Michael has arrived at Guiana Space Center
Michael was given the rare opportunity to take pictures of an Ariane 5 launch campaign at the Centre Spacial Guyannais (CSG) near Kourou in French Guyana. Operational since 1968, it is particularly suitable as a location for a spaceport because it is quite close to the equator, so that the spinning earth can impart some extra velocity to the rockets for free when launched eastward. The European Space Agency (ESA), the French space agency CNES (National Centre for Space Studies), and the commercial Arianespace company conduct launches from Kourou.
Michael will follow the assembly of an Ariane 5 Rocket as well as the integration of a communication satellite which will be send to the geostationary orbit for broadcasting the Olympic Games in Brazil. The launch of the vehicle and the integrated satellite is scheduled for 9th March 2016.