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Jules Verne demonstrates flawless Collision Avoidance Manoeuvre

14 March 2008

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The Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) is the first fully automatic re-supply spacecraft of its kind. ESA's Jules Verne ATV is the first European space supplier for the ISS. It was launched 9 March 2008 from Europe's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

Credits: ESA - D.Ducros

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Credits: ESA

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If Europe’s Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) encounters difficulties during rendezvous with the International Space Station (ISS), some highly sophisticated software will be on-hand to take over operations and avoid a potentially dangerous situation.

Upon detection of a critical failure or an unsafe situation, the Monitoring and Safing Unit (MSU) isolates the ATV’s nominal system and commands a Collision Avoidance Manoeuvre (CAM). This brings the ATV on a safe trajectory within the monitoring corridor towards the ISS. Once the Collision Avoidance Manoeuvre is completed, the MSU points the vehicle towards the Sun, thus ensuring sufficient power from the solar panels during the ‘survival’ mode that the vehicle enters.

Credits: EADS

Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV)

ATV Blog

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