Spaceflight

Flight International online news 10:30GMT: Both solar array ‘wings’ have been installed on ESA’s Venus Express spacecraft and preparations at the launch site in Baikonur are on schedule, according to launch campaign manager Michael Witting.


 
After installation, the lightweight wings were tested using a special support rig. The wings are designed to be strong enough to support themselves in space but on the ground, if not held up, they would collapse under Earth’s gravity.

 Witting says the final countdown sequence of about nine hours was also practiced with the complete ‘bunker team’ in place. The team that will be in an underground bunker 150 metres from the pad during launch, which is planned for some time in October or November.
 
The Venus Express spacecraft has been built around the design of Mars Express, making it quicker and cheaper to develop.

Its mission is to study the Venusian atmosphere and clouds in unprecedented detail and accuracy.

ROSS BENTLEY/LONDON