Europe’s massive 19,357 kg supply spacecraft will be carried into orbit by a special version of the Ariane 5 launcher. This Ariane is now scheduled to lift off from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on 8 March at 01:28 local time, 05:28 CET. Media are invited to space centres across Europe to follow this historic launch live (see details below).

From 2008 onward, ESA’s Automated Transfer Vehicle will be one of the space station’s supply spacecraft, delivering experiments, equipment and spare parts, as well as food, air and water for its permanent crew.

Constructed by EADS-Astrium, the ATV, which is the most powerful automatic spaceship ever built, will carry up to 9 tonnes of cargo to the station as it orbits 400 km above the Earth.

Equipped with its own propulsion and navigation systems, the ATV is a multi-functional spacecraft, combining the fully automatic capabilities of an unmanned vehicle with the safety requirements of a crewed vehicle. Its mission in space will resemble that, on the ground, of a truck (the ATV) delivering goods and services to a research establishment (the space station).

A new-generation high-precision navigation system will guide the ATV on a rendezvous trajectory towards the station. In early April, Jules Verne will automatically dock with the station’s Russian Service Module, following a number of specific operations and manoeuvres (on 'Demonstration Days') to show that the vehicle is performing as planned in nominal and contingency situations.

It will remain there as a pressurised and integral part of the station for up to six months until a controlled re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere takes place, during which it will burn up and, in the process, dispose of 6.3 tonnes of waste material no longer needed on the station.

For the launch of this milestone mission, ESA, CNES, DLR and industry partners are organising coverage of the launch at various centres. ESA experts as well as industry representatives will be on hand for interviews.

The mission can also be followed on the web at: www.esa.int/atv. Media representatives wishing to follow the event at one of the locations listed below are requested to fill in the attached registration form and fax it back to the place of their choice.

For further information, please contact:

ESA Media Relations Office

Communication Department

Tel: +33(0)1 53 69 7158

Fax: +33(0)1.53.69.7690

 
Launch transmission of ESA’s ATV 'Jules Verne' To be faxed back to the location of your choice.

First name: ___________________ Last name:_________________

Media: ___________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________

Tel:___________________________ Fax: _______________________

Mobile:_______________________ Email: ______________________

I will be attending the ATV launch transmission on Saturday 8 March 2008 at the following site:

[ ] France

CNES / ESA transmission at Toulouse

Address: Cité de l’Espace, bât. Astralia, Toulouse

Opening hours: 04:30 - 08:00

Contact: Eliane Moreau Tel: +33 - 5 61 27 33 44, Fax: +33 - 5 61 28 29 39

[ ] France

Location: ESA HQ

Address: 8/10, rue Mario-Nikis, Paris 15

Opening hours: 04:30 - 08:00

Contact: Bernhard Von Weyhe, Tel: +33 (0)1 5369 7158, Fax: +33 (0)1 53 69 76 90

[ ] Germany

EADS-Astrium / ESA / DLR Event

Address: Astrium GmbH, Airbus-Str.1, Bremen

Opening hours: 04:30 - 08:00

Contact: Katrin Seiler, Tel: +49 421 – 539 9 4411, Fax: +49 421 - 539 9 4534

[ ] Germany

Location: ESA/ESOC

Address: Robert-Bosch Strasse 5, 64289 Darmstadt

Opening hours: 04:45 - 08:00

Contact: Nicola Gebers de Sousa, Tel: +49 6151 902 266, Fax: +49 6151 902 961

[ ] The Netherlands

Location: ESA/ESTEC, Erasmus Centre

Address: Keplerlaan 1, Noordwijk

Opening hours: 05:00 – 07:00

Contact: Rosita Suenson, Tel: +31 71 565 3009, Fax: +31 71 565 5728

[ ] Italy

Location: ESA/ESRIN

Address: Via Galileo Galilei, Frascati (Rome)

Opening hours: 04:30 - 08:00

Contact: Dieter Isakeit, Tel: +39 06 941 80 950, Fax: +39 06 941 80 952

[ ] Spain

Location: ESA/ESAC

Address: Camino bajo del Castillo, s/n Urbanización Villafranca del Castillo

Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid

Opening hours: 04:30 - 08:00

Contact: Monica Oerke, Tel: + 34 91 813 13 27 / 84 / 00, Fax: +34 91 813 11 39