“We prepare for a launch, or in this case a rehearsal, many days in advance,” says Tony dos Santos, ESA’s Ariane 6 ground systems operations manager at Kourou, “the ground tanks where we store the liquid hydrogen and oxygen need to be replenished, the launchpad needs to be primed and prepared: it’s an all-hands operation working in shifts that is a major collective effort involving teams from ESA, CNES, Arianegroup and Arianespace based on both sides of the Atlantic, both in Les Mureaux, France, and Kourou.”

“This night-time rehearsal allowed the teams to practice loading the rocket with fuel when the temperature outside is lower – without the tropical sunlight shining on the Ariane 6 tanks the fuel inside behaves noticeably different and we need to consider and accommodate for condensation and ice formation.”