Easter

Dear all,
On the top of the Easter celebrations today, the most amazing event to be reported was the fantastic weather change we experienced in the course of last week. In one word we have witnessed in few days the transition from the cool to the warm period. For instance, by sunny afternoons, the temperature raises now higher than +20C and we don't need anymore our black CryoSat-2 winter jackets to walk in the Baikonur streets. But don't believe that we can now stroll about incognito: we still wear the CS-2 fleece uniform :-)!

In the sky have appeared the first ballets of swallows. Funnily enough small bats are also visible in day light in the streets. On the Syr Daria river, the "frog concert'' has started...
Green has started to become a familiar colour in the city as we can notice growing grass on the sandy ground aside the pavement.

Blossoms on trees are exploding everywhere.
Тополь/Populus/Peupliers

Вяз/Elm/Orme?

Липа/Tilia/tilleul?

Birds are actively nesting

but be careful... cats as well!

This time it is not a joke, along the river, the beach is open and some people enjoyed it as it was almost +30C today in the afternoon !
Natural hot springs, water containing sulfur about +30C, very good and indicated for skin!

On the cosmodrome as well, life has resumed after the cold winter (particularly cold according to the Baikonurtsi). Birds (eagle, falcon...) and small rodents (susliks) are being more and more visible during our daily commuting trips. This is the evident sign that the food chain is again in place.

So Spring is definitely there! ... and this nice week end has been most welcome and relaxing for the 'Baikonur" team after 12 weeks of launch campaign.

For the CS-2 team (including our ESTEC, ESOC, ASTRIUM, THALES ALENIA, CNES colleagues and friends) there is an important week to come culminating with the launch on April 8th. We are all getting progressively fully prepared for this very important moment and looking forward sharing this extraordinary experience with you.

Keep in touch

Poka

Kirill B.

PS:
Before I forget, last but not least, Happy Easter from Kazakhstan !