Kris is presenting today at the DLR/ESA ILA Tweetup in Berlin! We’ll post an update on his presentation shortly. PS: Astronaut Paolo Nespoli has joined Kris on stage to provide ‘in-flight over view’ of ATV missions.

Editor’s note: Read more updates featuring Kris via the ATV Blog (https://blogs.esa.int/atv).

ESA Mission Director Kris Capelle at ATV-CC on docking day, 24 Feb 2011 Credit: ESA

ESA Mission Director Kris Capelle at ATV-CC on docking day, 24 Feb 2011 Credit: ESA

  • The ATV vessel is about 10m long, 4.5m diameter
  • ATV has 32 thrusters, 4 large and 28 smaller
  • Ends ISS docking approach at just 7 cm per second relative velocity!
  • A London bus would fit, more or less, into the volume of the ATV
  • Mission phases: launch, separation, phasing to ISS, RV & docking, attached phase, undocking & departure, re-entry