The launch campaign is the final stretch of a satellite project: the weeks in which the spacecraft travels to the launch site, is prepared for flight and is mounted on the rocket. It is a tightly scheduled process with many parties involved. Knowing the typical steps helps operators plan staff, budgets and shipping in advance.
Shipping to the launch site
The satellite travels in a sealed, climate controlled container, often by air freight. Export control documents, customs formalities and the transport of support equipment have to be arranged well ahead. For some launch sites, such as Kourou in French Guiana or Mahia in New Zealand, travel and shipping take noticeably longer than for sites in Europe or the United States.
Processing in the clean room
- Unpacking and inspection: the team checks that the satellite arrived undamaged.
- Functional tests: the satellite is switched on and its systems are checked after transport.
- Battery charging and final configuration: the satellite is put into its launch configuration.
- Fuelling: satellites with chemical propulsion are fuelled in a dedicated hazardous processing facility under strict safety rules.
Integration with the launch vehicle
The satellite is mounted on its adapter or placed in its dispenser. It is then encapsulated inside the payload fairing, as shown on the cover image for the ELaNa 19 CubeSat mission. After encapsulation, access to the satellite is very limited, so all final checks must be complete. The encapsulated payload is then moved to the rocket and mated to it.
Reviews and launch day
Before launch, readiness reviews confirm that the rocket, the payloads, the range and the weather are ready. On launch day, the customer team usually follows the countdown from a control room and waits for confirmation of separation and the first contact with the satellite through its ground stations.
Rideshare campaigns
On rideshare missions, many customers deliver their satellites to an integrator, sometimes weeks before launch and not always at the launch site itself. The individual customer has less control over the schedule but also a smaller campaign effort.
Related reading
- How Are Satellites Launched Into Space? From the Launch Pad to Orbit
- Satellite Environmental Testing: Vibration, Thermal Vacuum and More
- From Contract to Liftoff: How a Satellite Launch Works Step by Step
Sources
Cover image: Payload encapsulation for NASA's ELaNa 19 CubeSat mission, 2018. Credit: NASA (KSC-20181201-PH_RKL01_0001), public domain.