ATV-5 thrusters turned off for Soyuz departure

ATV-5 during Soyuz TMA-12M departure. Credits: ESA/NASA

Yesterday three International Space Station astronauts left their home to return to Earth in their Soyuz TMA-12M spacecraft. Steven Swanson, Oleg Artemyev and Alexander Skvortsov landed safely back on Earth at 4:23 CEST this morning.

When ATV-5 is docked with the International Space Station it provides propulsive support to help keep the Station flying as needed.

During undocking of the Soyuz TMA-12M, ATV-5 shut off its thrusters to allow the Space Station to enter free drift so the two spacecrafts do not interfere with each other. So, when ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst took the picture above, ATV-5 was in an uncharacteristically dormant mode.

After the Soyuz spacecraft had departed and was at a safe distance ATV-5 propulsive support was naturally turned back on. Until the next Soyuz arrives in two weeks the Space Station will have just three astronauts to run the outpost. All part of the routine…