Updates ESA's ATV-2 "Johannes Kepler"

[Orbinaut Pete]

ESA's ATV-2 blog is now online!

http://blogs.esa.int/atv

 

[orb]

Arianespace: Europe’s Automated Transfer Vehicle is readied for its February launch on Ariane 5.

Click on image to enlarge​

The ATV Johannes Kepler is fueled in the Spaceport’s S5 payload integration facility.

 

[C3PO]

Man! That really is a huge space craft. Blows my mind every time I see pictures of it.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

ESA: "ATV Johannes Kepler gears up for space journey".

ATV-2 is almost ready for launch on 15 February from Europe’s Spaceport. It will be the heaviest load ever lofted into space by the Ariane 5 rocket, making the 200th flight of the European launcher even more spectacular.

ESA's latest Automated Transfer Vehicle space ferry, named after the German astronomer and mathematician Johannes Kepler, is now fully fuelled, its oxygen tanks are filled and most of the cargo from ESA and NASA is placed inside.

Only last-minute cargo of up to 400 kg will be added two weeks before launch using a special access device.

While the first ATV in 2008 performed a series of demonstrations on its way to the International Space Station (ISS), Johannes Kepler will head directly to its destination.

The planned journey includes some extra days to allow for possible delays, but the docking has to take place on 26 February to meet the busy ISS schedule.

Docking automatically, but controlled from Toulouse

ATV will navigate, fly and dock to the Station automatically, but it will be monitored and commanded from the ATV Control Centre (ATV-CC) in Toulouse, France. Despite its mass of about 20 tonnes, the ferry can manoeuvre itself to within a few centimetres.

During the docking, ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli will stand by ready to interrupt the approach if necessary. ATV carries several separate systems to detect potential problems and to ensure the safety of the Station and its crew at all times.

The links between the ATV-CC, ATV, Ariane and control centre at Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, will be tested twice in realistic launch simulations, on 4 and 11 February.

The Ariane 5 ES vehicle is already assembled in Kourou and the ATV will be attached on top on 20 January, beginning 20 days of combined operations with the Ariane and ATV teams.

The launch window will open for four days from 15 February.

Express delivery service

ATV-2 will carry more to the Space Station than Jules Verne, the first ATV, delivered in 2008. Several upgrades permit Johannes Kepler to ferry a full propellant load of almost 5 tonnes. All the cargo – liquid, gas and dry goods – totals 7.5 tonnes.

At the Station, ATV will provide storage and help in adjusting the orbit, performing regular orbit reboosts and avoiding space debris.

After staying for three and a half months at the Station, it will undock before being commanded by ATV-CC to burn up in the atmosphere over an uninhabited area of the southern Pacific Ocean.

Follow the mission of Johannes Kepler on the ATV blog

ESA will follow the launch preparations, flight and docking of the ATV on a special blog opened today.

The blog will cover the mission's milestones and include technical and operational details, updated with text and video entries from ESA establishments, the launch site in Kourou and the ATV control centre in Toulouse.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Arianespace receives the Ariane 5 for its February mission with Europe's second Automated Transfer Vehicle.

Installed on its mobile launch table, the Ariane 5 for Arianespace’s February 15 mission approaches the Final Assembly Building where it is to be fitted with the ATV Johannes Kepler.

The 200th Ariane launcher has been delivered to Arianespace at the Spaceport, where it will receive the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) payload for a February 15 liftoff on a servicing mission to the International Space Station.

This milestone Ariane 5 is now in the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building – having been transferred last Friday from the integration facility where it was built up by prime contractor EADS Astrium.

The flight’s ATV will be Europe’s second such logistics spacecraft lofted by Arianespace, following the initial mission with an Ariane 5 in 2008. Named after German astronomer and mathematician Johannes Kepler, the new ATV will ferry a 7.5-metric ton load of propellant, liquids, gas and dry goods to the International Space Station.

Arianespace’s February 15 mission will be the first of six Ariane 5 flights planned by the company in 2011, along with five Soyuz launches and one Vega mission targeted during the year.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Today: ATV transfered to the final assembly building.

SA’s Kirsten Macdonell, ATV Cargo Integration Engineer, sent us an update earlier today. She says that ATV-2 is going to be transported today from the S5B Integration and Filling Hall to the Final Assembly Building (BAF – Batiment d’Assemblage Finale). Kirsten wrote:

In order to do this and ensure that ATV is protected, a special shipping container is used. The container is called the CCU3 – Conteneur Charge Utile #3. This container is precisely aligned with the door of the S5B building. Then ATV is moved on a lifting device, which is a palette with air cushions underneath that allows the ATV to enter the container using alignment guides. The door of the CCU3 container is then closed and the container is then towed to the BAF. There it will spend the night, and tomorrow it will be removed from the CCU3. The CCU3 will move at a speed of 15 km/hour when it’s going straight, 8 km/hour on bends in the road and 5 km/hour on corners.

See above link for photos.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

ATV is now inside the inside the CCU3!

Late note came in last night (Thursday 20 January) from ESA’s Kirsten MacDonell on activities yesterday at Kourou:

The ATV is now inside the inside the CCU3! Here are a few photos of the transit. The 2nd last photo shows ESA’s Nico Dettmann, Head of ATV Production Programme, standing in front of the ATV, which is finally inside the CCU3. Kind regards, Kirsten

See above link for photos.

 

[IronRain]

ATV fact sheet online. Source, Direct link

 

[orb]

ESA Portal:
Intensive preparations for ATV freighter launch to Space Station

28 January 2011

The fuel and most of the cargo are loaded and ATV has been hoisted to the top of Ariane 5 as teams on four continents prepare for the 15 February launch of Johannes Kepler from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

With launch scheduled in just 18 days, experts from ESA, partner agencies and industry teams are in the busy final stage of making Johannes Kepler ready for space.

Liftoff is set for 15 February at 22:07 GMT (23:07 CET) from Kourou. After eight days of orbital manoeuvres that will enable the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) to synchronise its orbit with that of the International Space Station (ISS), the cargo vessel will dock on 23 February.

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Click on images to enlarge​

| ESA's ATV Control Centre during simulation training for the launch and early orbit phase (LEOP) of the ATV Johannes Kepler mission, 27 January 2011.

Credits: ESA​

| ATV Johannes Kepler mounted inside the CCU container for transport to the final assembly building (the BAF - Batiment d’Assemblage Finale) at Kourou on 20 January 2011. ESA's Nico Dettmann, Head of the ATV Production Programme, stands in front.

Credits: ESA​

Experts at Kourou handle ATV with care

In the past week at Kourou, experts from ESA and Arianespace carefully fitted ATV into a large protective container to transfer it to the giant vertical integration building.

The transfer took place on 20 January using a massive trailer at a maximum speed of just 15 km/hour.

ATV was removed from the container and, on 25 January, was lifted to the top of the Ariane 5 launcher that will carry it into space.

The vessel is now being integrated onto the launcher together with the adapter that serves as the interface with Ariane. In addition, the white insulating foil layer that thermally protects ATV from the enormous temperature changes in orbit is being attached.

"There is an incredible amount of hard work being done in these final weeks by teams from ESA, CNES, Arianespace and our partners. It's gratifying to see such dedication to making Johannes Kepler ready for flight," said Nico Dettmann, ESA's ATV Programme Manager.


Team work and training at ATV-CC

At the ATV Control Centre (ATV-CC) in Toulouse, France, mission controllers from ESA and CNES, the French space agency, have been making final checks of the mission control infrastructure.

On 28 January, the mission control team conducted a simulation of the critical launch and early orbit phase. On 29 January, a test of the ground control system between ATV and the control centre will see controllers receiving live signals via cable from ATV mounted on top of Ariane.

On 2 February, ATV-CC will conduct a final rehearsal involving all ISS control centres covering the flight period from rendezvous with the ISS up to docking. A dress rehearsal of the final countdown will be held on 9 February and will include the Arianespace launch control centre in Kourou.

"The operations teams from ESA, CNES and our industrial partners have worked very hard to make sure everything is ready, including many long hours of training to be ready in case of any contingencies. We are ready for ATV's flight and everyone is keen to get to liftoff," said Alberto Novelli, ESA's ISS Operations Manager.

The launch of Ariane 5 and the flight of ATV-2 will make use of ESA tracking stations at Santa Maria, Portugal; Maspalomas and Villafranca, Spain; Redu, Belgium; and, Perth, Australia. The network is centrally controlled from ESOC, ESA's Space Operations Centre in Germany.

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[Orbinaut Pete]

Photo: A last look inside ATV-2 before the hatch is closed for flight.

 

[N_Molson]

The ISS really deserves its name. The japanese HTV, the russian Progress, now the european ATV... and soon the american Dragon ! :thumbup:

 

[orb]

ESA Portal: Europe’s ATV space ferry ready for launch:

3 February 2011

ESA PR 6-2011 - ESA’s latest Automated Transfer Vehicle is ready for launch to the International Space Station on Tuesday, 15 February at 22:08 GMT from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The unmanned spaceship will deliver essential supplies and reboost the Station during its mission lasting three and half months.

The launch will be covered live from Kourou for broadcasters and on the Web, and celebrated at a launch event in Bremen, Germany.

{...}

Propellant and cargo for the ISS

On this first operational mission, ATV-2 is carrying over 7 tonnes of payload, including 4534 kg of propellant for International Space Station (ISS) reboost and attitude control.

Once docked to the ISS, this propellant will be used by ATV’s own thrusters to raise the Station’s orbit periodically in order to compensate for the natural decay caused by atmospheric drag.

It may also be used to move the ISS out of the way of potentially dangerous space debris that comes too close to the manned space complex.

ATV’s payload includes almost 1600 kg of dry cargo, 850 kg of propellant for Russia’s Zvezda module and 100 kg of oxygen.

Click on image to enlarge​

Up to about 430 kg of cargo, packed in 28 bags, were lowered into cargo compartment of Johannes Kepler on 29 January 2011 via a manually operated winch with the operator attached in a harness at the lower end of the winch cable.

Credits: ESA - D. Ducros, 2010​

Before leaving the ISS, in June, Johannes Kepler will be filled with waste bags and unwanted hardware by the crew. It will then be deorbited over the Southern Pacific Ocean and perform a controlled reentry to burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere.

Exceptionally, no drinking water will be delivered because there is already plenty aboard the ISS. The water tanks will, though, be filled with liquid waste from the Station before departure.

{...}

Covering the launch

ESA TV is providing extensive coverage of the ATV mission. Several stories featuring the latest images and interviews from Kourou will be released on ESA TV’s FTP server and via satellite on the Europe by Satellite (EbS) service. Already available are two Video News Releases covering the ATV-2 mission, with shots of the launch campaign in Kourou, and interviews in English, German, French and Swedish. The launch will be transmitted live from Kourou in cooperation with Arianespace. Later in the month, the docking with the ISS will also be available live via satellite. All details will be found on ESA TV’s site: television.esa.int.

{...}

 

[Yoda]

Dumb question, but why can't they leave one of the ATV's docked to the ISS to provide the station with more storage facility etc.
Seems like a waste of some perfectly good storage space to let it burn in the atmosphere every time.
Understandibly they'd have to reinforce the walls of the space=-craft some but if it already stays on facility for 3 months how hard could it be to convert it and use it as storage ???

 

[tl8]

Docking ports in a nutshell. There are not to many to go around in the Russian section (4?) and 2 of them are needed for Soyuz.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Docking ports in a nutshell. There are not to many to go around in the Russian section (4?) and 2 of them are needed for Soyuz.

Correct. There are only 4 docking ports on the RS. If ATV were at SM Aft permanently, it would occupy a much needed port.

However, there is a proposal to develop an ATV with a docking port on the rear, reached via a pressurised tunnel between the pressurised section and the service module. If this was done, a Soyuz/Progress could dock to ATV.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Arianespace's ATV-2 Launch Kit is now online (PDF, 3.2 MB).

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Europe's ATV Johannes Kepler is integrated on Ariane 5 for its February 15 launch.

The second Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) to be orbited by Arianespace has been installed on its Ariane 5 launch vehicle, keeping preparations on track for a February 15 mission to service the International Space Station.

With a total mass of over 20 metric tons, this flight’s payload will be the largest ever orbited by Ariane 5. The cargo spacecraft is named after German astronomer and mathematician Johannes Kepler, and is the first operational ATV. It follows the qualification flight of ATV Jules Verne, launched by an Ariane 5 in March 2008.

Developed for the European Space Agency, the ATV Johannes Kepler has been loaded with more than 7 metric tons of payload – including 4,534 kg. of propellant to be used in International Space Station’s attitude control system, and for the crewed facility’s altitude re-boost operations. Also carried by the ATV is nearly 1,600 kg. of dry cargo and 100 kg. of oxygen to be used aboard the station.

The upcoming launch from Europe’s Spaceport will utilize an Ariane 5 ES version of Arianespace’s heavy-lift workhorse, with its liftoff scheduled for 7:08 p.m. local time in French Guiana. During a mission lasting just over one hour – which includes two burns of the launcher’s EPS storable propellant upper stage – the ATV Johannes Kepler will be deployed into a 260-km. circular orbit.

This flight will mark the historic 200th flight of an Ariane family vehicle, continuing a legacy that began with the maiden launch of an Ariane 1 version in December 1979.

This photo series highlights the integration process for ATV Johannes Kepler inside the Ariane 5’s Final Assembly Building. At top, the 10-meter-tall cargo spacecraft is raised from the facility’s payload preparation area by an overhead crane. In the bottom three photos, the ATV is lowered into position atop its Ariane 5 ES launcher.

 

[orb]

I think it's a good time now to post a link to calendar event containing a timer for the launch of Ariane 5 carrying ATV-2.

You can request a reminder for this event, which will be sent via e-mail on a set time before the event.

 

[Notebook]

Some ground info:

http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMXTOLTRJG_index_0.html

When ATV Johannes Kepler is lofted into space on 15 February, an ESA tracking station on Portugal's Santa Maria island will watch closely, gathering crucial data as Ariane 5 streaks overhead.

N.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

NASA TV Airs Second European Cargo Craft Flight To Space Station.

NASA Television plans live coverage of the launch and automated docking of the second unpiloted European cargo ship that will deliver approximately seven tons of fuel, food and supplies to the International Space Station.

NASA TV coverage of the launch from the northern coast of South America will begin at 3:45 p.m. CST on Tuesday, Feb. 15. The European Space Agency and its launch services provider, Arianespace, are scheduled to launch the Johannes Kepler Automated Transfer Vehicle-2, or ATV2, on an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana, at 4:13 p.m. (7:13 p.m. in Kourou). NASA TV coverage will continue through the deployment of the cargo ship's solar arrays about 90 minutes after launch.

After an eight-day journey, the spacecraft will rendezvous and dock to the aft port of the station's Zvezda service module.

If the ATV2 launches Feb. 15 as scheduled, NASA TV will broadcast the final rendezvous and docking beginning at 8:45 a.m. on Feb. 23. Docking is scheduled at approximately 9:20 a.m. ATV2 will remain attached to Zvezda until early June, when it will undock and deorbit for a destructive re-entry into Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.

For NASA TV downlink, schedule and streaming video information, visit:
www.nasa.gov/ntv

For more information about the ATV2, visit:
http://blogs.esa.int/atv

For more information about the International Space Station and its crew members, visit:
www.nasa.gov/station