ATV MISSION UPDATES

[Chipstone306]

Engineers assess problem aboard Jules Verne craft


http://spaceflightnow.com/ariane/v181/080309prop.html

 

[Chipstone306]

Space truck does emergency drill

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7297066.stm

 

[Notebook]

Today's news from ATV-CC is good:

http://webservices.esa.int/blog/post/1/212

Just after 13:00 CET today, Jules Verne nestled into a 'parking orbit', located some 2000 km ahead of the ISS and at approximately the same altitude, to await the first of a series of docking manoeuvres starting at the end of March.

N.

 

[Notebook]

Stunning video of ATV and ISS.

http://webservices.esa.int/blog/post/1/213


N.

 

[Urwumpe]

Cool Video. I hope I can see this myself soon.

 

[Notebook]

No chance here, wet, windy, overcast, and looks like snow for the Easter week-end.
Hopefully ESA does some webcasts of their ATV "demonstrations".

N.

 

[Scrooge McDuck]

This is great. It is always nice to see two orbiting spacecraft chasing each other (before docking).
By the way, a larger resolution video of this can be found here: http://www.allthesky.com/various/issatv19mar08.html

Too bad it will be until March 29 that I can see the ISS/ATV from my location with a reasonable max altitude of 29 degrees (still quite a low angle, for a slightly light polluted aeria).
But i'm not sure if the ATV is docked by then?

regards,
mcduck

 

[Chipstone306]

GREAT PIC! Thanks Scrooge Mcduck

 

[Notebook]

Shooting a Par-3 hole in space: Three steps to ATV docking

http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMQ29N5NDF_index_0.html

N.

 

[Scrooge McDuck]

http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMQ29N5NDF_index_0.html
N.

Great, 3 April docking of ATV to ISS means I will be able to see the ATV and ISS passing over here on 30 March with 51, 1 April with 57, 2 April with 66 and, 3 April with 59 degrees max alt.
Given the cloudy days lately, the number of good ISS passes still gives me a chance..

regards,
mcduck

 

[Zatnikitelman]

Thanks for the upcomming Birthday Present ESA!! The docking of a new generation of spacecraft to the ISS is a great present!

7cm/s? That's 7 times faster than I approach in Orbiter!

 

[tblaxland]

Heavens-above.com is predicting a good early morning pass here on April 1 and I hope to see the ISS and ATV together. I assume that the ATV will be behind the ISS by that time, ready for its docking approach.


Does anyone know what manoeuvres are planned for the ATV over the coming week? Google could not dig up a flight plan or even a press release regarding this.

 

[SiberianTiger]

Does anyone know what manoeuvres are planned for the ATV over the coming week? Google could not dig up a flight plan or even a press release regarding this.

1. Launch and Early Operations Phase
2. Transfer, Phasing and Parking - Now active
3. Demonstration day 1 - 29 March 2008
4. Demonstration day 2 - 31 March 2008
5. Docking day - 3 April 2008

 

[simonpro]

A few papers on the subject of the rendevous. These dont give a timeline as they are mission-generic but they do give an insight into what actually happens.

"ATV GNC During Rendevous"
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1997ESASP.381...85F

"ATV Guidance, Navigation and Control for Rendezvous with ISS"
http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu//full/2000ESASP.425..501G/0000502.000.html
(more or less the same as the first one)

"The GNC Measurement System for the Automated Transfer Vehicle"
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n..._type=ARTICLE&db_key=AST&high=47e227eb6003620

 

[ryan]

What does this module actually do, how can it help the ISS in there on going growth?. Or is it only a scienetific module whith all these science stuff inside.
Thanks.
Ryan.

 

[DaveS]

What does this module actually do, how can it help the ISS in there on going growth?. Or is it only a scienetific module whith all these science stuff inside.
Thanks.
Ryan.

The ATV is an automated cargo spacecraft for ISS. Currently the only spacecrafts that bring up very limited cargo is the Russian Progress spacecrafts and the Shuttle orbiters.

The ATV is similar to the Progress but can hold 3x the amount of internal pressurized cargo such as cloths, food, water etc.

 

[ryan]

Thats alot of stuff if i could sneak one and i will just orbit the earth set for life with food, water and more. Lol

 

[Donamy]

It's also a trash hauler.

 

[tblaxland]

@ simonpro & SiberianTiger, thanks for the info.

 

[Notebook]

THe ESA portal is good for a lot of European stuff http://www.esa.int/esaCP/index.html

and they are running a blog for ATV
http://webservices.esa.int/blog/blog/1/

N.