ATV-5: What’s happening?

Charlotte Beskow updates us on the proceeding of ATV-5:

Here we go again..

ATV-5 pressurised module.

I am back in Kourou since a few days (January 7 to be exact). When I exited the arrival hall I immediately ran into a few people that I have known for years. The space world is much like a family. Even if we do not see each other for many months (it has been 10 months since I was here last) it is as if you saw each other yesterday. Formalities were easily taken care of and before I knew it I was in the office, downloading emails (a never-ending task) and then to the hotel. Same owner, same room…

The first few days are always hectic. You have to “hit the ground running”. Even if you read all the reports you are still not 100% up to speed and there are a lot of items to deal with in parallel. The good thing is that all the people around the table are “old hands” at ATV. Most of us have worked on the project for more than 12 years. The first ATV launch campaign started in 2007! When discussing problems or issues you frequently hear the phrase “that is similar to what happened on ATV1, ATV4, 2011 etc.”

Solar panel rig on the left with spacecraft (non pressurised part).

Activities in January involve the solar array integration and a leak test of the Pressurised Module (PM). Since the solar arrays are 11 m long and deployed outside Earth’s atmosphere in weightlessness they are not designed to withstand 1 g. So a special rig is used. It is on the left-hand side of the picture below.

ATV is now in two parts. The actual spacecraft (the non-pressurised part) will be tilted on Monday so that the integration of the arrays can start. For that reason the module is mounted on a tilting device.

The Pressurised Module is in the other part of the hall. Actually it is in a container connected to pressurisation devices. The pressure test of the PM and the Russian fuel system will be done this week, so right now it looks like this, with blast shields to protect in case of mishap.