Automated Transfer Vehicle
The International
Space Station (ISS) depends
on deliveries of food, water, clean clothes, and equipment for its crew. Europe's Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV)
was one of the indispensable ISS supply spaceships.
Every 12 months or so, the ATV hauled 7.5 tons of cargo from its Kourou launch site in
French Guiana to the Station. Like the Russian Progress cargo modules, it was
designed to
automatically dock with the Station's Russian service module. An ATV remained docked
for up to six months. It was then filled with trash and be destroyed in the Earth's
atmosphere.
The ATV was pressurized, allowing crew members to enter wearing normal clothing.
The first ATV (ATV-1) was known as "Jules Verne". It was launched by an Ariane-5ESV on 9 March 2008. ATV-1 docked with the ISS from 3 April 2008 to 5 September 2008. Deorbit and burn occurred on 29 September 2008.
The second ATV (ATV-2) is named "Johannes Kepler". Launch was on 16 February 2011. The launch vehicle was again an Ariane-5 from the Arianespace launch site in Kourou, French Guiana. Planned de-orbit and burn occurred 21 June 2011.
The third ATV (ATV-3) is named "Edoardo Amaldi" in honor of Edoardo Amaldi (1908-1989) who was a co-founder of CERN and of ESA's precursor ESRO. Launch took place 23 March 2012, again using an Ariane-5 from the Arianespace launch site in Kourou, French Guiana. Docking occurred 28 March 2012.
ATV-4, "Albert Einstein" launched 5 June 2013. Docking occurred 15 June 2013.
Fifth and final ATV-5, "Georges Lemaître" launched 29 July 2014.
Page last modified: 03 November 2023 10:01:11.
