Tag Archives: nasa

Cargo Craft Makes a “Relatively” Large Delivery to The International Space Station

Highlight of NASA TV coverage of ATV-4 docking

The European Space Agency's Albert Einstein Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) arrived at the International Space Station June 15, automatically docking to the aft port of the Zvezda Service Module to complete a ten-day journey following its launch June 5 on an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana. 

"Albert Einstein is the fourth of five ATVs developed by ESA to help resupply the orbital outpost, delivering more than 7 tons of fuel and supplies for the Expedition 36 crew. Albert Einstein will remain attached to the aft port of Zvezda until late October, available to help reboost the station or conduct debris avoidance manoeuvres, if required.

Mission quiz: Answer 2 – In which movie do we see ATV?

Here's the correct answer to Tuesday's 2nd question in our Mission Quiz ("In which blockbuster Hollywood movie did a desktop model of ATV recently appear? ") courtesy of our keen-eyed ATV blog co-editor Julien Harrod, who first spotted this magnificent scene with ATV in...

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Herewith, we're delighted to present the results of judging of the submissions sent in via Twitter and the blog!

Congratulations to the winner, Michel Derretiere, with the the first, best response:

Bonjour,

Le film, c'est Transformers 3. On voit aussi Ariane 5. Les 2 sont sur le bureau d'un ingenieur de la NASA. Je ne me rappelle plus exactement, mais la scene se passe dans la premiere partie du film. Le jour de gloire cinematographique de l'ATV ;-)

(more...)

ATV 2.0

Credits: NASA

Today, NASA and ESA announced the details of their cooperation in NASA’s human spaceflight programme based on the Orion spacecraft.

(Watch replay of ESA/NASA media briefing webcast 16 Jan 2013.)

This is good news for ATV as Orion will feature an ATV-derived service module to provide propulsion and power to the spacecraft as well as provide the astronauts in the habitable module with much-needed oxygen, water and other life support such as keeping the astronauts warm.

Space Shuttle thrusters

One of these thruster might return to space on the ATV service module. Credits: NASA

The service module will keep ATV’s distinctive solar panels and shape; the cylindrical ATV 2.0 will be 2.7 metres long and 4.5 metres in diameter, similar to a present-day ATV but half as long.

To push Orion through space, NASA will supply the ATV service module with an extra engine, none other than a recycled Space Shuttle thruster. This engine will supply around 26 kN of thrust in addition to eight smaller engines as backup. The smaller engines will supply a total of 490 N, enough to get Orion back to Earth.

Attitude control will be done by yet more thrusters for which the design needs to be finalised, but think in terms of 20+ small engines working together.

Although ATV’s solar panel configuration will remain, ESA will give them a significant upgrade. Slightly shorter but wider, Orion’s solar panels will use Gallium Arsenide technology and supply more electricity, ­up to 11 kW, or enough to power the energy needs of a typical household. These newer solar panels offer 30% efficiency converting solar energy; ATV’s current solar panels only manage around 17%.

Orion

Credits: ESA

The official name of Orion is ‘Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle’ as the spacecraft can be used to complete different missions. Presently NASA wants to do a first unmanned test flight in 2017, meaning that ESA will have to deliver the first service module in 2016. This is a tight deadline, but the people behind ATV have gotten used to delivering a new spacecraft in under 20 months.

To deliver on time, the service module will be heavily based on ATV technology that has proven itself after three flawless missions, with two more to come by the end of next year.

Credits: NASA

After the test flight, ATV and Orion will be headed for the Moon and beyond to an asteroid in subsequent missions.

The agreement was given the go-ahead at ESA’s ministerial council last November and allows European industry to capitalise on ATV technology while significantly cutting research and production costs for NASA.

The first service module will be delivered as part of ESA’s contract for International Space Station utilisation. An option for a second module can be exchanged in kind for other services such as sending a European astronaut on Orion.

Of course the ATV blog will feature regular updates of developments.

NASA, ESA hold 16 January NASA TV briefing on new Orion agreement

NASA and ESA will brief media at 17:30 CET on Wednesday, 16 January, on the details for ESA to provide a service module for the first Orion spacecraft mission in 2017. European media are invited to watch the event and can ask questions.

Orion will be the most advanced spacecraft ever designed and carry astronauts farther into space than ever before. ESA’s service module will be based on the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV). Sitting directly below Orion’s crew capsule, it will provide propulsion, power, thermal control, as well as supplying water and atmosphere for the astronauts in the habitable module.

Details in ESA web

Details and links to NASA TV

ATV-3 mission overview – video report

After 5 months attached to the International Space Station, ESA's Automated Transfer Vehicle, Edoardo Amaldi, will plunge into the atmosphere over the South Pacific during the night of 25 to 26 September [delayed to 28.09 - Ed.] 2012.

The Edoardo Amaldi mission was the third flight of this space freighter resupplying and servicing the orbital complex. For ESA and its international partners all the mission objectives, and more, were fully achieved, and thoughts have now immediately turned to the next ATV flight set for spring 2013.

ATV spotted at NASA’s ISS Mission Control Centre

Good catch & grab from NASA TV by Twitter user @StarlingLX! She is also attending the AndreTweetup on 29 March at ESA/ESTEC. Thanks, Alex, for a great photo! NASA Flight Directors Katja Leuoth and Cise (@CarbonFlight) are seen in the photo.

@esaoperations Thought the same thing. Cool! Took a screenshot the other day with @Carbon_Flight on console. #ATV3 twitter.com/starlingLX/sta…

-- Alex von Eckartsberg (@starlingLX) 16 May 2012

ATV seen 'on console' at NASA MCC-H Credit: NASA TV/@starlingLX

ATV seen 'on console' at NASA MCC-H Credit: NASA TV/@starlingLX

ATV-3 cargo transfer activities

NASA Public Affairs Officer Dan Huot interviews Michael Ferullo, NASA's Lead Inventory and Stowage Officer for ATV-3. Transferring cargo to and from a docked resupply ship is a complex and time-consuming activity for station residents!

ATV-3 Overview from ESA’s Eric Van der Wal

NASA Public Affairs Officer Amiko Kauderer interviews Eric Van Der Wal of the European Space Agency about the "Edoardo Amaldi" Automated Transfer Vehicle-3.

ATV: An international mission

Excellent video report from the nice folks over at the CNES ATV blog! It profiles the international dimensions of the ATV mission and includes several very nice interviews with ISS engineers from NASA on their impressions from working with the European ATV team (audio in English with subtitles).

Nice way to go into the last weekend before ATV-3 launch!

L'ATV une mission internationale from CNES on Vimeo.

ATV-CC: Final ESA/CNES/NASA/Roscosmos joint simulation before launch

The joint ESA/CNES mission operations team at ATV-CC are undergoing the final joint simulation before launch today. The 'joint' refers to the presence of the NASA and Roscosmos partner representatives at ATV-CC, who sit in the main control room working, literally, elbow-to-elbow with the European mission control engineers.

ATV-3 launch is set for Friday, 9 March 2012.

Last joint simulation at ATV-CC for ATV-3 launch. © CNES/Frédéric Maligne, 2012

Last joint simulation at ATV-CC for ATV-3 launch. © CNES/Frédéric Maligne, 2012