Ariane-5 lift off with ATV-5 ©ESA The 60th consecutive successful launch of European Ariane 5 launch vehicle lofted the last European spa...
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| Ariane-5 lift off with ATV-5 ©ESA |
The liftoff took place at exactly 8.47 pm (local time) on Tuesday evening, July 30, from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
ATV “Georges Lemaître” is the heaviest at 20.3 tonnes, to be launched into orbit by an Ariane 5.
Airbus Defence and Space is responsible for the development and production of the Ariane 5, and is also the prime contractor for the ATV for the European Space Agency (ESA).
The ATV-5 Georges Lemaître is carrying experimental equipment, spare parts, food, air and water.
Once reaching the orbit at an altitude of around 260 kilometres, the ATV-5 deploys its four solar panels, with a wingspan of 22.3 metres, as well as an antenna for communication with the ISS.
The ATV “Georges Lemaître” is scheduled to rendezvous with the ISS on 12 August, where it will be received by ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst.
The ATV will automatically perform the rendezvous manoeuvres in steps, starting about 40 km from the ISS using ATV and ISS relative GPS; then from 250m to the ISS, using its videometers, ATV-5 will align its docking system with the ISS Russian module, and then precisely control its attitude and position to the ISS docking port, with an accuracy of a few centimetres.
Once the first contact has been made, the ATV-5 will automatically execute the mechanical and electrical docking procedure, which will connect the cargo vehicle to the ISS. The ATV-5 will then become a fully-fledged operational module, forming part of the Space Station.
The ATV spacecraft can dock automatically at 28,000 km/h with a accuracy of less than the width of a coin.
In addition to the 2.7 metric tons of cargo inside the pressurized module, the ATV-5 will also transport 2.1 metric tons of fuel, which will be used to maintain the Space Station in orbit, 860 kg of fuel to replenish the propulsion system of the Russian Service Module, plus 850 kg of water and 100 kg of oxygen and air.
The Integrated Cargo Carrier developed by Thales Alenia Space for the ATV comprises a pressurized cylindrical section, measuring 4.6 meters in diameter by 4 meters long, and a rear section about 1 meter long that houses the fuel, water and oxygen resupply system.
