Jules Verne ATV

infobox Spacecraft
Name = Jules Verne (ATV-001)


Caption = Jules Verne ATV approaches the International Space Station
Organisation = ESA
Major_Contractors = EADS Astrium (Prime),
Thales Alenia Space
Mission_Type = ISS resupply
Satellite_Of = Earth
Launch = 04:03 UTC, 9 March 2008
Carrier_Rocket = Ariane 5ES
Decay = 15:31 CEST, 29 September 2008
Mission_Duration = 5 months
NSSDC_ID = 2008-008A
Webpage = [http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/ATV/index.html ESA - ATV]
Mass = convert|20|t|lb
Power = Solar panels
Orbital_elements = yes
Inclination = 51.6°
Orbital_Period = 91.34 min
Apoapsis = convert|339|km|nmi
Periapsis = convert|331|km|nmi
Orbits =
Orbit_regime = LEO

"Jules Verne" ATV, or Automated Transfer Vehicle 001 (ATV-001), was an unmanned European cargo resupply spacecraft named after French science-fiction author Jules Verne.cite web |title=Europe's 'Jules Verne' spacecraft carries namesake's notes on maiden voyage |url=http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-030708a.html |publisher=collectSPACE.com |date=7 March 2008 |accessdate=2008-03-09] The spacecraft was launched on 9 March 2008 on a mission to supply the International Space Station (ISS) with propellant, water, air, and dry cargo.

Because it is the first ATV, the spacecraft underwent three weeks of testing before it began a series of rendezvous with the ISS. It docked to the ISS on 3 April 2008.

On 25 April 2008, "Jules Verne" was used to reboost the station into a higher orbit.cite web |title=Jules Verne boosts ISS orbit |url=http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMPEISZEFF_index_0.html |publisher=esa.int |date=25 April 2008 |accessdate=2008-04-26]

After spending just over five months docked at the station, Jules Verne undocked on 5 September 2008 and made a destructive re-entry over the Pacific Ocean on 29 September. [cite web |url=http://www.eads.eu/1024/en/pressdb/pressdb/Astrium/20090929_astrium_atv.html |title=International success for Astrium: Europe’s Jules Verne mission accomplished |publisher=EADS]

Launch

"Jules Verne" was launched into low Earth orbit atop the maiden flight of the Ariane 5ES carrier rocket. Lift-off from ELA-3 at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana occurred at 04:03:04 UTC on 9 March 2008, following several delays. The spacecraft separated from the carrier rocket 1 hour 6 minutes and 41 seconds after lift-off and navigation systems were subsequently activated. Two days later, on 11 March, the four main engines of the ATV were fired for the first time, marking the beginning of several orbital insertion boosts.cite web |title=Jules Verne on track for long journey to ISS |url=http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/ATV/SEMJE7M5NDF_0.html |publisher=ESA |date=11 March 2008 |accessdate=2008-03-11] Overberg Test Range played a part in relaying telemetry data from a mobile station deployed in New Zealand during the launch phase.

Initial propulsion glitch

After in-orbit activation of the ATV's propulsion system a few hours after launch, the second of four Propulsion Drive Electronics (PDE) units, which controls a quarter of the ATV's manoeuvring thrusters, reported an unexpected difference in the mixing pressure between the fuel and the oxidiser. [http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=5375 Ariane 5 ES launches with ATV – suffers early fault on orbit] ] [http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM7S1L26DF_index_0.html Jules Verne ATV under control after a textbook launch] on ESA.int] Engine burns were briefly postponed whilst the fault was investigated. A restart of the entire propulsion system by the ATV Control Centre in Toulouse (France) resolved the problem and the ATV has since successfully performed several orbital manoeuvres. ESA reported that the mission could have gone ahead even if one quarter of the manoeuvring thrusters had been unavailable and declared that the ATV remained on schedule for docking with the ISS on 3 April 2008.

On-orbit testing and docking

Because Jules Verne is the first ATV, several demonstration tests were scheduled, to confirm that it was able to safely approach and dock with the space station. After launch, the ATV spent three weeks in free flight and successfully underwent Collision Avoidance Manoeuvre (CAM) tests on 13 March and 14 March, ensuring that the CAM could be conducted as a last back-off mechanism should all other systems fail during the docking manoeuvre. [cite news |publisher=ESA |title=Jules Verne demonstrates flawless Collision Avoidance Manoeuvre |url=http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/ATV/SEMWJMM5NDF_0.html |date=14 March 2008 |accessdate=2008-03-14]

Subsequently it performed two docking demonstration tests called "demo days". These tests consisted of a series of rendezvous with the International Space Station and culminated in its final test: actual docking with the aft port of the Zvezda module on 3 April 2008. The rendezvous were performed by a fully automated system using GPS and star trackers. When "Jules Verne" was Convert|249|m|ft|0 from the space station, the final docking was guided by a videometer, which fires laser pulses at cube-shaped reflectors on the Zvezda service module, and a telegoniometer, which functions like radar. [cite news |publisher=ESA |title=State of the art in automatic rendezvous |url=http://www.esa.int/esaMI/ATV/SEMZ2O57ESD_0.html |date=2 April 2004 |accessdate=2008-03-06] The ISS crew could have aborted the docking at any point up until the ATV was one metre from the station; this was not required. "Jules Verne" successfully docked with the ISS on 3 April 2008 at 14:45 UTC.

29 March – Demo-Day 1

During Demo-Day 1 on 29 March 2008, the first rendezvous with the International Space Station was conducted.cite web |url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/ariane/v181/mission.html |title=Flight 181: Ariane 5/ATV Mission Timeline |date=2008-03-05 |accessdate=2008-03-10 |publisher=Spaceflight Now] The manoeuvre culminated in a successful rendezvous with the space station at a distance of convert|3.5|km|mi despite a minor anomaly with the electronic systems controlling the spacecraft's engines.cite web |url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/ariane/v181/080329demoday1.html|author=Stephen Clark|title=Station resupply ship passes first demonstration day|date=2008-03-29|accessdate=2008-03-30 |publisher=Spaceflight Now]

"Jules Verne" started its approach to the ISS at 14:19 GMT. At 15:57, it reached the S₂ hold point and waited there for 90 minutes to conduct tests. The ISS crew then commanded the ATV to conduct hold and retreat manoeuvres. At 17:30, the ATV was commanded to perform an escape manoeuvre, propelling it away from the station.

31 March – Demo-Day 2

During Demo-Day 2, "Jules Verne" closed in to convert|12|m of the International Space Station when the ISS crew simulated an abort. All targets for this Demo-Day were successfully met. [ [http://asimov.esrin.esa.int/SPECIALS/ATV/SEMRFB5QGEF_0.html ESA Updates to Jules Verne ATV Demonstration Day 2] ]

3 April – Docking

On 3 April 2008, the ATV made contact with the Zvezda aft docking port at 14:45:32 UTC, [http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/ATV/SEM0TV5QGEF_0.html ESA video of capture] (the exact time is shown in the upper right of the screen)] starting a sequence of docking events that included mechanical capture at 14:55 UTC and docking with the ISS a few minutes later.Cite web|url=http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMORO5QGEF_index_0.html|title=ESA Portal - Europe's automated ship docks to the ISS|publisher=European Space Agency|date=3 April 2008|accessdate=2008-09-20] [ [http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/ATV/SEMDQL5QGEF_0.html Jules Verne ATV given ‘go’ for docking] at www.esa.int] It remained docked there for four months and later made a destructive re-entry in the atmosphere, while carrying space station waste which was stored on the ATV before departure.

Use while docked

After docking and leak checks were conducted, the ISS crew was able to enter the pressurised cargo module and access the cargo. The ATV's liquid tanks were connected to the ISS and their contents were transferred to the station. The crew can manually release air components directly into the ISS’s atmosphere. The ISS crew gradually replaced the ATV's cargo with waste for disposal. [ [http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/ATV/SEM0UHXMMEF_0.html Space Station crew enters Jules Verne ATV] on www.esa.int] In addition, convert|270|kg of water, convert|21|kg of oxygen and convert|856|kg of propellant was transferred to the Zvezda module, and "Jules Verne" was also be used to reboost the space station on four occasions. About convert|1150|kg of dry cargo was removed from the ATV and remains aboard the ISS.

Debris avoidance manoeuvre

The thrusters of "Jules Verne" were fired for just over 5 minutes on 27 August 2008 at 16:11 UTC to conduct a debris avoidance manoeuvre. By slowing the station approximately convert|1|m/s|mph|abbr=on the altitude of the station was lowered approximately convert|1.77|km|mi|abbr=on. [cite web |url=http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/iss_reports/reports2008/08-28-2008.htm |title=International Space Station Daily Report |date=2008-08-28] This manoeuvre effectively eliminated any chance of a collision with a piece of space debris which had been part of the Kosmos|2421 satellite.

Manuscripts

Two original manuscripts by Jules Verne as well as an illustrated 19th century Hetzel French language edition of "From the Earth to the Moon" and "Around the Moon" were flown aboard the spacecraft, and have been successfully delivered to the crew of the International Space Station.

Unforeseen uses

The ATV being one of the quietest places of the ISS, isolated from the rest of the station, the astronauts have used it as sleeping quarters and also as a place to perform personal hygiene activities. [cite news |publisher=ESA |title=Jules Verne ATV reveals unexpected capabilities |url=http://www.esa.int/esaMI/ATV/SEM6IZUG3HF_0.html |date=16 June 2008 |accessdate=2008-09-06] Korean astronaut Yi So-yeon has also used it as a kind of laboratory space where she performed nanotechnology experiments. [ [http://www.futura-sciences.com/fr/sinformer/actualites/news/t/astronautique/d/latv-simple-cargo-spatial-devoile-des-charmes-insoupconnes_15986-1/ L’ATV, simple cargo spatial, dévoile des charmes insoupçonnés] Jean Etienne Futura Sciences]

Crew aboard the ISS

The ISS crew at arrival of "Jules Verne" were the members of Expedition 16:
*Peggy Whitson Commander - NASA
*Yuri Malenchenko Flight Engineer 1 - Russian Federal Space Agency (RKA)
*Garrett Reisman Flight Engineer 2 - NASA

They were replaced by Expedition 17 crew in April. The crew at departure of the ATV were:
*Sergey Volkov Commander - RKA
*Oleg Kononenko Flight Engineer - RKA
*Gregory Chamitoff Flight Engineer - NASA

During the ATV attached phase, the ISS was also visited by Soyuz TMA-12 Korean spaceflight participant Yi So-yeon and by the crew of STS-124. No European Space Agency astronaut or cosmonaut was aboard the ISS while "Jules Verne" was docked.

Undocking and deorbiting

On 5 September 2008, "Jules Verne" undocked and manoeuvred to an orbital position 5 km below the ISS. It remained in its that orbit until the night of 29 September. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7598980.stm|title='Jules Verne' begins final voyage|date=2008-09-05|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2008-09-06]
At 10:00:27 GMT "Jules Verne" started its first de-orbit boost of 6 minutes, followed by a second boost of 15 minutes at 12:58:18 GMT. At 13:31 GMT "Jules Verne" had re-entered the atmosphere at an altitude of 120 km, and then successfully completed a destructive re-entry in the next 12 minutes. [cite web|url=http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEME556EJLF_Life_0.html|title=Successful re-entry marks bright future for ATV|date=2008-09-29|publisher=ESA|accessdate=2008-09-29]

ee also

*Automated Transfer Vehicle
*Progress spacecraft
*List of unmanned spaceflights to the ISS

References