Update just received from Jean-Michel Bois, head of the ESA operations team at ATV-CC.

The ISS Mission Management Team (IMMT) has given the GO for ATV5 undocking. The decision comes after a final check was performed with the ISS authorities and our International Partners on 12 February.

First ATV, Jules Verne, undocking in 2008 Credit: ESA/NASA

First ATV, Jules Verne, undocking in 2008 Credit: ESA/NASA

The IMMT, the ‘ISS management board’, verifies before arrival or departure of each visiting vehicle the readiness of all ISS partners (NASA, RSC-E, JAXA, CSA and ESA) and ISS teams (operations, crew, engineering team, &etc.) and ensures that all ISS and vehicle activities and safety matters have been reviewed and are compatible with the specific planned event.

Yesterday, the ESA Operations team at AT-CC Toulouse presented the status of the ATV-5 vehicle, the intended undocking procedures, the readiness of the Toulouse team and a check on any potential open actions to be closed before 14 February.

MCC-H (ISS control centre – Houston) also presented the status of the ISS and its specific configuration for ATV undocking and the planned coordinated operations to the IMMT.

After these presentations and questions, the IMMT chairman ran a ‘GO/NOGO’ poll, with all ISS parties having the possibility to block the process.

All agencies and ISS teams gave their GO for ATV-5 undocking – the last-ever of an ATV vessel.


Here’s how we looked going up…

The IMMT Chairman, Kenny Todd, finished the meeting with very kind words, recalling the long and fruitful cooperation between ISS and ATV teams since the earliest phases of the first ATV flight, which took place in 2008.

Massimo Cislaghi, ATV-5 Mission Manager, and Kris Capelle, ATV-5 Mission Director, highlighted how the years have ‘gone so quickly’ and thanked the IMMT chairman and members and the Moscow and Houston flight teams for a fantastic common adventure.

– Jean-Michel