| | |  | Jules Verne ATV attached to the ISS | |
Jules Verne cargo
When the Jules Verne ATV was launched to the ISS it carried around 8.3 tonnes of wet and dry cargo with an additional 2.3 tonnes of cargo support hardware.
The cargo is split as follows:
Wet cargo
Propulsion propellant (5.8 tonnes)
This takes up by far the largest proportion of the ATV cargo. The ATV uses about 60% of the propellant in autonomously raising its orbit, rendezvousing and docking with the ISS, as well as verifying different manoeuvres on the way. It is also used for deorbiting the ATV on conclusion of its mission. The remaining 40% of the propellant is used by the ATV to reboost the ISS to a higher orbiting altitude in order to counter the effects of atmospheric drag, which cause the ISS to very slowly lose altitude, and for ISS attitude control. The propellant consists of two different fluids: monomethylhydrazine (MMH) accounting for around 2200 kg and mixed oxides of nitrogen (MON3) accounting for around 3600 kg.
Refuelling propellant (860 kg)
Once attached to the Station, 860 kg of refuelling propellant is transferred from the ATV to the ISS. This consists of two different fluids: the fuel unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) and the oxidiser, nitrogen tetroxide (N2O4), which provides a source of oxygen so the fuel can ignite and burn in orbit. This will be used by the ISS for orbit and attitude control.
Water (270 kg)
This is what is known as potable water for use by the crew for drinking, food rehydration and oral hygiene.
Oxygen (20 kg)
This is used for resupply of oxygen in the atmosphere inside the ISS, which is similar to that on Earth. In orbit, the 20 kg of oxygen
carried up by Jules Verne ATV, is manually injected by the crew into the ISS atmosphere.
| | | Loading dry cargo into Jules Verne's pressurized module |
Dry cargo
A total of 1.3 tonnes of dry cargo was transported to the ISS inside the Integrated Cargo Carrier of Jules Verne ATV. This included 500 kg of food for the crew, 136 kg of spare parts for the European Columbus laboratory, which was launched and attached to the ISS in February
2008, 80 kg of clothing, and a number of additional items including public relations items to commemorate the Jules Verne ATV launch. This
includes two Jules Verne manuscripts.
Last update: 22 July 2008 | |
