Mission done and done well!

Jean-Michel Bois at ATV-CC

A short note from Jean-Michel Bois, Head of the ESA Mission Operations Team at ATV-CC in Toulouse:

Everybody is happy here. For sure it’s the end of a rare technical and human adventure, with hours spent in the control centre, nights and days, to monitor this incredible vehicle. Such a complex and successful mission is a major event in professional career.

All objectives of the mission were achieved: delivery of cargo, fuel, water and oxygen to the Station plus support for numerous reboosts and collection and destruction of ISS waste.

This ATV-3 mission was especially demanding for the ATV-CC teams with numerous contingencies during the mission, none critical, but to be solved one after the other. Thanks to the professionalism of the Astrium, CNES and ESA teams, this mission is again a great success!

Now, no break in activities: ATV-4 starts tomorrow morning for ATV-CC, with preparations for the new dedicated mission configuration.

– Jmichel