ATV-5 closer and closer…
Quick pics from yesterday and today's transfer of ATV-5 (now mated and looking huge!) from S5C to S5B, the fuelling area at Kourou, for the start of next week's hazardous fuelling operation.
View ArticleQuick overview: ATV-5 cargo
Each ATV carries several types of cargo in varying amounts; the figures below are for ATV-5, whose total cargo upload to the ISS will be 6,561 kg. Thanks to Charlotte Beskow and the ATV team at ESA for...
View ArticleFuel loading complete
Today's post contributed by Charlotte Beskow from the ATV team – Ed. Fuel loading has finished in Kourou and teams are now busy with the last preparations for the final phase of the launch campaign,...
View ArticleATV-5 moves to final assembly building in Kourou
Update from ESA's ATV cargo integration engineer Kirsten MacDonnell from Kourou. This afternoon, we're transferring ATV-5 to the BAF (Batiment d’Assemblage Final). This photo shows the CNES team moving...
View ArticleGetting ready for late cargo loading
All the cargo [for late cargo loading via ATV's hatch] has now arrived in Kourou and all the bags have been disinfected. NASA came to disinfect their own bags and we have a team from ESA's Technical...
View ArticleKevlar Whipple-shield test
What would happen if a piece of space debris less than a centimetre in diameter hit an ATV? These pictures actually confirm that the kevlar-reinforced multi-layer whipple shield that protect ATVs are...
View ArticleCargo loading update from Kourou
These photos and brief comments sent in earlier today by Kristen MacDonell, ESA's ATV cargo engineer on site in Kourou where late cargo loading for ATV-5 is in full swing. Monday, 30 June: Late Cargo...
View ArticleNew ATV-5 images from Kourou
ATV-5 on in the Final Assembly Building. Click here for more.
View ArticleDoors open
Update: High-res images are now available on ESA's photosite for media. Charlotte Beskow, in Kourou, just sent in this timely photo: doors of the BAF are open for ATV-5 and VA219 rollout!
View ArticleMore ATV-5 launch pictures
If you thought you had seen all the best ATV-5 launch pictures, think again...
View ArticleSpot ATV-5 & ISS together tonight
A number of very helpful folk have sent in comments and notes to remind us to remind you that tonight could be a great night to look up... to the ISS & ATV-5. Before we get to tonight's details,...
View ArticleFabulous 3D grid overlay on live in-space images
Here's an accurate 3D grid applied to @ralfvandebergh 's excellent #ATV5 pics from 5 Aug. Thx to #ATVCC Fdyn Laurent! pic.twitter.com/QS7vBXlF6l — ESA Operations (@esaoperations) August 8, 2014
View ArticleISS & ATV-5 in orbit tonight
ISS and ATV-5 seen over Germany this evening. Nice shot, @gottie29! @cruuzer Hier mal ein Foto davon @Astro_Alex @ESA_de pic.twitter.com/68Gqhajpjn — Stefan Gotthold (@gottie29) August 8, 2014
View ArticleRecording success: ATV flyunder complete
Update from LIRIS project engineer Olivier Mongrard from ATV-CC. ATV-5 flew as expected within 7km below the ISS during the evening of Friday/Saturday, 8/9 August, and the telemetry received from the...
View ArticleATV-5 seen from ISS: More great pictures
We've just received several more excellent photos of last night's flyunder, showing ATV-5 just 7 km below the ISS. Photos were taken by the crew during closest approach.
View ArticleCrew gets ready
And upstairs, ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst and Russian cosmonaut Sasha Skvortsov are getting ready to oversee today's docking! Preparing to control docking of @ESA's #ATV5 space cargo freighter to...
View ArticleATV-5 seen during flyunder
We're sorry - we can't keep ourselves from posting these! Yet another (fabulous) photo of ATV-5 taken by crew on 8 August 2014! OK. We'll get back to our regular blog updating now...
View ArticleTime line charts for today’s rendezvous and docking
A set of detailed time line charts showing what happens when during rendezvous and docking today. These are a little technical, but will appeal to all the would-be spacecraft operations engineers out...
View ArticleATV smarties
Like us here at the blog, you're probably jealous – and understandably so! wow! To keep the ground team in good mood, we have ATV #smarties here in Toulouse A full collection! #ATV5...
View ArticleISS crew photos of ATV-5 docked
Great image taken by NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman! Awesome work @astro_alex and congrats to @ESA – We have #ATV5 with us! pic.twitter.com/Q9DYFUGoy4 — Reid Wiseman (@astro_reid) August 12, 2014
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