May 20 - Volga-Dnepr Airlines has delivered the German TanDEM-X satellite to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan ahead of its planned launch into space in June 2010.
The flight, using one of Volga-Dnepr's AN-124-100 freighters and ordered by EADS Astrium GmbH, departed from Munich Airport bound for Baikonur's Yubileiny Airport. Loading of the TanDEM-X satellite in Germany took two hours to complete and the flight operated via Ulyanovsk for refueling.
Customer representatives travelled with the 40 tonne satellite and auxiliary equipment and worked closely with Volga-Dnepr's experts to ensure the valuable cargo was safely secured onboard the aircraft under fixed temperature and pressure conditions. The satellite is due to be launched on June 21st.
TanDEM-X will be operating in connection with TerraSAR-X spacecraft, delivered to Baikonur by Volga-Dnepr Airlines in 2007.
