Estação de rastreio da ESA nos Açores está operacional a partir de Outubro   Artist's impression of the Automated Transfer Vehicle approaching the International Space Station. In combination with ESA's new Ariane 5, the 20.5 t, 8.5 m-long Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) will enable Europe to transport cargo to the International Space Station. This new vehicle, scheduled for its initial test flight in September 2004, can carry 9 tonnes of scientific equipment, general supplies, water, oxygen and propellant. Up to 4 t can be propellant for ATV's own engines to reboost the Station at regular intervals as atmospheric drag reduces the orbit. Developed under Aerospatialess prime contractorship, an ATV will be launched on average every 15 months as a means of ESA contributing to the Station's operating costs. It can remain docked for up to 6 months, during which time it will be loaded with Station waste before being undocked and flown into Earth's atmosphere to burn up.   A platform and associated infrastructure is being set up on Santa Maria Island's Monte das Flores (Hill of Flowers)in the Azores to host an ESA mobile tracking station. This new station will be part of the network of tracking stations used to track launches from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. The tracking station will come into service to track next year's launch to the International Space Station of ESA's Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) resupply vehicle, Jules Verne. Release date: 25 Julho 2007