CryoSat-2 goes onto its Adaptor

After a successful Flight Readiness Review (FRR) on 09/02/2010, Cryosat-2 (CS-2) was declared ready for flight. A significant milestone in the launch campaign.

This opens the door to the next activity: The Encapsulation of the Spacecraft (SC) in the Space Head Module (SHM) of the launcher.

This is done in 3 steps

• Mate the SC on its Adaptor
• Integrate both on Platform A
• Cover the platform A with Platform B.
  

CS-2 was moved from the MIK clean room 119 to zone B and put in vertical position


for being lifted and transported to the adaptor.


Mating the SC on its adaptor is a delicate operation that needs a lot of care and skills from the operators


mating almost completed....
Note the presence of the Russian crane operator. She did a remarkable job.
Cranes at the MIK are exclusively operated by Russians and in most of the cases

operators are women.

Once CS-2 stands on its adaptor, the step 1 of the encapsulation shall start. As it is the last time the CS-2 team will see the spacecraft, it was agreed to make a joined ESA/ASTRIUM team photo.