ATV - Automated Transfer Vehicle
The launch and docking windows for the ATV, Europe's huge new space-station resupply ship, have been set.The Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) will be lofted in the 22 February to 8-9 March timeframe, European Space Agency (Esa) officials say. The 20-tonne vessel will then attach itself to the international outpost during one of two windows; in early March, or in late March to early April.
ATV is the biggest, most sophisticated spacecraft Europe has attempted to fly.
Its preparation at the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana is very nearly complete.
On Friday, engineers will start the final stage of fuelling, adding 2.7 tonnes of oxidiser to the ship's propellant system.
Once this is done, and major headway has been made on the final 200 or so items on an "open work list", the ATV will be moved out of Kourou's giant S5 integration halls and taken to the Baf (Final Assembly Building) where it will be mated with its Ariane 5 launcher.
Once attached, the ATV - dubbed Jules Verne for its first flight - will stay on-station until August, after which it will be commanded to undock and ditch itself in the Pacific.
Preparation work on the second ATV, likely to fly in 2010, has already begun.