The ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle), for which Astrium is industrial prime contractor, has arrived at for Kourou, French Guiana, after a 12-day ocean voyage aboard the French Navy vessel Toucan.
The ATV is Europe’s contribution towards servicing the International Space Station. In addition to transporting fuel, water, gas, general supplies and scientific equipment, the ATV will also assist in maintaining the Space Station’s attitude control after docking. It will be the first European spacecraft to carry out an automatic rendezvous and docking with a space station.
