DocM Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 http://spaceflightnow.com/ariane/va219/140811rendezvous/#.U-nA5XrD_qA Final ATV on track to arrive at space station Tuesday A massive European supply ship is approaching the International Space Station for an automated linkup Tuesday with food, experiments and fuel. A massive European supply ship is approaching the International Space Station for an automated linkup Tuesday with food, experiments and fuel. The Automated Transfer Vehicle flew less than 4 miles under the International Space Station on Friday to try out new rendezvous sensors. Photo credit: NASA The European Space Agency's fifth and final Automated Transfer Vehicle is set for docking with the space station's Zvezda service module at 9:30 a.m. EDT (1330 GMT) to wrap up a two-week journey from a launch pad in tropical South America. A suite of telegoniometers and videometers will guide the supply ship to docking with the space station with help from a GPS navigation system for long-range tracking. The optical guidance system will fire lasers on final approach to the space station, bouncing the light off of specially-located reflectors mounted on the aft end of the outpost's Zvezda service module. The 20-ton ATV will approach the complex from behind, with the space station crew on standby to issue retreat, abort, or escape commands to the cargo craft if there is a problem. "It's one million lines of code, just to give you idea, because it's very complex to have an automatic docking," said Eric Beranger, head of space programs at Airbus Defence and Space, lead contractor for the cargo spacecraft. "You need to anticipate all possible mishaps using sensors, and yet be able not to lose track of your target and be able to dock. This software onboard ATV is able to dock with a precision within 6 centimeters (2.4 inches)." The spaceship took a longer route than normal after its July 29 launch aboard an Ariane 5 rocket to try out next-generation rendezvous sensors that could be used to help clean up space junk or approach objects like asteroids. The Laser Infrared Imaging Sensors, or LIRIS, carried on the ATV do not require the retro-reflectors, enabling future missions to rendezvous with nearly any object in orbit. ESA's ATV contractor Airbus Defence and Space, along with Sodern and Jena-Optronik, proposed flying the new laser and infrared sensors on the ATV 5 mission. The infrared camera was provided by French company Sodern, with German-based Jena-Optronik supplying the laser lidar, according to ESA. > About 14,500 pounds of cargo and fuel will be delivered with the ATV's docking Tuesday The cargo complement includes 1,896 pounds of propellant to be pumped inside the Russian Zvezda service module, 1,858 of fresh water, 220 pounds of air and pure oxygen, and about 5,941 pounds of dry cargo. > ATV-5 Georges Lema?tre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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