Entry 13: Launch milestones
06:00 CET - The ground station in Redu, Belgium, has received a signal from Proba
04:15 CET - The ground station in Hertebeesthoek, South Africa, has received a signal from SMOS, confirming the satellite has separated from the launcher upper stage and is in orbit. Breeze-KM continues to carry Proba
03:00 CET - As planned, SMOS and Proba-2 have travelled out of the Russian mission control centre’s range of radio visibility. The first SMOS signal is expected to be received by the ground station in Hartebeesthoek, South Africa, after separation from the launcher just after 04:00 CET (03:00 UT). Sweden’s Kiruna ground station is then expecting to receive the SMOS signal at 04:26 CET (03:26 UT). The first Proba-2 signal is expected at 05:50 CET (04:50 UT) by Belgium’s Redu ground station.
02:50 CET - SMOS and Proba-2 liftoff!
02:40 CET - Rollback of mobile launch service tower
1 November 2009
23:30 CET - Launch readiness for SMOS and Proba-2 confirmed from Plesetsk.
30 October 2009
21:00 CET - Russian State Commission has given green light for launcher fuelling for SMOS and Proba-2.
