ATV Attaboy… Launch Successful…

On Sunday, March 9th at 04.03 GMT (05.03 CET) an Ariane 5 ES launch vehicle placed the 19.4 ton ATV Jules Verne into orbit. All the events occurred on time, the multiple re-ignition of the specially designed Ariane 5 upper stage went off absolutely as predicted. All navigation systems onboard, the star-trackers, the GPS system are working nominally and the solar arrays, which deployed very smoothly, are delivering full power. However the spacecraft on board computers detected a slight difference in pressure between the oxidizer and the fuel that compose the propellant. This caused the ATV to immediately switch over to the second of four propulsion chains, as it is designed to do. The orbit injection of the ATV called for a specially adapted version of the Ariane 5 launcher. While the lower stage is identical to that of an Ariane 5 ECA, this Ariane 5 ES has a re-ignitable EPS upper stage, a strengthened VEB, and a specifically redeveloped flight program. The re-ignition capability is necessary to inject the ATV into an orbit from which it can reach the ISS. Nicolas Chamussy, head of the program, said, “We have just begun the first of the five major mission phases. After the first in-orbit operations, the ATV will move into the ISS’ orbit and carry out the necessary maneuvers to approach the station. This will be followed by the extremely delicate rendezvous and docking phases, and then a period during which the securely docked ATV will be a fully-fledged module of the ISS. The Jules Verne mission will end with de-docking, de-orbiting and finally burn-up of the vehicle during descent through the Earth’s atmosphere.” The unmanned Automated Transfer Vehicle, developed and built by Astrium on behalf of ESA, will supply the International Space Station. The ATV is the first spacecraft in the world designed to conduct automated docking in full compliance with the tight safety constraints imposed by human spaceflight operations and is now well on its way to its rendezvous with the International Space Station in early April. The ATV will deliver experiments, equipment and spare parts, as well as food, air and water for the permanent onboard crew. The various control centers, including the dedicated ATV centre in Toulouse, are now fully operational for monitoring the mission. ”Jules Verne is the very first ATV, and its mission is very specific,” continued Chamussy. “A series of in-orbit demonstrations are planned, and this is why we have not scheduled docking with the ISS before early April. All the teams are extremely proud of the achievement thus far; their concentration and motivation are second to none. We are working round the clock to make sure that this important ‘first’ is a success.”