Members of the committee, chaired jointly by Daniel Sacotte, ESA Director of Manned Spaceflight and Microgravity, and Michel Courtois, ESA-ESTEC Head of Establishment, also included representatives from ESA, NASA, Roskosmos (Russian space agency), RSC Energya, Arianespace and CNES. This meeting concluded a series of earlier qualification reviews at system level (avionics and mechanicals, flight control, etc.)
The outcome of the review was largely positive in general terms, even though a number of actions remain open. These include the propulsion and reboost sub-system in particular.
Nicolas Chamussy, Head of the ATV programme explains: "We can be extremely satisfied. The committee has spoken clearly and in glowing terms on the very high quality of the work accomplished and excellent level of flight software and avionics. The clarity of the user manuals also received significant praise. The committee also emphasised the highly professional manner in which the qualification tests had been conducted".
This meeting provided the opportunity to answer several of the remaining open technical questions, with particular reference to additional tests.
"Time is now pressing. Acceptance of the Jules Verne vehicle is scheduled before the end of 2007, and all open technical actions relating to qualification must be cleared by this deadline" adds Nicolas Chamussy. "However, I really would like to thank the teams for their involvement in this major step forward. On many occasions during the development and integration phases, as well as at the review group meetings, the quality of the work delivered by Astrium in its capacity as prime contractor has been highlighted. We have indeed been congratulated by members of the review board who regard the way in which this extremely complex work has been successfully completed as unprecedented in the context of an ESA programme, Many actions are still open, but none are regarded as a hurdle for the ATV flight."
