Nico Dettmann, Head of ESA's ATV Production Programme

Nico Dettmann, Head of ESA's ATV Production Programme

… and this came in overnight from ESA’s ATV production programme head, Nico Dettmann, in Kourou, who was on hand as the Ariane fairing was lowered over top of ATV. Nico wrote:

The picture shows ATV mounted on the top of the launcher. A few minutes later it was fully covered by the fairing, which was like the sword of Damocles hanging just over the ATV. The speed at which the fairing was moved down by the crane let my heart stop beating but it was perfectly centred. I was one of the last 15 people to see Johannes Kepler on Earth! Regards, Nico

Last view of ATV-2 before encapsulation

Last view of ATV-2 before encapsulation