16 October

2002: On 16 October 2002, the countdown for the launch of the Integral mission started at 22:41 GMT in ESOC, ESA's mission control centre in Darmstadt, Germany. To make the spacecraft ready for launch on 17 October, at the same time the loading of propellant for the Proton launcher at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan began.

Earlier in the day, ESA-assigned meteorologists confirmed that weather conditions were acceptable for launch and at 09:00 GMT, the Integral Flight Operations Director gave the go-ahead for the launch.