The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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In 2012, a joint ESA/CNES mission control team were working ‘on console’ at the ATV Control Centre in Toulouse, France, to oversee the approach and docking of ESA’s third Automated Transfer Vehicle, Edoardo Amaldi.
ATV-3’s docking probe was captured by the docking cone in the Space Station’s Zvezda Russian Service Module at 00:31 CEST on 29 March (22:31 GMT 28 March).
The 20-tonne vessel, flying autonomously while being continuously monitored from the ground, docked with the 450-tonne orbital complex with a precision of 6 cm as they circled Earth at more than 28 000 km/h.
The ground teams at the ATV Control Centre as well as ESA astronaut André Kuipers and his crewmates on the Station were also watching the approach, in case a hold or an abort had to be ordered.
ATV-3 delivered 860 kg of propellant, 100 kg of oxygen and air, 280 kg of drinking water and 2200 kg of dry cargo such as scientific equipment, spare parts, food and clothes for the astronauts.
More information
ATV-3
ATV-CC (archived)
ATV-3 docking day music video