H-IIA Status Report: Payload Fairing Mating Operations

H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 4 (H-IIA F4), which had been at the pad for the
cryogenic test, was transported back to the Vehicle Assembly Building last
night after propellants were off-loaded. Currently, post-test inspection,
such as checking onboard equipment and ground facilities, is underway.

In the Spacecraft and Fairing Assembly Building (SFA), encapsulation
operations of the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite-II (ADEOS-II) by its
payload fairing has been carried out. A payload fairing is a protective
cover for (a) payload(s) from vibration at the time of liftoff and friction
with the atmosphere. When a launch vehicle reaches the space environment,
the fairing is jettisoned. As it is jettisoned by splitting into two like a
shell, this separation and jettison method is called the “clamshell method”.
Now the satellite is encapsulated, and it will not come out from the fairing
till about 16 minutes after liftoff.