Tue, Sep 06, 2011
Ariane 5 ISS Supply Mission Scheduled For Spring, 2012
The preparation campaign for Europe's third Automated Transfer
Vehicle (ATV) has begun in French Guiana as this large cargo
resupply spacecraft is readied for a spring 2012 Ariane 5 launch by
Arianespace to service the International Space Station. During
activity in the Spaceport's S5 payload preparation facility, the
ATV's two main components - its Integrated Cargo Carrier and the
Service Module - are undergoing initial checkout, starting a
180-day mission campaign.
Jules Verne ATV Docking At ISS
Both elements are in the S5 facility's large S5C hall, having
been unloaded from the shipping containers that protected them
during the multi-week sea voyage from Europe to South
America. S5C is the largest of the S5 building's preparation
halls, and has 700 sq. meters of clean room facilities for major
payloads such as the ATV. It also includes adjacent dedicated
office areas for the technical teams performing payload checkout
duties.
The ATV arrived in French Guiana last week aboard the MN Toucan
- one of two roll-on/roll-off seagoing vessels used by Arianespace
to transport launch vehicle components from Europe to South
America, and which also are made available for exceptional loads
such as the ATV.
Named after Italian cosmic ray physicist Edoardo Amaldi, this
latest ATV will carry about two metric tons of dry cargo, 285 kg.
of water and more than three tons of propellants, based on current
planning. ATV Edoardo Amaldi will be the third such resupply
spacecraft launched by Arianespace for servicing of the
International Space Station. The first was ATV Jules Verne,
orbited in March 2008, followed by ATV Johannes Kepler this past
February.
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