ATV Albert Einstein has arrived on the Station and Italian ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano is overseeing unloading the spacecraft’s 1400 items. ATV-4 has been dubbed the ‘Automated Tiramisu Vehicle’ in reference to Luca’s bonus food it brings to the International Space Station, but there is more to ATV from Italy than just its contents and its Loadmaster, Luca Parmitano.

Italian subsidiaries of the French-Italian giant Thales Alenia Space based in Torino and L’Aquila are responsible for the design and production of ATV’s pressurised module, the so-called Integrated Cargo Carrier, or the part that holds cargo and accommodates astronauts. For this they supplied the structure, the harness that holds cables, some electronics and the protective thermal blanket (or Multi-Layer Insulation, MLI). 

An ATV Integrated Cargo Carrier being loaded. Credits: ESA /CNES/Arianespace/Photo optique video du CSG

Thales also made a space-worthy GPS receiver for the ATVs using the satellite positioning service for accuracy of less than 40 metres, enough to get close to the International Space Station before switching to laser-precision docking. 

ATV module being placed on ATV MSGE. Credits: Aerostudi

On the ground, Thales helped supply the fuelling system and together with Aerostudi they built the construction to manipulate ATV on Earth. Called the MGSE or Movement Ground Support System, this equipment can rotate, move and tilt ATV and can be loaded onto an aeroplane, cranes and forklift trucks. Not bad considering ATVs are the size of a double-decker bus and weigh over 10 tonnes.

Aerostudi also supplied the ECS or Environmental Control System. Simply put, this is a carrying case for ATV transport but one that keeps the environment inside the case at perfect temperature and humidity. More precise than a cigar humidor, this unit consists of two diesel generators that keep ATV cosy and clean across sea, regardless of the outside weather, from cold and damp Germany to the tropical humidity of Kourou, French Guiana.

ALTEC’s engineering support centre in Turin, Italy. Credits: ALTEC

Further ground support is supplied by ALTEC in form of ATV crew training instructors. When needed, ALTEC can provide support during operations from their Engineering support centre in Turin, Italy. In direct contact with the European mission control Columbus-CC in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, Altec also provides a data backup service for the control room.

Selex ES is largely involved in ATV’s power, from the photovoltaic assembly (part of the solar panels) that generate ATV’s power to the power control and distribution unit as well as the Solid State Power Amplifier, which is actually used to amplify communications signals.

From designing and constructing ATV’s shell to unloading the cargo in space, Italian know-how is unmistakably part of ATV Albert Einstein.