The Launch Readiness Review (RAL) took place in Kourou, 20 March, and gave permission for count-down operations for the launch of ATV Edoardo Amaldi on board Ariane 5 Flight VA205. ATV-3 will be launched from the Ariane launch complex No. 3 (ELA3), in Kourou, French Guiana, at 05:34 CET Friday, 23 March. Via Arianespace.

Together with the successful ESA LRR for ATV-3 itself on 19 March, and the green light from the ISS international partners’ readiness review (the ESA-NASA-Roscosmos IMMT), our mission is all set for the planned lift-off, destination: the ISS!

Speaking of ATV’s destination, here’s a very nice image taken by Ralf Vandebergh via telescope:

View of ISS Credit: R. Vandebergh

View of ISS Credit: R. Vandebergh

It was acquired on 2 September 2010 using a manually tracked 25cm telescope. Ralf says: “It shows a good view of the Lira communication antenna on top of the Russian Zvezda module. We also see a generally good view of the modules at the mid-section of the ISS, as well as the large Japanese Kibo module (left) and Europe’s Columbus module (right) at the lower end.” Thanks, Ralf.