29 September 2008
Taken at approximately 15:36 CEST (13:36 UT) from the DC-8 aircraft.
ESA PRESS RELEASE
Europe’s first Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) Jules Verne successfully completed its six-month ISS logistics mission today with its controlled destructive re-entry over a completely uninhabited area of the South Pacific.
Continue reading ‘ESA’s Jules Verne ATV Re-enters Over the Pacific’
ESA’s Jules Verne space freighter docked with the International Space Station on Thursday, delivering tons of cargo and supplies to the orbiting crew.
“The ATV is so much more than a simple delivery truck, it is an intelligent and versatile spaceship which has just demonstrated its extraordinary skills,” said Daniel Sacotte, ESA’s Director for Human Spaceflight, Microgravity and Exploration. “It is the largest and most complex spacecraft ever developed in Europe and the second in size of all the vehicle’s visiting the Station, after NASA’s space shuttle. With Columbus and the ATV, we have entered the major league of the ISS.”
The ESA website has more here.
ESA PRESS RELEASE
2 April 2008
Jules Verne was today formally cleared to proceed with the first ISS docking attempt, scheduled for 3 April 2008 at 16:41 CEST (14:41 UT). The official go-ahead came from the International Space Station Mission Management Team (IMMT) after two flawless demonstration days in which Jules Verne proved its operational capabilities.
“We have proven that Jules Verne’s systems are safe, reliable and ready to dock to the Station. Everyone has worked very hard to get to this point, and we have also proven that the team on the ground is fully ready for tomorrow’s first attempt,” said John Ellwood, ESA’s ATV Project Manager.
ESA PRESS RELEASE
31 March 2008
The Jules Verne ATV today approached the International Space Station to within 11 meters of the docking port on the Russian Zvezda module. The approach was part of a second ATV demonstration day which clears the way for the first rendezvous and docking attempt on 3 April.
“I’m known for my understatements, but the only word that comes to mind about today is impressive,” said John Ellwood, ESA’s ATV Project Manager. “It was impressive to see how Jules Verne, the staff at the ATV Control Centre, the control centres in Moscow and Houston pulled together today. It was a perfect dress-rehearsal for Thursday.”
Today’s maneuvers included the first demonstration of the critical optical navigation system, using the European-developed Videometer technology. It was confirmed that ATV can use this system to autonomously navigate to within 11 m of the ISS.
ESA PRESS RELEASE
30 March 2008
International Space Station managers have today given the go-ahead for Jules Verne ATV to proceed with the second of two demonstration days in the lead up to a first ISS docking attempt later in the week. On Monday, Demonstration Day 2 will see ATV approach to within 11 meters of the ISS.
“Having tested very successfully on Saturday the first part of the rendezvous, in particular using the relative GPS between that on Jules Verne and on the Russian Service Module of the ISS, we now have the go-ahead to the test the second part of the rendezvous which uses the optical sensors.” said John Ellwood, ESA’s ATV Project Manager.”This will be very interesting, but we have a lot of confidence based on the great performance of Jules Verne during the first demonstration day.”
Continue reading ‘ATV Completes Initial Maneuvers Near Space Station; Docking on Track for April 3′
The Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle is now in a parking orbit about 2 kilometers (1.25 miles) from the International Space Station. Controllers will put the cargo vessel through a series of maneuvers over the next two weeks before they attempt a docking on April 3.
The European Space Agency’s web site has updated information as well as a schedule.
AEROJET PRESS RELEASE
SACRAMENTO, Calif., March 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Aerojet, a GenCorp NYSE: GY company, announced today that Jules Verne — the first of the European Automated Transfer Vehicles (ATV) — has successfully launched aboard the European expendable launch system, Ariane 5, out of Kourou in French Guiana.
For the mission, Aerojet delivered four R-4D main engines that will be used to accomplish the early circularization maneuvers and docking simulations. NASA announced that the ATV reached its preliminary orbit about nine minutes after liftoff. When preliminary orbit was achieved, the ATV engines fired for eight minutes to place the spacecraft into an elliptical orbit. About 45 minutes later, a second engine firing circularized the ATV’s orbit prior to spacecraft separation.
Once in orbit, the ATV will undergo four weeks of extensive systems tests, including two approaches to the station to simulate rendezvous and contingency techniques.
ESA engineers say that a problem with the Automated Transfer Vehicle Jules Verne has been fixed. The vehicle is headed for the International Space Station with supplies and equipment for the crew.
New Scientist reports that shortly after launch, an electronics box aboard the freighter detected a pressure difference between two fuel pipes. The box routed fuel through three other systems, resulting in the shutdown of one of the ATV’s four engines and seven of its 28 thrusters. The box then shut itself off as a precaution. When engineers turned the box back on Tuesday, everything was functioning normally.
ESA officials said that even with the anomaly, the ATV was capable of rendezvousing and docking the space station.
The European Automated Transfer Vehicle Jules Verne has developed a glitch in its propulsion system. Sensors aboard the cargo vessel detected a difference in pressure between the oxidizer and the fuel systems.. The problem has shut down seven of the 28 attitude control jets and one of the vehicle’s four engines.
Engineers are assessing the problem and say they are not worried. They are confident the ATV will be able to successfully rendezvous and dock with the International Space Station, where it will delivery cargo and supplies to the crew.
The BBC has a full story, as does Spaceflight Now.
The European Space Agency has posted an animation of the flight of it Automated Transfer Vehicle Jules Verne. The video shows the launch, docking, and de-orbiting of the robotic cargo spacecraft, which is set for launch to International Space Station on March 9. The ATV can deliver 7.2 metric tons of cargo and supplies to ISS.
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SPACEHAB PRESS RELEASE
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