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Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) Propulsion

Satellite and spacecraft propulsion systems from Astrium Lampoldshausen

Automated Transfer Vehicle Approaching ISS

The Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) is an unmanned spacecraft designed to transfer logistics and stores to the permanent crew of the International Space Station (ISS), 400 km above the Earth. It is the first European spacecraft to have a docking capability. The ATV will also be used to periodically restore the operational orbit of the Space Station.

The first ATV was named 'Jules Verne' and was launched by an ES ATV version of Ariane 5 on 9 March 2008.

The ATV will travel to the ISS about every 15 months, carrying up to 7.2 tonnes of equipment, spares, food, air and water from its Kourou launch site in French Guiana.

An on board high precision navigation system will guide the ATV on a rendezvous trajectory towards ISS, where it will automatically dock with the Station's Russian service module.

Once docked, the ATV will remain as a pressurised and integral part of the Station for up to six months. Before de-docking, the ATV will be loaded with up to 6.5 tonnes of waste material, ready for departure, de-orbitation and burn-up in the Earth's atmosphere.

Automated Transfer Vehicle - Key Facts
	Dimensions Length Largest diameter Solar arrays span Mass budget Vehicle dry mass: Vehicle consumables Total vehicle mass Total cargo upload capacity Mass at launch Waste download capacity Launch Configuration Cargo mass Launch vehicle Launch site First flight	9.79 m 4.48 m 22.28 m (420 km x 51.6 deg inclination) 10,470 kg 2,613 kg 13,083 kg 7,500 kg 20,750 kg 6,300 kg Dry cargo: 1,500-5,500 kg Water: 0-840 kg Gas (N2, O2, air, 2 gasses/flight): 0-100 kg ISS refuelling propellant: 0-830 kg Total cargo upload capacity: 7,667 kg Ariane 5 (300x300 km, 51.6° transfer orbit) Kourou, French Guiana 2007   t

Automated Transfer Vehicle - Propulsion System
 

The ATV propulsion system comprises 4 x 490 N main engines and 28 x 200 N attitude control thrusters.

The Lampoldshausen centre is responsible for the production, integration and acceptance testing of the

ATV propulsion module pressure control assemblies (PCA)
Propellant Isolation Assembly (PIA)
Attitude control thruster clusters (ACS and FACS).

A pictorial insight into some of the ATV activities, performed at Astrium Lampoldshausen, is shown below:

CNC and manual tube bending, TIG orbit welding, visual inspection, X-ray
inspection, fluorescent dye penetrant inspection and cleanliness verification.

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