Herschel

Launch data: Designation  34937 / 09026A Launch date  14 May 2009 - 13:12 UT Launch site  Ko, ELA-3 Launch vehicle  Ariane-5ECA (V-188) Mission  Astronomy Heliocentric orbit Perihelion / Aphelion   A.U. Eccentricity   Inclination   deg To operate over L2 point Period   min

Spacecraft data:

Mission details:

• Herschel is an astronomical satellite launched for the European Space Agency and manufactured by Thales Alenia Space. Satellite is basically cylindrical, 4.5 metres diameter and 7.5 metres long. Satellite carries a 3.5 metres diameter telescope and a superfluid cryostat at 2K containing the Photoconductor Array Camera and Spectrometer, Spectral and Photometric Imaging REceiver and Heterodyne Instrument For Herschel (FI?) instruments. Satellite will be observing the cold universe, studying the chemical composition of the atmospheres around celestial bodies and the molecular chemistry of the universe. Planned operational lifetime is 3.5 years.
• Arianespace launched the Ariane-5ECA from Kourou on May 14, 2009. The rocket is carrying the Herschel and Planck observatories. After the EPC core stage separated into a mildly suborbital -588 x 267 km x 5.70 orbit, the ESC-A stage ignited for a long injection burn, sending Planck and Herschel into a 270 x 1193622 km x 6 deg transfer orbit on the way to the Earth-Sun L2 Lagrange point, about 1.5 million km beyond the Earth.
• The cryo-cover on the Herschel telescope was opened on Jun 14, 2009 allowing the focal plane instruments to see the sky. First light images of the galaxy M51 were released on June 19.
• Aug 2013: After completing their very successful missions, at the Earth-Sun L2 Lagrange Point 1.5 million km towards midnight, the spacecraft have now been sent into solar orbit and will be deactivated. Herschel departed L2 on Apr 1, 2013 and was turned off on Jun 17; it is in a 1.04 x 1.06 AU x 0.19 deg solar orbit.
  Planck departed L2 on Aug 14, 2013 for a 1.00 x 1.10 AU x 0.1 deg orbit and will be switched off on Oct 23.

Astrophilately covers:

Launch cancel Kourou.

Headquarter cancel Paris.