pranajaya, University of Toronto, NLS-1/2 Manager with NLS-2 (QuakeSat)
Figure 2: NLS-1 containing CanX-1 (Canada), AAU Cubesat and DTUsat (both Denmark)
Figure 3: CubeSat TITECH (Tokyo) and team
Figure 4: Cubesat UT (University of Tokyo) and team
Figure 5: Slings of MONITOR mock-up spacecraft (Khrunichev) being
removed
Figure 6: The Russian integration team
Figure 7: The multinational MOM team
MOM L-16
EUROCKOT's MOM Daily No. 8
Cosmodrome Plesetsk, June 14 (L-16):
Today the second satellite, the Canadian Space Agency's MOST space telescope was successfully mated with its separation system and the
multi satellite dispenser. Final remove before flight (RMB) activities on the spacecraft will be performed on June 17.
The other spacecraft teams, NLS-1 and NLS-2 as well as CubeSat UT and Cubesat TITECH continued their autonomous operations as planned, and are ready to be mounted onto the dispenser on Monday, June
16. So we allowed ourselves to take a day off tomorrow.
Figures:
Figure 1: The MOST spacecraft before integration
Figure 2: MOST with open telescope cover
Figure 3: Mating operations MOST, dispenser
Figure 4: The MOST team after the work is done
Figure 5: Glen Campbell, MOST project manager at the Canadian Space Agency CSA
Figure 6: The satellites and adapter being lifted onto the
breeze upper stage
MOM L-17
EUROCKOT's MOM Daily No. 7
Cosmodrome Plesetsk, June 13 (L-17):
One more successful step towards the launch: As the first one, the MIMOSA spacecraft has been attached to the separation system, and subsequently to the Multi Satellite Dispenser. All electrical checks after mating were successful.
The other spacecraft (MOST, NLS-1 and NLS-2 as well as CubeSat UT and Cubesat TITECH) continued their autonomous operations as planned. Tomorrow the MOST spacecraft will be integrated with the separation system and the dispenser.
Figures:
Figure 1: Mating of the MIMOSA spacecraft/separation
system with the dispenser (solar panels are still protected by covers)
Figure 5: Cubesat preparation
Figure 6: Rockot fairing operations
MOM L-26 to L-18
The MOST team is now completely present at the launch site to support mating the operations that are planned to begin on Saturday.
MOM L-29 to L-27
EUROCKOT's MOM Daily No. 5
Cosmodrome Plesetsk, June 1 - 3 (L-29 to L-27):
The Most spacecraft has been performing its last tests yesterday and today, including the telemetry and command channels test. As everything went according to schedule, it will be prepared for a short storage period (for the drying and purging operations) until June 13. On June 2nd the NLS-1 and NLS-2 team arrived bringing with them the last of the NLS nanosatellites -see below. The ROCKOT launch vehicle is being processed according to schedule. During the next days until June 13 there will be a reduced frequency of campaign reports, as mainly NLS-1/2 and MIMOSA spacecraft preparations will take place.
Figures:
Figure 1: MOST mission logo
Figure 2: The MOST team at the Mirny town sign
Figure 3: CanX -1, arriving with Freddy Pranajaya, the NLS project manager
Figure 4: Fairing and upper stage seen through the facility CCTV system
MOM L - 30
EUROCKOT's MOM Daily No. 4
Cosmodrome Plesetsk, May 31 (L-30):
MOST went through some autonomous tests today, optical testing was one of them. In parallel, Eurockot performed a fit check test on the spacecraft mock-up with integrated Khrunichev separation system and the multi satellite dispenser. Due to the professional Khrunichev handling devices everything went smooth and was accepted by the MOST team.
Therefore, as we are fine within the schedule, tomorrow will be a day off, in particular as the weather seems to become sunny.
Figures:
Figure 1: MOST S/C simulator during fit check with flight
dispenser
Figure 2: The MOST spacecraft simulator
MOM L - 31
EUROCKOT's MOM Daily No. 3
Cosmodrome Plesetsk, May 30 (L-31):
After MOST underwent some checkout tests, the main task today was to perform a fit check test between the flight separation adapter system and the flight model. It was performed successfully.
As for the launch vehicle, the booster is in its final preparation before being transferred to the launch site, the fairing half shells are already mated with their support structure for later encapsulation and the multi satellite dispenser has also been transferred into the cleanroom area.
Figures:
Figure 1: Hugh Chesser, MOST project manager, with his
"bird"
Figure 2: Dispenser (black) and fairing half shell in the
support structure
Figure 3: Separation system and spacecraft during fit
check operation
MOM L - 32
EUROCKOT's MOM Daily No. 2
Cosmodrome Plesetsk, May 29 (L-32):
For the next days, the only operations planned are related to MOST satellite. Today, the spacecraft was unpacked and transferred into the cleanroom.
The GSE was also unpacked, the telecommunication system for the customer was switched on, and the MOST team turned its office area into a home. Operations are proceeding nominal.
Figures:
Figure 1: Opening of the MOST spacecraft container
MOM L - 33
EUROCKOT's MOM Daily No. 1
Cosmodrome Plesetsk, May 28 (L-33):
Today the two large western payloads, the MOST space telescope from the Canadian Space Agency and the MIMOSA scientific spacecraft of the Institute of Astronomy (Academy of Science) from the Czech Republic arrived at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome by plane. In addition three Nanosatellites from Denmark and USA arrived on the same plane.
The spacecraft, the GSE and the team were transferred to the Eurockot integration facility (MIK) by a truck convoy. Subsequently the spacecraft were unloaded. The Mimosa spacecraft was brought into the
cleanroom.
Figures:
Figure 1: Unloading of the MOST GSE
Figure 2: Unloading of the MOST spacecraft container
Figure 3: Mimosa project manager, Dr. Radek Peresty, in front of
the spacecraft
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