Cryosat-2 Fairing

We have got the chance today to see some elements of the CryoSat-2 Fairing. This is the upper tip on the Dniepr rocket where the spacecraft (SC) will be encapsulated.

The complete Crosat-2 fairing on the Dniepr launcher is made of the following elements (from bottom to up):
-Launch Vehicle (LV) adapter (circular shape)
-SC adapter (squared shape)
-Platform A (lower part of the black cylinder)
-Platform B (upper part of the black cylinder)
-Gas Dynamic Shield (white metallic cover)
-PayLoad Fairing (PLF) which is not yet delivered.

The Russians have extracted the LV and SC adapters from the Platform A and fixed them together on the separate jig. A dummy SC (not seen today) will be installed on the jig. The dummy + adapters will be reintegrated into platform A. Platform B will be put on the top of Platform A. Then the fairing containing the dummy will be transported to the launch pad and connected (mechanically and electrically) to the launcher.
This dry run test is the repetition of what will be done later on with CryoSat-2.

View of platforms A and B


Extraction of the LV and SC adapters (Movie)


Close out view on the LV and SC adapters:
The SC is fixed on the adapter (square part) by 4 bolts.
The LV adapter and the SC adapter are fixed together with 4 pyrotechnic bolts.
In orbit, when the pyro bolts will be activated, the LV adapter will separate from Spacecraft SC but the SC adapter will remain onto the SC during the complete duration of the mission.


Positioning of the LV and SC adapter on the jig.
In the background a Soyuz (?) wrapped fairing can be seen.


View inside Platform B toward the Gas Dynamic Shield
This is the element that the Spacecraft will see once fully encapsulated.