Redu station: 13.5 m tracking antenna is part of ESA's ESTRACK network

Redu station: 13.5 m tracking antenna is part of ESA's ESTRACK network

There’s a nice report this morning in ESA’s Telecoms website on the role of the Agency’s Artemis data rely satellite in ATV communications.

During phasing, rendezvous, docking, undocking and reentry, ATV primarily communicates via NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) – and uses Artemis as backup. During the docked or attached phase, ATV uses Artemis as its main relay. A little later, we’ll post a more detailed overview of all the ways in which ground controllers and astronauts can communicate with ATV.

After Ariane 5 lofts ATV Johannes Kepler into space on 15 February, ESA’s Artemis data relay satellite will be ready for action. Artemis will provide communications between Johannes Kepler and the ATV Control Centre (ATV-CC) in Toulouse, France. Hovering some 36 000 km above the equator at 21.4ºE, Artemis will route telemetry and commands to and from the control centre whenever the satellite sees the International Space Station or ATV. During every ATV-2 orbit, there is close to 40 minutes of continuous contact.

Full article via ESA