After check-ups, ATV is now approaching after leaving the holding point S3 at the distance of 250 m. From now on, approaching will take time as the speed is very, very slow. ATV’s docking probe will meet Zvzda’s docking cone within 10 cm and with a velocity of about the speed of a turtle (below 0.07km/s).

The docking will be performed with a relative speed of less than 10 cm/sec, which is a very slow walking speed. ATV, with a mass of about 18 tonnes now, will have kinetic energy equal to that of a small car bumping the 200 to 400-ton ISS at a speed of 1.5 km/h. It will be a soft touch!

Clocks on the wall