Entry 9: Proba-2 gains its second ‘wing’
Thursday 10th September – Today it’s the turn of the second deployable solar panel to be attached to the body of the spacecraft. Since this is a crucial step in terms of ensuring mission success, maximum time has been reserved for this activity in the planning schedule. The aim is not to pressurise the team’s mechanical specialists.
Other team members meanwhile take the chance to visit the launch pad a few kilometres away. Being right at the foot of the tower from where Proba-2 will finally bid Earth goodbye makes for a breathtaking moment. The launch tower itself may still be without a rocket but it stands more than 40 metres tall, making it an impressive sight in its own right.