The latest satellite for the European Commission's environmental Copernicus programme has arrived safe and sound in French Guiana for launch on 11 June. Carrying a multispectral imager, Sentinel-2A is set to give us a new perspective of our land and vegetation.
Greeted by pouring rain and equatorial warmth, the huge Antonov cargo aircraft that carried the Sentinel from Germany touched down at Cayenne airport in the early morning of 21 April.
Sealed in its special air-conditioned transport container, the satellite was carefully unloaded along with three other containers of support equipment. A convoy of lorries then drove the precious cargo to Europe's Spaceport near Kourou, about 60 km away.
Once inside the cleanroom, the satellite was left in its container overnight to rest.