Monthly Archives: May 2011

Shuttle astronauts snap pictures of ATV

The International Space Station is featured in this image photographed by an STS-134 crew member on the space shuttle Endeavour after the station and shuttle began their post-undocking relative separation on 29 May 2011. Credit: NASA

The International Space Station is featured in this image photographed by an STS-134 crew member on the space shuttle Endeavour after the station and shuttle began their post-undocking relative separation on 29 May 2011. Credit: NASA

On Monday, 30 May, Space Shuttle Endeavour undocked from the International Space Station as planned at 09:55 CEST after being docked to the orbital outpost for almost 12 days. Endeavour and its crew, including ESA astronaut Roberto Vittori, are headed for a landing at Kennedy Space Center on 1 June at 08:32 CEST.

Immediately after undocking, Endeavour conducted a double orbit of the ISS to test advanced sensor technologies designed to make it easier for future spaceships to dock at the orbital outpost.

At the request of ESA, the crew also took ten minutes to snap photos of ATV Johannes Kepler, docked to the rear-most end of the Station's Zvezda module. But these weren't just tourist photos.

The purpose was to obtain images of ATV's Antenna Deployable Boom (ADB), a long 'boom' antenna that enables as ATV's proximity radio communication link direct to the ISS when in free flight before docking and after undocking (we've covered the proximity radio link in earlier posts).

The boom antenna is stowed in a folded configuration for launch on board Ariane 5, but then snaps open to its deployed position after separation from the launcher.

"The reason we asked for the images is that there was some delay in the locking of the boom after deployment and we wanted to see if there was anything to be learnt from the imagery that might shed some light on the reason for this delay," says ESA's Nico Dettmann, Head of the ATV Production Programme.

The astronauts on board Endeavour had a perfect photo opportunity with good illumination conditions about 45 minutes after undocking. Once on the ground, the images will be sent to the ATV team at ESA to help troubleshoot and determine the cause of the boom deployment issue, which has not affected any aspects of the Johannes Kepler mission and is not considered serious.

"This is an excellent example of how the ISS partners work very closely to conduct day-to-day operations. Everyone helps each other particularly when it comes to the astronauts or in helping solve problems like this one," says Dettmann.

‘Most amazing ISS picture ever’ by @Astro_Taz

@Astro_Ron (Ron Garan): "On today's spacewalk, @Astro_Taz (Greg Chamitoff) took the most amazing #ISS picture ever... Can't wait to see @Astro_Paolo 's from Soyuz..." Image credit: NASA

That's the ATV over off at upper right in the photo...!

@Astro_Taz took the most amazing #ISS px ever

@Astro_Taz took the most amazing #ISS px ever

Two European astronauts inside the ATV

This photo was taken on 23 May, just hours before Nespoli departed the ISS at the end of his 159-day MagISStra mission. Vittori arrived on board Shuttle Endeavour, which docked just last week. This is the first time that two Italians were aboard the Station at the same time.

Furthermore: they are the only Europeans who have seen and visited ATV while in orbit! In 2008, during the ATV-1 mission, only Expeditions 16 (Peggy Whitson, Yuri Malenchenko and Garrett Reisman) and 17 (Sergey Volkov, Oleg Kononenko and South Korean spaceflight participant Yi So-Yeon) were aboard the ISS when it was docked.

On 23 May 2011, ESA astronauts Paolo Nespoli (left) and Roberto Vittori shake hands inside the ATV following an Earth-to-space phone tag-up with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano. Credit: NASA

On 23 May 2011, ESA astronauts Roberto Vittori (left) and Paolo Nespoli (right) shake hands inside the ATV following an Earth-to-space phone tag-up with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano. Credit: NASA

Soyuz TMA-20 before undocking last night

... with ATV JK seen in the background. More (and better!) pictures expected later today after last night's ISS flyaround to provide a photo op to the astronauts on board the Soyuz capsule.

Soyuz TMA-20 before undocking (ATV in background) Credit: ESA/NASA

Soyuz TMA-20 before undocking (ATV in background) Credit: ESA/NASA

ISS – with ATV Kepler attached – seen from Shuttle Endeavour

ATV Johannes Kepler is seen at the top of the photo - with her x-wing solar panels seen almost edge-on.

18 May 2011: One of the crew members aboard the space shuttle Endeavour photographed this scene of the International Space Station (ISS) as the two spacecraft were preparing to link up in Earth orbit. The "extra" glares and reflections are inside Endeavour's crew cabin. Not long after the picture was taken, the two spacecraft docked, and six astronauts aboard Endeavour were welcomed by six crew members on the ISS to join forces for continued work on the station. Photo credit: NASA

ISS & ATV seen from Shuttle Endeavour Credit: NASA

ISS & ATV seen from Shuttle Endeavour Credit: NASA

ESA Euronews: The Space Truck

Nice update today featuring our very own ATV!

The European cargo spacecraft ATV is the most complex vehicle ever built to re-supply an International Space Station. It can take nearly eight tonnes of cargo and uses artificial intelligence to accomplish some of its more complicated manoeuvres. The 'Space Truck' and its possible developments are the theme of this episode of Euronews Space.

Full details: Endeavour docks with Space Station

Space Shuttle Endeavour arrived at the International Space Station today at 12:15 CEST (10:15 GMT) after chasing it in space after a textbook launch on Monday.

Space Shuttle Endeavour docking ISS on 18 May

Space Shuttle Endeavour docking ISS on 18 May

According to mission timeline, the hatches between the Space Shuttle and Space Station will be opened after leak tests at 13:36. ESA astronaut Roberto Vittori and his five crewmates will float in the Space Station at 14:36 today: There they will be welcomed by Expedition 27 astronauts, including ESA’s another Italian astronaut, Paolo Nespoli

The main payload of the Shuttle is a AMS-02, one of the most exciting scientific instruments ever built - an experiment that could change our understanding of the Universe. After being installed tomorrow, it will be the largest science experiment on the Station.

Via ESA

Endeavour docks to ISS

Congratulations to the pilot, crew and ground teams!

Endeavour docked to the space station at 6:14aET/10:14 UTC as the 2 spacecraft flew about 220 miles above & east of Chile #sts134

Via NASA in Twitter

ESA’s Roberto Vittori sends video greeting from Shuttle Endeavour

This just posted by ESA: great video including highlights of Monday's Endeavour launch and the first few hours of activities on board the shuttle. Ends up with a nice video greeting from Astro Roberto Vittori.

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Last Shuttle with ESA astronaut lifts off to Space Station to hunt ‘dark matter’

Shuttle Endeavour liftoff 16 May 2011

Shuttle Endeavour liftoff 16 May 2011

Space Shuttle Endeavour lifted off today on her last mission to the International Space Station. Following launch of the STS-134 mission at 12:56 GMT (14:56 CEST), Endeavour is heading towards a docking with the Station at 10:15 GMT (12:15 CEST) on Wednesday, 18 May.

ESA astronaut Roberto Vittori and his five crewmates will spend 16 days in space on a mission to deliver highly sophisticated European instrument designed to identify the cosmic fingerprints left by antimatter and ‘dark matter’ in the Universe.
Welcoming him aboard the International Space Station (ISS) will be fellow Italian ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli, who has been working aboard since December.

Full text via ESA